Sway Bars vs. Torsion Bars???

[atomicjoe23]

Don't sway bars and torsion bars essentially do the same thing???

I know what sway bars do and how they work, but I've never messed with a vehicle that has torsion bars so I'm completely unfamiliar with them and have never taken the time to read up on them. . .are these just different names for the same thing in different vehicles?

Thanks!

 

[scottm]

Not the same, torsion bars are the spring that holds up the vehicle. Chevy 4wd ifs trucks have used them since 88.

 

[standfast]

Yeah they do the same thing. They are both springs. The sway bar is a torsional spring that only works when you have side to side weight differentials. They do the same thing, just at different times.

 

[jrtorres]

torsion bars support the weight of the vehicle like the coil spring on a coil-over. Sway bars don't support the weight but instead are a connecting link between the two sides of the suspension on a vehicle...so if the left side compresses the sway bar will try to compress the right side at the same time....i think that made sense.....

 

[atomicjoe23]

Yeah that makes sense. . .

. . .Thanks Guys!!!