Guys I lowered (loosened completely) the rear stabilizer bar to make room for installing the new muffler. Is it safe to TOW the car 15 KM two ways with this thing off? Is it going to damage anything?

I'm at the point where I have to get them to cut off some rusted parts. I attempted so many times with the O2/MAPP torch but I couldn't do it.

 

if it is a manual, i would tow it from the back, leaving it in neutral. since you have an auto, I wouldnt do it, either way. why not just put it back?

 

Because on the drivers side rear bracket that attaches to the rear bar, the stud busted off flush and I can't fasten it together. When they use the plasma cutter or TIG or MIG or whatever to cut off the rusty header pipe, I was hoping they could blow out that cap screw too, then I can re-connect it.

I tried heating it up with the O2/MAPP torch and banging it out with a hammer, but I think those cap screws on the left are welded to the piece.

 

Flatbed Tow truck FTW

 

+1

Just have it towed on a flatbed car hauler.

 

Got the flat bed guys as per your suggestion. I will admit I was a bit scared when he DROVE the car up the 30 degree (or more) incline then set the parking brake and the car was resting on the parking brake, but it looked like it was slipping. Then he leveled off the platform.

I thought usually they PULL the car up with a cable? Proabably lazy and didn't want to hook it up. It was an incline like that, that I suspect that gave the final blow to my previous ABS Actuator....the car was parked on a steep incline parking lot, then when I rolled down, the brakes were gone.

Do you guys think it's harsh on the brakes what he did?

 

Definately not harsh as in abs actuator damaging on the brakes. The parking brake just clamps the rear calipers down via a cable instead of brake fluid pressure. It should not have involved the abs system at all. So if it was ok to drive, then it shouldn't have been harmed at all.

 

not terribly unusual. if he did eventually hook up the winch then it is normal when the car works. the winch is also used to secure the car down once it is chained in the rear.

 

It's just there to reduce body roll during hard cornering.. you can drive the car with this removed, so I can't see why towing would have been a problem.

 

you can't drive it very well.... but if the rig off the truck is a stiff rig (cannot swivel, ie, NOT like a hitch/ball trailer) then it should be OK I would think... tho i've never driven nor towed a car w/o the swaybar

 

Some smaller cars come without any rear swaybar, in fact some older cars have none on the front either.
I have driven my car around for a week without a rear swaybar while waiting for the links to be repaired. You just need to keep it in mind when taking corners a bit fast.
I have also been in a 3rd gen without a front swaybar when testing a transmission problem. Again, you can't expect to take corners as fast but it still drives fine. The springs do most of the job of keeping the car level, the swaybars just help a little during cornering.

 

this is completely understandable, as long as the sways are completely removed. however, if they are loosened, you do not want to put any stress on the system by driving it around. I would be afraid of breaking something by simply loosening everything. this is not an impractical fear, considering the dynamics of the bars functions.
(and the rear mounts are a minor problem to begin with)

 

Good point, I was thinking of what damage could be done by not having the sway bar functioning, rather than it being damaged by being loose.

 

Bah, I've been driving around my black VE for a year or two now without the rear sway bar. Granted, I never autocross my car, but in normal everyday driving I honestly haven't noticed a difference

 

I put the thing back on in the back, but I snapped one of the studs on the drivers side rear one, so it's only clamping with 1 hex nut. My mistake was removing those hanging clamp things completely, instead of just removing the bracket that attaches to the bar itself.

I guess it's a trip to the JY to find them. Getting them off was really hard though, they strip when taking them (the entire hanging part) off...at least mine, lots of corrosion.