Technical information

Whatis‘sway?’
When you turn (or when crosswinds or passing
18-wheelers rock the vehicle), the body of the ve-
hicle rolls to one side. This side-to-side weight shift,
which causes you to fight the steering wheel, is called
“sway” (or, “body roll”).
Howdoesananti-swaybarwork?
Anti-sway bars appear to be quite simple (a typi-
cal bar resembles an elongated “U”), but the physics
behind their function is anything but simple — the
bar is a torsional spring, which rotates on leverage
arms in response to pressure shifts at either end of
the axle. In this manner, force is displaced from one
side of the vehicle to the other.
In simple terms, an RSS anti-sway bar anchors the
frame to the axle, so that the pressure shifts caused
by crosswinds or cornering are virtually eliminated.
What are the benefits?
• Safety — body roll forces more weight to the
outside tires, reducing traction. An anti-sway bar
distributes the weight evenly over all four wheels.
With more rubber on the road, the vehicle is more
stable and responsive.
Sway can force the driver into a series of oversteer
reactions, especially during cornering. Compensating
for sway at the steering wheel is dangerous at any
speed.
• Comfort — constantly having to correct for sway
is not only dangerous, it’s also exhausting. (See ‘Why
Fight It?’ on the other side.)
RSS anti-sway bars virtually eliminate sway caused
by crosswinds and weight shift. So even after hours
at the wheel, the driver arrives fresh, instead of fa-
tigued.
HowdoIknowifIneedone?
Every “yes” to the following questions is a “yes”
for an RSS anti-sway bar:
• Does the vehicle “roll” when cornering?
• Do crosswinds or passing 18-wheelers rock the
vehicle back and forth?
• Does driving for an extended period of time leave
you fatigued?
• Is driving a “white knuckle” experience?
Howdoesitinstall?
The bar is bolted on (usually, eight bolts) to the
frame and the axle. On average, 60% require no
drilling — the attachment bolts use existing hole pat-
terns.
Isthereoneformyvehicle?
RSS anti-sway bar kits are available for motor-
homes, trucks, vans, and SUVs. Each one is custom-
designed specifically for your vehicle’s chassis.
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Sellsheet—anti-swaybars
WhatifIhavestockbars?
Compared to stock bars, RSS anti-sway bars offer
significantly more resistance to sway…
• RSS anti-sway bars have a thicker diameter than
stock bars. Often, a quarter to three-eights of an
inch more. Every 1/8" increase in diameter results
in a 30 percent increase in sway resistance.
• RSS anti-sway bars are made from 4140 “chro-
moly” spring steel (a chrome and molybdenum alloy),
which is considerably stronger and more durable
than the standard carbon steel (a 1020 grade) used
in many stock anti-sway bars.
• Stock anti-sway bar bushings (the pivot points) are
made of rubber, which hardens over time, making it
more susceptible to abrasion. Rubber is also subject
to corrosion, and additional wear, from petroleum
products like gasoline or oil, and from ozone in the
atmosphere.
The more a stock bushing wears, the more the
sway bar ‘gives.’ Over time, the vehicle leans farther
and farther out of line, in response to the same load
weights.
RSS bushings are made of polyurethane, which is
impervious to gas, oil and ozone corrosion, is more
resistant to abrasion, and doesn’t buckle under
heavier load weights.