TRD sway bar and strut brace ?

Joebug said:

Hey Guys!

A guy near me has a used TRD rear sway bar and a used TRD front strut brace for sale. He said his lowest price is $200, the front brace is in really good shape but the rear sway bar is the older style and looks like it could use a quick spray paint here and there, but still useable.
What do you guys think at a price of $200 for both pieces?
to get them both new would cost me every bit of $400 at the cheapest place I found them.
What do ya think?
Thanks!!

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Every report I've read regarding the original sway bar breaking was by a person in the habit of making quick turns/curves at speed, not one was by someone who didn't heavily stress the bar. So, if you are someone who regularly pushes in corners, then getting the current version might be wise, but otherwise, the original should be just fine. Yes, the price sounds good. Check the installation PDFs and verify you get everything needed for installation.

Joebug said:

Thanks for making it easy to decide..I will make arrangements to pick them up..




I was thinking the same thing..anyone know if toyota replaced the broken ones? I woul hope they did..dont they have the 3/36 warranty?

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Forget it, the original only had a problem if you beat the sh!t out of it.

phobic said:

be careful with the older style TRD brace, they've been known to snap.

but this is a great price.

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But from my reading, only with owners who habitually heavily stress them with quick cornering. As I mentioned above, I've never learned of one breaking otherwise.

phobic said:

well, whats the point in having a sway bar if you don't use it?

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I enjoy my original TRD sway bar everyday I drive the car. The difference is more than noticeable, however, I don't "canyon carve" ! Having a rear sway bar transforms the OE xB, but unlike the front strut tower brace, you don't have to be a racer to appreciate it !

erozcs said:

i'm glad i was able to stir-up some controversy. it's been boring around here lately.

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Hey, hey, hey -- whatever works dude ! I'm entirely happy with both my original TRD rear sway bar and my Tanabe' front strut tower brace, but my bottom line is the value is primarily in the sway bar, the tower brace is just a nicety (helps in emergency handling). If you don't beat on your car in the curves, the original TRD sway bar is just fine, however, if you beat on it, you may break it !

FWIW -- I've also read of the rear Hotchkiss sway bar being broken by highly aggressive curve driving, it has the same mount design. What it comes down to is consider your driving habits before putting down your bucks.