Sway bar diameters for 230SL - 280SL

[wwheeler]

I just recently bought the poly suspension bushing tools from Cox Racing and trying organize it all. One of the items that I find confusing is the stock sway bar sizes for the 113 cars. Does anyone have the diameters and part numbers for the bars and rubber bushings at the frame? I have several frame bushing tools, but need to know which go with which model. Seems like there was a switch sometime in the mid production on the 250SL(043).

Thank you for your help.

Wallace 

[hauser]

Cox once sold a larger diameter sway bar.

[Pawel66]

Perhaps the story in pictures, as attached.

"Zastapiony przez" = replaced by.

[wwheeler]

I guess that is what I find confusing.

I get that the bars #113 323 00 65 and #113 323 01 65 use the #113 323 01 85 rubber mount. That looks to be used on earlier cars but what diameter is the bar? That was substituted by he #113 323 02 65 bar which is 22mm and uses the 110 323 04 85 rubber mount. Is that much correct?

If I had to summarize, the ....00 65 and .....01 65 bars were used on the 042 and some 043 cars. The .....02 64 22mm bar was used on the later 043 and all 044 cars? But, if you had to replace your sway bar on any model, the use the ....02 64 bar. Is that correct?

What is the difference between the ....00 65 bar and the .....01 65 bar?

So many questions, so little time.

[jeffc280sl]

i believe the 280sl came with a 19mm sway bar.  i switched to the stiffer 22mm sway bar from a 230sl to improve handling.

[wwheeler]

That is what I was going to conclude but it seems odd that they reduced the size. Usually with anything automotive, bigger is better. I wonder why they reduced the size?

Thank you for the info.

[Pawel66]

I guess that is what I find confusing.

I get that the bars #113 323 00 65 and #113 323 01 65 use the #113 323 01 85 rubber mount. That looks to be used on earlier cars but what diameter is the bar? That was substituted by he #113 323 02 65 bar which is 22mm and uses the 110 323 04 85 rubber mount. Is that much correct?

If I had to summarize, the ....00 65 and .....01 65 bars were used on the 042 and some 043 cars. The .....02 64 22mm bar was used on the later 043 and all 044 cars? But, if you had to replace your sway bar on any model, the use the ....02 64 bar. Is that correct?

What is the difference between the ....00 65 bar and the .....01 65 bar?

So many questions, so little time.

If I may, this is just me interpreting, may be wrong:

The note in 042 parts list for 0165 (Plant information) says: Until chassis 0 05164.

I would read the spare part list for 042: Torsion bar 0165, for replacement use 0265 + 0485 rubbers.

No idea about difference 0065 and 0165.

And for 280SL it just states 22mm sway bar, no other one on spare part list.

[DaveB]

i believe the 280sl came with a 19mm sway bar.  i switched to the stiffer 22mm sway bar from a 230sl to improve handling.

What Jeff states here was my understanding also - that the swaybar diameter was reduced in later cars, and that all 280SL (and perhaps later 250SL?) had the smaller diameter. I thought the smaller diameter was 18 mm not 19 mm though.
However this 2004 discussion: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=1902.0 suggests there may have also been a 20 mm bar.
Anyway FYI my 1965 230SL bar is 22 mm.

[wwheeler]

Thanks Dave. I do have a tool from Cox that is for a 29mm bar. Maybe that is the ID of the bushing and the bar is 30mm. Still trying to figure this out.

Than you for the link to the older conversation. Interestingly, Cox is mentioned there as well. Cox makes motorcycle guards and not urethane bushings now. I will soon have the bushings ready for sale.

Wallace

[jeffc280sl]

i believe the sway bar diameter was reduced in later models to address complaints about speed bumps at the Country Club