Anti-Roll & Sway Bars for Toyota Prius

Sway Bars for Toyota Prius

Sway bars are a critical component of the suspensions of these hybrid vehicles as they have a significant impact on the cars handling and the body roll when going around corners or over bumps. Toyota Prius sway bars can be found in a number of different thicknesses, rigidness, and styles, so be sure to consider your driving habits and needs when searching for a replacement sway bar for your vehicle.

What purpose does a sway bar serve on a Prius?

Sway bars perform two important functions for a Toyota Prius. These parts are critical for the suspension to ensure proper handling and limit how much the body of the Toyota can roll. The stiffness of a sway bar has a large impact on your Prius steering behavior, and adjusting the rigidity can help to shift the weight of the hybrid vehicle toward the front or rear axle of the Prius to correct any issues. Altering body roll is another important function, and a stiffer sway bar and suspension can help keep the Toyota Prius more level when you are driving. This helps to prevent your Prius from tipping over.

How does sway bar stiffness affect a Toyota Prius?

The Toyota Prius comes available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations, and each of these vehicles utilizes a different sway bar configuration for optimal functionality. If your Toyota suffers from over steer or under steer, adjusting the sway bar can be a great way to address this issue. The differences are explained below:

  • Front-wheel: Front-wheel drive Toyotas can be subject to having issues with under steering, which occurs when the car does not turn as much as it should when you turn the wheel. This issue can be addressed by installing a stiffer sway bar on the rear axle of your Prius.
  • All-wheel: If you drive an all-wheel drive Prius that under steers, installing a more rigid rear sway bar can help alleviate the problem. On the other hand, an over steering Toyota hybrid should incorporate a more rigid front sway bar.
What size sway bars are available for a Toyota Prius?
  • Diameter: Sway bars are measured by their diameter in millimeters, and a thicker sway bar provides extra rigidity for the Prius suspension. These parts can vary greatly in size, ranging from around 24 to 35 millimeters. Also, the front sway bar on a Prius is generally larger than the rear part.
  • Length: In general, a longer sway bar is more flexible than a shorter model. Longer models allow for increased body roll, which can be helpful if you tend to drive your Toyota Prius on rougher roads. The less-rigid composition allows the tires to maintain more contact with the ground and allows for softer responses when going over bumps. Shorter bars provide extra stability for the Prius, and these are ideal for driving on flat surfaces or on roads with many corners as they reduce body roll.
  • Structure: Toyota Prius sway bars can be either hollow in construction, which allows for extra flexibility, or solid, which provides more rigidity and a stiffer suspension.

Categorías