Questionable Stabilizer Bar

[vectormechanic]

I just cleaned the corrosion scale off my (93 L) stabilizer bar where it goes into the control arm bushings and saw it has necked down from original diameter about 12% or from 0.650" to 0.575". Should I run it? What are my chances of finding a bar that is any better? If I do run it, I will build it up with JB Weld for bushing fit. It is only bad under the first bushing (on each side). I am only worried about it failing in tension (like if I rammed a high curb head-on) but have never heard of such an accident with a Festiva. Anyway, guess I'll put it together for now and just keep an eye out for a better bar.

[batstiva]

Sounds like someone ran it quite awhile with little or no bushings. That's a pretty substantial narrowing of the steel. How do the bushings fit? Are they snug? Loose? Think I'd definitely be on the lookout for a better one, but if the bushings are fairly snug, I would think you'd be okay to drive on it short term. Just my .02 tho.

[vectormechanic]

Ackshooley, the bushings look fine to me. The necking down is purely from corrosion from moisture under the snug fitting bushings. Everywhere else on the bar, the corrosion was light surface rust.

I am half bringing this up because I suspect most of the rest of us in the rust belt probably have the same problem and don't know it.

Kind of funny thing, this car has virtually no body rust.

Due to the scale buildup, the diameter was more than 0.75" when I first took off the bushings. How much more, I'm not sure, but it was really, really thick.

Where my bar necked down, it is still larger than the threaded end diameter, so I doubt I'll worry much. But I do hope to hear a lot of feedback on this to see how common a problem it is. If it is uncommon, my enthusiasm for looking for a better bar will rise.

[vectormechanic]

The bushings were extremely tight, since they show no wear or deterioration and since they had all that buildup underneath.