The average total cost for a sway bar replacement is $135 to $400, including $35 to $280 for parts and $100 to $220 for labor. The exact price will depend on your vehicle’s year and model.

The total parts cost includes a new sway bar but may extend to a replacement control arm, suspension coil, or ball joint as well. As for the labor costs, it takes around one to three hours for a certified mechanic to inspect your vehicle, diagnose the problem, and complete a sway bar replacement.

How did we estimate these prices?
Jerry's experts researched and collected data from 2500+ real repair shops in all 50 states in the US, including everything from the total cost of repair services to the hourly labor cost for mechanic labor in each shop. We combined that data with our expert database of hundreds of real repair jobs, thousands of real cars, millions of real car part prices in order to best estimate the cost of each repair service. Our labor cost estimate is calculated by taking the average hourly labor rate for a certified mechanic in the US, times the number of hours it takes on average to complete a repair. We recommend you compare your local shops with Jerry and contact those shops directly to get final pricing for your vehicle.

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What parts do you need for a sway bar replacement? How much do they cost?

Your

car’s suspension system

is a complicated assembly of parts designed to minimize driving disturbances. It keeps metal parts from smashing into one another, optimizes performance, and provides a smooth and comfy drive.

As you can imagine, your suspension experiences a lot of wear. If your ride doesn’t feel quite right, any of these suspension components could be to blame:

The sway bar ($35-$620) or anti-roll bar is a bow-shaped metal rod mounted between a car’s front wheels (or rear wheels) that limits how far the car leans while turning. Notice how you incline to left when you turn right, or vice versa? Without a sway bar, this motion would be much worse.

Rear ball joints

($6-$1,300): Broadly speaking, car suspensions use control arms to connect the vehicle’s wheels to the frame, and steering knuckles to turn the wheels. Control arms move up and down; steering knuckles move left and right. Ball joints, being perfect spheres, can accommodate both motions, and they fit between the control arms and steering knuckles.

Control arms

($22-$1,300): Control arms may be shaped like an ‘A’, an ‘L’, or a wishbone, depending on the vehicle. Some cars use both upper and lower control arms. Often, they’re sold with the ball joint attached. Control arms can break after years of rust, vibration, and rough roads.

Steering knuckles ($105-$1,170): Depending on the layout of the wheel assembly, steering knuckles may connect the vehicle’s wheels to the control arms or the ball joints. They pivot left to right and allow you to steer the car.

Front ball joints

($6-$1,300): Like rear ball joints, front ball joints connect to the control arms and/or steering knuckles. Some suspension systems make use of both upper ball joints and lower ball joints.

Some popular sway bar brands include Moog, Eibach and Whiteline. You can purchase them from online retailers such as Amazon or RockAuto, or from local parts stores such as AutoZone or NAPA Auto Parts.

Keep in mind: In the course of inspecting your vehicle’s suspension system, a mechanic might determine you need a new sway bar, control arms, steering knuckles, front ball joints, or all of the above.

Should I buy an OEM or aftermarket sway bar?

Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts typically cost more than aftermarket parts but often include better warranties. That said, some aftermarket parts are performance-oriented and offer excellent quality for the price. Your vehicle, needs, and budget will determine whether you should spend on OEM sway bar or save some money with an aftermarket one.

Where can I buy parts for a sway bar replacement?

Some popular sway bar brands include Moog, Eibach and Whiteline. You can buy replacement parts at automotive body shops, parts shops such as AutoZone and NAPA Auto Parts, dealerships, or online stores like Amazon. If you prefer OEM parts, you can also try your vehicle manufacturer’s official website. Check your owner’s manual for specifications to make sure you buy the right part.

Find out what parts are recommended for my car

Where can I get my car's sway bar replaced?

If there’s something wrong with your vehicle suspension system, you and your passengers will notice immediately. Help put your car on an even keel with Jerry's

GarageGuard™

, Jerry’s trusty resource for car repairs!

Jerry's GarageGuard™ offers fair price estimates from over 2,500 vetted auto repair shops nationwide. You can compare real hourly rates, diagnostic fees, and customer reviews, before making your decision with confidence.

Check out some of our vetted shops below and download the app to compare car repair costs in your area.

102 Reviews

Limberlost Automotive

700 W Prince Rd STE190, Tucson, AZ

Shop Diagnostic Fee

(Included in service charges)

Compare this shop for free with Jerry (520) 293-2600

186 Reviews

Oak Street Station

2403 US HWY 18 INWOOD, Inwood, IA

Shop Diagnostic Fee

(Included in service charges)

$30

Compare this shop for free with Jerry (712) 753-4800

180 Reviews

Jumbo Automotive Inc

1205 N 21st Ave, Hollywood, FL

Compare this shop for free with Jerry (954) 926-2500

142 Reviews

Havoline Xpress Lube - #1324

11988 W. Jewell Avenue, Lakewood, CO

Shop Diagnostic Fee

(Included in service charges)

$137

Compare this shop for free with Jerry (303) 985-1227

How did we vet these shops?
Jerry experts researched 2500+ real repair shops across the US. We talked to real shop customers, and analyzed both real shop pricing data and thousands of real customer reviews from each shop to verify them individually. We do not partner with the shops listed above, and our analysis is always unbiased.

How will a mechanic complete a sway bar replacement?

Installing a new sway bar link or sway bar is a common mechanical service. Your mechanic will use some basic equipment to:

Raise and support the vehicle on steel jack stands.

Remove the vehicle subframe, exhaust system, and any suspension components blocking access to the sway bar.

Remove the sway bar links to each control arm. Rubber mounts are discarded and replaced with new ones.

Unbolt the sway bar from the car’s frame. Rubber bushings are discarded and replaced with new ones.

Install the new sway bar to factory-shop, manual torque specifications.

While the sway bar itself does not influence or adjust your vehicle’s alignment, it is still recommended that a mechanic confirms proper vehicle alignment after any major repairs to your car’s suspension.

Can you drive a car with a broken sway bar?

While you can still drive safely—albeit cautiously—with a sway bar issue, it is recommended you get it replaced at your earliest convenience. Driving with a faulty sway bar will result in increased car lean and sway when switching lanes, especially at high speeds. This can cause you to lose control and crash.

If you are unable to replace your sway bar for some time but still need to drive, take care to drive slower than normal and avoid changing lanes whenever possible.

What is a sway bar replacement?

During this service, a mechanic will assess the condition of your suspension to determine whether your sway bar is the piece at fault and replace the bar if necessary.

The sway bar is a steel torsion spring connected to each side of your vehicle’s suspension on a rear or front axle. It helps to counteract or resist twisting force, such as that experienced when switching lanes or rounding a corner.

When you turn your car at high speeds or are forced to perform emergency maneuvers, the sway bar is what keeps the body of your vehicle from swaying or rolling over as it leans to one side.

What are the symptoms of a bad sway bar?

You will need to replace your sway bar if you notice excessive body roll while driving. A visual inspection could reveal corrosion, rust, or cracking along the sway bar end links—if left unchecked, these conditions can result in the sway bar breaking altogether.

A sway bar will also need to be replaced if it has been subjected to any serious damage, such as that from a crash or from driving over road debris. If your car begins to sway or lean more than usual while turning, this may be the issue.

Key Takeaway Besides obvious damage, the surest sign you need to replace a sway bar is if your car leans excessively far or loses traction while cornering.

How often do you have to replace a sway bar?

Sway bars rarely wear out and most car owners will only need to replace them once in their vehicle’s lifetime. Generally, you can count on them to last 150,000 miles or more. Salt spray is usually what makes a sway bar go bad.

Can I replace a sway bar myself?

Replacing or installing a sway bar is a moderately-challenging DIY job. Fortunately, there are lots of anti-roll bar installation kits on the market to help you modify or repair your car’s suspension system.

You’ll need a jack, jack stands, wrench set, vice grips, torque wrench, lug wrench, safety glasses, and a ratchet and sockets.

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FAQs

Is it worth replacing a sway bar?

A broken sway bar is worth the cost of replacement because it helps maintain traction while turning. Maintaining control of your car is crucial, especially around a sharp curve. If you neglect to replace a

broken sway bar

, you could lose control suddenly and risk the safety of you and your passengers.

Do you need an alignment after replacing the sway bar?

As a general rule of thumb, you should get a wheel alignment every time you service your car’s suspension. Any change can affect the balance of weight on your car’s wheels and how it tracks. If you replace a bad sway bar link, stabilizer bar, control arm, or any other part of the suspension, don’t forget to ask the mechanic for an alignment at the same time.

What noise does a bad sway bar make?

The most common symptoms of a bad sway bar link or sway bar are thumps, rattles, or clunks from underneath the vehicle. Ordinarily, the sway bar bushings and links on the underside of the vehicle are fairly well-fitted and quiet. A part that’s close to falling out of place will be loud—if it suddenly goes quiet, it may have fallen out.

Meet Our Experts

John Davis

Car Expert

Certified mechanic with 10+ years of experience

John Davis is an expert automotive writer and former automotive mechanic. John's work spans multiple categories, and he relishes the opportunity to research a new subject and expand his area of expertise and industry knowledge. To date, John has written more than 200 articles covering car maintenance and care, car advice, how-to guides, and more.

Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team, John worked as a mechanic and freelance writer, creating content for clients including HotCars and SetPower.

Jessica Barrett

Car Expert

Jessica Barrett is a senior insurance writer and editor with 10 years of experience in the automotive and travel industries. A specialist in car insurance, car loans, and car ownership, Jessica’s mission is to create comprehensive content that car owners can use to manage their costs and improve their lives. As a managing editor for a team of writers and insurance specialists, Jessica has edited over 2,000 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from local insurance shopping tips to refinancing car loans with bad credit.

Before joining Jerry as a senior content editor in 2021, Jessica created visual content for clients such as Expedia, Vivid Seats, Budget Direct Car Insurance, Angie’s List, and HomeAdvisor. Her content was published in Business Insider, Forbes, Apartment Therapy, and the BBC.

Kathleen Flear

Car Expert

Kathleen Flear is an expert insurance writer and editor who heads up Jerry’s editorial team as director of content. Kathleen empowers drivers to make smart car ownership decisions through best-in-class articles on insurance, loans, and maintenance. Prior to joining Jerry in 2021, Kathleen served as managing editor for a team of SEO content marketing professionals at Article-Writing.co and worked as a freelance writer and editor for a range of digital publications, including Chicago Literati magazine and Golden Words. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Queen’s University, and a master’s degree in creative writing and fiction from Sierra Nevada University.

*The price information provided on our car repair webpages is intended for general informational purposes only. Actual prices for car repair services may vary based on various factors, including but not limited to the make and model of your vehicle, the extent of repair required, and the prevailing market conditions. All prices for real repair shops are estimations based on our research only. Therefore, the prices listed on our webpages should not be considered as final quotes or binding offers.