stabilizer bar in 95 protege

[stamar]

one problem on my new protege is that the stabilizer bar on the back is not straight and it rattles on bumps.

what do you think will happen if i just remove it?

where is a replacement one if i decide its bad, how much does it cost? I found an aftermarket one on ebay for 120$ but i assume you can find this thing for much cheaper as all it is is a bar....

this is the rear stabilizer bar. connects between the two rear struts.

At first on test driving the car i was concerned about the noise as it sounded like broken suspension. but its just this bar.

in its current state it is doing nothing but rattling so far as i can tell, not stabilizing. Its not straight. the bar might be straight but its connectors are bent or something. the bar might not be straight either too Im not positive yet i will have to look at it again on thurs-fri.

[jrdwyer]

Stabilizer bars, by design, are almost always bent in places to allow them to tuck up near the car body. They rattle when the bushings wear out or dry out. The bushings can be replaced.

As far as removing the rear stabilizer bar, that is what I did when I replaced the struts. I can't tell any difference in performance, but this is not a sports car. Certain model years of the '95-'98 Protege line didn't even come with the rear stabilizer bar as Mazda tried to reduce costs during this era.

[hocbj23]

Depends on where and how most of ur driving is done. If around town, bars are not much help. If u drive in hilly or mountainous terrain, bars are a big help.If u replace bushings in the bar and end links(which is where the bent part is)use poly bushings as they will last longer. Also, the stock bar in the 323 is pretty small so a more substantial bar wouldbe more effective. BJ