I can source solid sways here in Oz or Tube hotchkis from the US. There doesn't seem to be any direct comparisons that I can find. What's the advantages of tubular sway bars over solid sways, is it more than just weight saving? What's the advantages of one over the other?
cheers

 

Just weight difference. Weight from China is a key cost factor in shipping after market parts, since every single dollar must be tripled from manufacturing to retail delivery.
Generally the hollow unit must be 7%-15% larger in diameter depending on wall thickness to match solid bars.

OEM tend to be hollow because every pound counts in MPG and acceleration braking tests in magazines.

Important to understand springs [ratio front to rear should match weight distribution as measured in tire raod interface roll stiffness].
Sway bars are used to fine tune roll stiffness in turns to optimize entry, mid, exit power on/off over/understeer ratios.

What is optimum in dry is excessive in wet when the tire have 1/3>1/2 the friction coefficient and really really excessive when they have 1/10 in snow or ice.

Few people change their sway bar ratios to match temperature and weather so they are always less than optimum.

OEM must use no or smaller [than optimum for dry] rear sway bars to protect owners in bad weather from themselves! ......and their non professional UNTRAINED driving styles.

 

Thanks for that Q45. So apart from the weight saving on shipping costs, are tube sways the better option over solid units? I understand that weight saving should be more beneficial on a track car but I've read about some tube units cracking and wondered if it was an inherant trait or just a one batch scenario with one manufacturer?