External Swaybar?

Last year, before I put my 1997 Jetta Tdi in storage, I ran it off the ramps to my storage container. I ended up knocking the rear sway bar loose. I have since reattached it, but it isn't exactly staying put. I figured I would look at VWs in the junkyard to see the hardware and how it is supposed to be, and I looked at about a dozen of them, but did not see any with an external sway bar.

Is this an aftermarket accessory? Do I need it on my car? I don't want to cause any problems driving, but if it is causing problems, I would rather just remove it.

Here are some pics of what I am looking at:

http://www.desktronix.com/Images/sway1.jpg
http://www.desktronix.com/Images/sway2.jpg

Thanks,

h.ubk

What you have there is not original-equipment to the car.

That's been my conclusion as well. Is it possible it's replacing something that is OEM? I just want to make sure I'm not making anything worse before pulling it off.

h.ubk

Your twist-beam is the sideways-U-section beam that the red antiroll bar is (improperly) secured to. Inside the middle of the U should be the original-equipment antiroll bar.

Normally the original-equipment antiroll bar is left in place, since the aftermarket one isn't installed in the same space.

With the way that aftermarket one is shoddily attached, removing it is unlikely to make much difference to how the car drives; I doubt if it is doing much anyhow.

Ok, thanks for the advice. I've driven it about 500 miles as it is and have not noticed any difference in the ride or handling. I'm not even sure if I have all of the equipment to reattach it properly, so I think I'll just pull it off.

h.ubk

Its an easy fix. Just get under there and un-bolt the (sliver straps) Straps and slid the bushings and straps to either side of the sway bar. The straps go around the sway bar bushings securing them in place.