Stabilizer Bar Process Capability

Meritor Suspension Systems Company has multiple technologies available for processing stabilizer bars to allow us to best fit the product to meet the customer need. MSSC. produces over 4.5million stabilizer bars per year and ships to customers in North America, South America, and Europe, from manufacturing locations in Ontario, Kentucky, UK, and Mexico.

Raw Material

MSSC uses steel of various grades depending on the operating stress level required. Bar diameters typically range from 10mm to 45mm. Length typically varies from 762 to 1900mm. Bar is available in "as rolled" or in surface prepared "peeled" condition.

Forging

MSSC offers forged end conditions to accommodate every application. We forge net shapes today using gas fired furnaces and induction coils as heat sources. Both offer accurate control of bar temperature for proper metal flow when forming the stabilizer bar ends. We can forge shapes at the ends of the bar or at required locations along the length of the bar. We can also forge anti-walk rings. MSSC has capability for upset forging where extra material is required at most locations along the length of the bar also.

Heat Treatment

Capability exists today within MSSC for hot or cold forming of stabilizer bars. Our hot forming processes offer traditional quench and temper using oil as a quench medium. We also have available water quenching for tubular stabilizers and air quenching for lower stress applications.

Our heat treatment processes are typically capably of achieving hardness of 38 to 40 Rockwell C for the air quench, 37 to 46 Rc for the oil quench, and 37 to 42 Rc for the water quench. 

MSSC utilizes full variable gauging of stabilizer bars in the set up and auditing of production runs.

MSSC typically uses SAE 1090 micro alloyed material for air quenching, SAE 5160 material for oil quenching, and SAE 4130 for water quenching. Alternate materials are available where required.

Post heat treat processing

Following the heat treatment process MSSC offers both shot clean or shot peen operations. Shot cleaning is used where high stress is not a concern as a preparation for paint. Shot peening is used when enhanced fatigue performance is required.

Paint

MSSC offers a number of painting options typically including but not limited to E coat, Powder epoxy, and powder polyester.

Assembly

MSSC offers assembly of links and bushing to stabilizer bars. We have experience with design, build, and error proofing of assembly machines utilizing computerized torque equipment to monitor and feedback assembly torque data. We have experience with many suppliers of bushings and links to meet our system requirements.

Shipping

MSSC offers Just in time delivery to all customers. We will design packaging to optimize pack quantity and container size to meet customer requirements. We use returnable and expendable packaging.

For More Information contact: Ken Szucs