Sway bar question/problem

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:huh:


Well, puting the front sway bar on Mach1. It's heavier duty thicker sway bar. Stupid kit didn't come with metal cup washers that go at end of each rubber washer. Went to Napa got a full kit for both sides bolt spacer washers and rubber pieces.


So here is the rub, bolt that came with kit has shorter meatal tube spacer and thinner bolt. With wheel off the ground thinner shorter set up will require jacking up the wheel to install. whereas thicker bolt with longer metal tube spacer will require raising the end of the sway bar to fit the parts in.


Basically, the longer set up will be trying to resist the wheel coming up, while the shorter will resist the wheel going down. I don't know which it should be. Complicating matters this is a repro HD sway bar from CJ and china and we have 1" drop spindles we believe. The Napa kit is american and supposed to be for our car. HELP


Jenny

 

[droptop73]

The length of the link needs to be the same at both ends. of the bar. You could use 2 shorter links or 2 longer links. Use whichever fits "best", the swaybar cannot be in contact with other components.

 

[MotoArts]

If I'm reading this right...

I've had (most) of the new kits I've installed require jacking the suspension up a bit to get things started.

I'd think that as long as, when the car is "neutral" just sitting there, there is no tension on the bushings you'll be fine. Otherwise, no preload on the bar, up or down, when sitting on the ground.

As to which link pin set to use... dunno without seeing them installed and on the ground.

Those pins and bushings always have a lot of bind to them, on most any vehicle that I look at. I noticed that the OE pins on my '99 Suburban are both bent a fair amount, and just touch the suspension when on frame stands. They need trimmed or replaced. On a PA vehicle, they rust and break frequently.

 

[Silverback]

The correct length is so that the arms of the bar are as close as possible to parallel to the ground/plane of the control arms at ride height.

 

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Thanks everyone for the help. Putting in the bolt spacer that doesn't cause pre load. Thanks