New sway bars. Now there is a clunk noise when turning full lock.

[ChillPhatCat]

I just installed a set of Eibach sway bars (36/25mm) on my car last weekend and twice while driving now I’ve heard a metallic clunk while turning at full lock. I realized after doing this twice that something must not be clearing right. Has anyone ever experienced a wheel hitting the sway bar or anything down there with the steering interfering with big sway bars? I have 15x7 turbines on the car. Did I push the limit of what can be installed on a 4 banger a bit much? Old bar was 15/16”. lmao.

I know I should put it up in the air and turn the wheel to check clearances but haven’t had a chance yet… Just wondering if there’s a common or known issue. Just throw on some rack limiters and call it a day?

 

[ChillPhatCat]

Well I answered my own question. Yes the sway bar is hitting the tire, no that’s not the clunk. The clunk is due to the sway bar being off center by 1/4 inch, which is almost the entirety of the clearance between the end of the bar and the strut… so when it depresses it makes contact. I decided to go with an 8mm wheel spacer to remedy the problem of the rubbing since there was plenty of thread on the lugs and now it clears.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

Well I answered my own question. Yes the sway bar is hitting the tire, no that’s not the clunk. The clunk is due to the sway bar being off center by 1/4 inch, which is almost the entirety of the clearance between the end of the bar and the strut… so when it depresses it makes contact. I decided to go with an 8mm wheel spacer to remedy the problem of the rubbing since there was plenty of thread on the lugs and now it clears.

Sorry I did not see this earlier. This is exactly what I was picturing. A steering rack limiter clip or three is a better answer and what Ford used when tires got wider etc.
LMR also has these.

Rack And Pinion Steering Limiter 1979-2004 Mustang | eBay

Rack and pinion steering rack limiters are small spacers that you install on your steering rack to reduce the turning radius of the rack when using wider wheel/tire combinations, 6 piece kit.

www.ebay.com

 

[7991LXnSHO]

It would have been interesting to compare the bend profiles of the bars to see if it Is the bigger diameter or if they are bent a bit wider.

 

[ChillPhatCat]

Yeah I didn't think to compare them... I completely ditched the old one because it's not even worth trying to sell. They seemed pretty much the same profile when they were sitting on the grass next to each other but it could be a combination of profile and diameter... but with an increase of 6mm in radius I wasn't shocked. I kind of wanted to kick out the wheels a little as I really like how it looks flush, so I figured if it worked I might as well. I know they are not the best, but there were about 8 threads left even with the spacer, so it should be ok. New wheels are planned down the road so I'm sure I'll have to get in there to add rack limiters at some point.

Man, looking at that pic on the big screen, that tie rod is getting pretty ugly.