Rear Sway Bar...Problem After Control Arms Install.

94GTLaserRC · Jul 31, 2008

Well one of the approximately 15 things left on our list of things to do before calling the engine swap complete was putting on some of the suspension parts that I got with the donor car.

We went o put on the Rear Brembo rotors and decided to install the New In Box Steeda U/L control arms...We planned on about 2-3 hours for the install but took about 5-6 due to things being in the way, stuck bolts, etc.

Anyway we got both pairs of bolts on both L and R Upper and Lower and they seam to be in the position and on there snug.

THE MAIN QUESTION IS:

After everything went back in, we went to put the rear sway bar back on, and the holes on the LCA's would not line up with the holes on the sway bar. When we put one set of bolts on one side, then went to put the other side, the bar was "too long". It seemed that the only way to put this back on was to "compress" the sway bar a few inches so the holes would line up.

SO for now it's off. Has this happened to anyone with LCA install, and if so how did you remedy it? How bad is it to run a non-daily driven fast street car withOUT the bar?

Thanks
RC

ScratchinFerTra · Jul 31, 2008

Since I put upper and lower control arms on with my new rear I totally forgot about the sway bar in the other bay. After a few trips around the block, all seemed fine, so a longer trip was in store. Now its been about 3k, with 2 trips to the strip and it is no different than before the control arm swap. I think putting a larger sway bar on would be the only noticable thing.
Now I am only hitting mid 12's at the strip on DR, with slicks it might have more impact, but highway ramps and such seem no different.
Stan

blksn955.o · Jul 31, 2008

Is it possible the lowers are on backward (R on L and L on R)?

I have had SSM's and now run UPR's upper/lowers and with both everything just bolted in fine.

94GTLaserRC · Jul 31, 2008

blksn955.o said:
Is it possible the lowers are on backward (R on L and L on R)?

I have had SSM's and now run UPR's upper/lowers and with both everything just bolted in fine.

Before we put them on, we looked closely...they did not say L or R, and they looked IDENTICAL (not mirror images). They are Steeda U and L. It didnt look as though they were "side-specific"
RC

94GTCoupe · Jul 31, 2008

i'm sure it would be fine to run around with no rear sway bar.i had my car for about a year before i noticed mine was missing.

after i put one in,the rear did not feel as loose as it did before when making a hard turn.in fact,before it was a little scary.

when i when i put in the Hotchkis upper and lowers,i had to compress the swaybar like you described to install it.been about 6 months,no problems so far.

my LCA's were not side specific.

blksn955.o · Jul 31, 2008

I dont think my UPR's were side specific but my SSM' were for sure.

That is odd...have you tried taking the one off the doner car (if you still have it) to see if it works? Mayve yours is bad.

94GTLaserRC · Jul 31, 2008

I just checked steedas site..they are NOT specific.
BUT:

we tried to put the Sway bar on the way it came off. The steeda PDF says to put it on the outside which SHould make it line up.. I will try that when I get the chance.
THANKS
RC

Chythar · Jul 31, 2008

I had the same problem with my Mega-Byte Jr's. Put the sway bar on the OUTSIDE of the mounting plate instead - reverse the clip-on nuts so the bolts now go on from the INSIDE. The sway bar should match up perfectly then. I can take a photo of my setup if you need it.

hollywoodstang · Aug 1, 2008

Chythar said:
I had the same problem with my Mega-Byte Jr's. Put the sway bar on the OUTSIDE of the mounting plate instead - reverse the clip-on nuts so the bolts now go on from the INSIDE. The sway bar should match up perfectly then. I can take a photo of my setup if you need it.

This is do weird. I have Mega bite jr too and everything fit fine...

hollywoodstang · Aug 1, 2008

Mega bite jr come with brackets so may be you have brackets backward...check on that man.

94GTLaserRC · Aug 1, 2008

Chythar said:
I had the same problem with my Mega-Byte Jr's. Put the sway bar on the OUTSIDE of the mounting plate instead - reverse the clip-on nuts so the bolts now go on from the INSIDE. The sway bar should match up perfectly then. I can take a photo of my setup if you need it.

I would REALLY APPRECIATE the photos if you can get them. I have a 5-day work stretch now, so I wont get to them until WED, but if I have a couple of photos for reference that should help.
Thanks
RC

Bosko5.0 · Aug 1, 2008

The tab on the control arms should be towards the wheel.

My swaybar Is bolted to the inside,

hope that helps.

legalize420 · Aug 1, 2008

Chythar said:
Put the sway bar on the OUTSIDE of the mounting plate instead - reverse the clip-on nuts so the bolts now go on from the INSIDE. The sway bar should match up perfectly then. I can take a photo of my setup if you need it.

mine is like this also. bar on the outside.

Chythar · Aug 1, 2008

hollywoodstang said:
Mega bite jr come with brackets so may be you have brackets backward...check on that man.

I got mine used so no separate brackets, just the plate on the bottom with two holes for the sway bar. It's welded in so it can't be moved.

Chythar · Aug 1, 2008

Bosko5.0 said:
My swaybar Is bolted to the inside,

My LCA's have that plate (that the sway bar bolts to) in the middle of the LCA, not on the side. So there's no left & right LCA in my case - universal fit..

94GTLaserRC · Aug 1, 2008

Robin...your bar is on the inside.. that's what we tried and it didnt work. The Steeda instructions say put them on the outside of the tabs.

RC

Bosko5.0 · Aug 2, 2008

Do you have the aluminum control arms or the heavy duty(steel) control arms?

It may be that some sway bars are wider then others. I remember putting the swaybar on the outside but It wouldn't fit So it went on the inside.

94GTLaserRC · Aug 2, 2008

Bosko5.0 said:
Do you have the aluminum control arms or the heavy duty(steel) control arms?

It may be that some sway bars are wider then others. I remember putting the swaybar on the outside but It wouldn't fit So it went on the inside.

I got them with the car, but the bushings are black, so Im almost postive they are the steel ones. The steel ones have the sway bar mounting tabs in the middle. Yours are off to the side(by the looks of your pictures), which would make the arms "side specific" if you mount them on the wrong side, the tabs would be a closer/farther apart.

RC

94GTLaserRC · Aug 9, 2008

Chalk up another success story to Stangnet.!!

Sway bar is ON>!!!
Need to read instructions BEFORE a project and then have them handy. The Steeda instructions DO Say to reverse the clips. We did that today and Sway bar is on and FUNCTIONAL!!

Thanks
RC

Bosko5.0 · Aug 9, 2008

Glad you finally resolved the problem.

Rear Sway Bar...Problem After Control Arms Install.

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