SOUTHSIDE LIFT BARS, CAN I GET AN OPINION?

[momoslxstang]

My Garage
Status: Online
Join Date: November 2006
Posts: 2


can anyone tell me if they have any pros or cons to the southside lift bars? i put a set on my car and then it was banging the floor pan really bad. so i took it to a so called performance mustang shop locally and when i got the car back it didnt hit anymore. i crawled under it to see what they did to correct it and they wellded the southsides to the rear end mounting brackets. does anyone know if this is the correct way to fix that problem or if it was just a quick fix for them to make some money. i personally didnt think that welding them to the rearend is right, can you guys help me?

 

[dragnazz5.0]

is there anyway you can get a picture so we can see exactly what you are talking about. if they are the slapper type lift bars you see on older cars they arent going to do anything but if they are the actualy SS control arms i dont see what they would have welded. a pic would do wonders for this topic

 

[Maryland Stang]

Neither problem sounds right. The banging or the welding. Like Draginazz5.0 said, need pics.

 

[MadDAWG]

Actualy welding is pretty common with the Southside bars. Sounds to me like your pinion angle was off to begin with, and after correcting the problem they welded it up.

The south side bars work very well. The only down side to them is with the solid bushing is they will tear up the torque boxes on a street car. I wish I would have added one of the torque box kits to my old car with the southsides on it. I loved the way it luanched. The whole car jumped up and forward, instead of rocking back and up like most cars do. It luanched a lot like the older Mopars at the drag strip if you have ever payed attention to them.

For those of you that don't know the southsides have a secondary plate between the axle mount and the control arm. This is usally what gets welded to the original axle brackets. Out of the box they supply you a bolt to attach this secondary plate and axle mount, but IIRC they recommened welding them.

 

[retro50]

Welding is optional on the South Side bars. Like MadDawg said. The secondary plates are to be welded or bolted to the housing brackets. If you did neither on the install then the banging and rattling would occur. The shop noticed this and welded them up. If they get bolted on, over a period of time the bolt holes will egg out then eventually change the pinion angle. That is why people weld them.

 

[Dean85GT]

Yeah I have them and they are welded up. My torque boxes are seam welded and I drive my car constantly...No problems yet and over 30 track passes on slicks

 

[Lxstang306]

southside lift bars im going to make this short there rough on the chassic. there bad for riping touqe boxes out unless the touqe boxes are brasted. i ran them for years there now seting in the shop. i when with lake wood bars

 

[dragnazz5.0]

ive got the lakewood traction action lift bars like you are talking about and they work awesome. really wierd feeling at first when you launch and and expect the car to squat and it actually lifts....but they hook good...granted my car doesnt make a lot of power but i can just hit it in first and keep my foot in it and it spins to about 5 grand and than grabs. no lifting or feathering the pedal for me

 

[silverstangman]

i had heard that the quality of the southside bars is not as good as they used to be when they were made by lakewood, but i have no real experience with them.

 

[momoslxstang]

hopefully these pics will help with my question. and do any of you suggest that i reinforce the torque boxes, considering i do have the southsides on it. or should i just cut the welds and put the factory arms back on? thanks for all the advice guys, i am new to the stang world and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[1Bad88notch]

I have southsides on my car also and they are welded like yours in your pics,they are welded i guess to prevent the brackets from shifting back and forth. Mine were also making alot of noise too found out i had no spring isolators and i put some in and the noise went away. i heard some people say they took them off and put the stock ones on and their car hooks up better.

 

[aleborjas]

i like lakewood #21900

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

WELD THEM IN.


I'm not even kidding...a buddy of mine was at full boogy on the strip doing about 130 and one side busted a bolt and his axle twisted sideways and he went spinning 360s down the track....was a miracle he didn't flip or hit anything. Also personally i wouldn't run them without reinforced torque boxes.

 

[fox racer]

with proper precautions (welded/reinforced TBs, welded axle side etc...) I feel the southsides have some of the best hook for a stock style suspension. it grab and keep grabbing and i love them. but without proper precautions, you'll hate wat kind of damage they'll do to your car

 

[carlp]

Mine came on the car and are also welded. They hook great. Don't consider removing them. you will be dissapointed.