Sway Bar

N

nugget68

Member
Sep 26, 2005
362
3
19
#1
I finally finished my front suspension rebuild. I started this rebuild in the spring, but apparently the springs that I bought from a guy here in the classifieds were not for my car. The springs were too short so I had to buy some of the 1" spacers. When I initially put the springs on and took the car off the jack stands and noticed that it was way too low, I ordered the spacers and just got to install them today. Anyway, I got the spacers on and the stance is right now, but I am still not real sure about the springs, I think maybe they are 6 cyl. springs because the car almost bounces a little when I push down on the front. When I went to fit the 1" sway bar, the first thing I noticed was the brackets that hold it to th frame had the holes too wide, but I got it on, even though the bolts are a little crooked looking, it is tight. When I went to attatch the end links the bar seems like it is too short where it attatches to the end links. I had to adjust my strut rods as far as I could to move the lower control arm towards the from of the car. It still is not straight up and down, but I was able to get the bolt started and tightened. I drove the car around the block and it seemed a lot better than it was before, but I am concerned a little about the strut rod being maxed out. On the front where it is double nut with the castle nut and cotter pin, the castle nut and the 1" nut are about an inch apart. Has anyone else ran in to this problem when replacing the front suspension. Will I be OK? I replaced lower control arms, rebuilt uppers, rubber strut rod bushings, shelby drop, roller perches, new springs, KYB GR2's, and 1" sway bar. Thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post...
Ryan
 
#7
ron67fb said:
How far from vertical are the end links? Mine are a little angled, maybe 20 degrees. The strut rods were maxed during the alignment for about +2.5 degrees caster.
Click to expand...

mine are probably at least 20 degrees. So yours has held up fine being maxed out? what about keeping the nut from backing out since the castle nut and cotter pin are basically useless now? On a side note, is there a chance that maybe this sway bar that I have may be for a big block?
 
#8
nugget68 said:
mine are probably at least 20 degrees. So yours has held up fine being maxed out? what about keeping the nut from backing out since the castle nut and cotter pin are basically useless now? On a side note, is there a chance that maybe this sway bar that I have may be for a big block?
Click to expand...

The attaching points would be the same whether it was for a big block or not.
 
#9
just reading over your post here... it seems like everything is normal right now.. with a drop spring you will have different angles on the anti-roll bar end links (if you have the wheel off and you are looking at the link it show be angled toward the rear of the car more than normal due to the drop) as for the strut rods... your car looks very low... good, but very low.... with the lowering springs like that you are going to have to adjust more caster into the suspension.... this is common on modded/ dropped cars... do you have any pics of the suspension loaded and unloaded ??
 
#10
mustangmike6996 said:
just reading over your post here... it seems like everything is normal right now.. with a drop spring you will have different angles on the anti-roll bar end links (if you have the wheel off and you are looking at the link it show be angled toward the rear of the car more than normal due to the drop) as for the strut rods... your car looks very low... good, but very low.... with the lowering springs like that you are going to have to adjust more caster into the suspension.... this is common on modded/ dropped cars... do you have any pics of the suspension loaded and unloaded ??
Click to expand...

Mine is actually angled toward the front, that is why I had to max out my strut rods, to pull the caster to a positive, moving the lower control arm towards the front of the car. I will try to get some pics tonight...

my sig pic is a photochop...
 
#13
nugget68 said:
are your end links 20 degrees to the front of the car or back?
Click to expand...


as far as the angle of the end links goes... it depends on what you mean by "maxing out" your strut rods... are they maxed out to the lowest or highest caster setting?? and when you say the end link is angled in... are you talking about the top or bottom?? ... either way.. most likely you are seeing this happen due to lowering the car... :)
 
#14
mustangmike6996 said:
as far as the angle of the end links goes... it depends on what you mean by "maxing out" your strut rods... are they maxed out to the lowest or highest caster setting?? and when you say the end link is angled in... are you talking about the top or bottom?? ... either way.. most likely you are seeing this happen due to lowering the car... :)
Click to expand...

my strut rods are maxed out pulling the wheels forward as far as possible. the end links are leaning towards the front of the car...even when I jacked it up it really didnt make much of a differance, so I dont think the lowering has a lot to do with it...
 
#18
I just called Dallas Mustang, where I ordered the sway bar and they looked up my order. Apparently I ordered one for a big block. Is there really a whole lot of difference in a big block and small block sway bar? I know that this one is pretty close to the ground and I am assuming it is because it is made to clear the oil pan on a big block? The guy I talked to said the would exchange it without a restocking fee, but I would have to pay shipping both ways. This thing is pretty heavy and if I can avoid that it would be great, but if it is necessary I will send it back...
 
#19
A big block bar would be thicker, requiring different frame bushings, but the length and bend would be the same as for a small-block car.

I put a bar from a 428-engined Mustang in my Cougar, which originally had the thin small-block bar, with no problems.

I would guess that you may have an incorrect bar for your application, or it isn't bent correctly.
 
#20
Hmm that does look a little extreme. My link angles almost that much but it's on an adjustable bar. When at the softest setting it would be straight up. Like you said the bar seems too short. Can you compare it to the one you're replacing? Maybe use a fabric tape measure to get the bar's overall length.

My strut rods don't have the castle nut. Besides, I don't see the point of it being that far away. Only a trip to the alignment rack can tell you where the strut rods should be.
 
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