Rear sway bar end link problem?
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Joined: May 2000
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From: Midland Texas
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Rear sway bar end link problem?
First time we drove the 66 coupe after a body off restoration, the rear end seemed very stiff. Later, much later, we found that the little links at the ends of the swaybar that connect the swaybar to the trailing arm right behind the wheel bearing was bent and damaged. The only way this could have happened was if the car was jacked up at the chassis, letting the wheels drop, then the sway bar, which is normally possitioned with the link above trailing arm, went low, putting the short link in a bind and aimed down behind the trailing arm rather than up. On this car, it appears that this sway bar could get cocked in the wrong position pretty easily.
So my question is this. Is this a common problem that you have to watch out for when putting the car on a lift or are there some incorrect parts or parts installed wrong on this particular car? We never got the links in a bind before the restoration over an estimated 80,000 mile street life.
As always, any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Joe Lynch
Midland, TX
So my question is this. Is this a common problem that you have to watch out for when putting the car on a lift or are there some incorrect parts or parts installed wrong on this particular car? We never got the links in a bind before the restoration over an estimated 80,000 mile street life.
As always, any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Joe Lynch
Midland, TX
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 633
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Re: Rear sway bar end link problem? (Joe Lynch)
There must be something wrong with one of the components of the linkage. I haven't heard of a stock sway bar having that problem. The problem does exist with some aftermarket sway bars having a geometry different from stock. The simple solution is to install a limit strap to limit suspension travel so the sway bar doesn't get cocked.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 610
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From: Midland Texas
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Re: Rear sway bar end link problem? (75 Hot One)
75 Hot One--I think you are right. I will see if I can find the "before" pictures and check them. The connector clips looked like they were turned the right way, but I may have to take them loose and flip them so the curvature is pointing the other direction and see if they will fit that way for normal travel. If it was a common problem for other owners, I wasn't going to look any further. Since it isn't, I better do a lot more looking, LOL.
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Re: Rear sway bar end link problem? (Joe Lynch)
Years ago I bought the Vette Brakes 3/4 rear with spring end links.
Well it was just another screw job on things that don't fit.
So my solution was
I went to a metal shop and bought two 5 inch pieces of 2X2 heavy wall box tubing. Then I purchased 4 longer mounting bolts and installed the sway bar spaced two inches down on the rear frame . All my auto-X C-3 racer friends converted their cars because it works. Then the bar is nearly parallel to ground when sitting static.
No problems jacking or some B.S. unit limiting wheel travel :bs
Well it was just another screw job on things that don't fit.
So my solution was
I went to a metal shop and bought two 5 inch pieces of 2X2 heavy wall box tubing. Then I purchased 4 longer mounting bolts and installed the sway bar spaced two inches down on the rear frame . All my auto-X C-3 racer friends converted their cars because it works. Then the bar is nearly parallel to ground when sitting static.
No problems jacking or some B.S. unit limiting wheel travel :bs
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 610
Likes: 1
From: Midland Texas
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Re: Rear sway bar end link problem? (gkull)
Gkull--Thanks, I will try to take a closer look at the geometry and the parts installed on the car and come up with a foolproof way to prevent the thing from getting jammed again.
Joe Lynch
Joe Lynch
Drifting
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Re: Rear sway bar end link problem? (rdrman)
Never had that problem with mine. I bought the front and rear kits from zip corvette and I'm able to jack one side of the car without problem...the swaybar actually lifts the other side (huge bars)...I was impressed as I thought the bolts that hold the assembly toghether seemed flimsy.
