Sway bars and parking brakes
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Sway bars and parking brakes
I removed my front sway bar today to find out that it is indeed a bit bent - one "arm" sits about 1/8"-1/4" higher than the other. Is this enough to cause a problem? One of my poly end link bushings that was about 5 years old had a chunk cut out of it by the sway bar. If it is a problem, where is the best source for an upgraded bar? How big should I go for spirited street driving? I'm rebuilding the suspensioin with poly bushings and 460lb. VB&P springs.
Also, woh has the best price on a stainless parking brake kit? VB&P has theirs listed for $240 (not counting the forum discount), but I've seen some of the individual parts listed cheaper than their prices. Even though they're still working, I figure that I should rebuild the system while I have the trailing arms apart.
I already need to order rebulit front calipers, so I'm trying to moderate the cost of everything else a bit...
Also, woh has the best price on a stainless parking brake kit? VB&P has theirs listed for $240 (not counting the forum discount), but I've seen some of the individual parts listed cheaper than their prices. Even though they're still working, I figure that I should rebuild the system while I have the trailing arms apart.
I already need to order rebulit front calipers, so I'm trying to moderate the cost of everything else a bit...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,663
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
I removed my front sway bar today to find out that it is indeed a bit bent - one "arm" sits about 1/8"-1/4" higher than the other. Is this enough to cause a problem? One of my poly end link bushings that was about 5 years old had a chunk cut out of it by the sway bar. If it is a problem, where is the best source for an upgraded bar? How big should I go for spirited street driving? I'm rebuilding the suspensioin with poly bushings and 460lb. VB&P springs.
Also, woh has the best price on a stainless parking brake kit? VB&P has theirs listed for $240 (not counting the forum discount), but I've seen some of the individual parts listed cheaper than their prices. Even though they're still working, I figure that I should rebuild the system while I have the trailing arms apart.
I already need to order rebulit front calipers, so I'm trying to moderate the cost of everything else a bit...
Also, woh has the best price on a stainless parking brake kit? VB&P has theirs listed for $240 (not counting the forum discount), but I've seen some of the individual parts listed cheaper than their prices. Even though they're still working, I figure that I should rebuild the system while I have the trailing arms apart.
I already need to order rebulit front calipers, so I'm trying to moderate the cost of everything else a bit...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by terry82
look into the price of autozone brakes cheaper than any one else and they do have a lifetime warranty, they say delco on them
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
I got my SS brake kit from ecklers, looks like the stuff, price was in line with everyone else so I got it from then because I had a big order going in. The fromt sway bar arm beinf off a 1/4 is no big deal. The job of the bar is to pull the inside wheel up in response to the outside wheel moving up towards the body in a corner which it will do no matter the shape. So don't worry about it.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
I got my SS brake kit from ecklers, looks like the stuff, price was in line with everyone else so I got it from then because I had a big order going in. The fromt sway bar arm beinf off a 1/4 is no big deal. The job of the bar is to pull the inside wheel up in response to the outside wheel moving up towards the body in a corner which it will do no matter the shape. So don't worry about it.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 620
Likes: 2
From: San Antonio TX
Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
I got my SS brake kit from ecklers, looks like the stuff, price was in line with everyone else so I got it from then because I had a big order going in. The fromt sway bar arm beinf off a 1/4 is no big deal. The job of the bar is to pull the inside wheel up in response to the outside wheel moving up towards the body in a corner which it will do no matter the shape. So don't worry about it.
It will exert pressure on the other side, regardless of whether it's off a little or not.
The issue would be preload though, wouldn't it?
If one side is higher than the other while at rest (not installed, just sitting on the ground) then isn't it going to exert more pressure when it's installed? There will be more preload on one side than the other and that will have an effect on the moment and amount of force applied to the suspension on the other side.
That being said, 1/4" just doesn't seem like it would be noticeable except for possibly on the finest tuned suspensions with a finely tuned driver at the wheel.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Make sure whoever you buy the kit from does not use SS parking brake shoes. The are arched wrong and you will have to sand down the pad surface to make them work correctly. Ask me how I know.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Van Steel
Make sure whoever you buy the kit from does not use SS parking brake shoes. The are arched wrong and you will have to sand down the pad surface to make them work correctly. Ask me how I know.