rear sway bar change instructions please
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
rear sway bar change instructions please
I did the front 4 hours real pain, I heard I have to remove the mufflers, which I'm not going to do.
what exactly do I need to do i to install the 26mm with poly bushings,
jack up the car?
remove 1 or 2 wheels or not?
expert help needed!!
what exactly do I need to do i to install the 26mm with poly bushings,
jack up the car?
remove 1 or 2 wheels or not?
expert help needed!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 31
From: Australia
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
It doesn't seem to be a big deal, but it will save having to do it over again! Once you get the car off the ground (raise the car so that the bottom of the wheels are about 6" off the ground with the suspension unloaded), and remove the spare tire carrier and the rear wheels, there is a lot of room under the car.Pay close attention to lubing the bushings and make sure that the bushing are sitting properly in the supports. You must have the rear suspension at ride height when you tighten all of the nuts. If the car isn't at the correct ride height, the assembly can bind and the car won't sit right. Same goes for the front bar.
When I installed new poly bushing on my 87, the biggest problem I had was getting the old bushings out of the ends and pressing in new ones. I had the front bar out in 15 minutes and back in in the same amount of time. The big chunk of time for my deal was dealing with old stuck bushing and sleeves.
Took about an hour to do the rear. When you are installing new bars and end links, it's much easier.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,969
Likes: 710
From: WI
I just loosened one wheel well in the back and slotted it in. I didn't lift the car or take anything else apart, though my spare is long gone.
One tip, when the stock sway bar is off take an angle grinder and cut down the length of the stock mounting studs. The are super long and it was annoying to try and use a ratchet and deep well in there. They go together super easy once cut to a reasonable length. I wish they wouldn't have made so many bolts with extra unneeded length like that.
After it was bolted in I connected the heim links, drove the car, then set them to neutral by reaching through the rim spoke openings with a long extension.
One tip, when the stock sway bar is off take an angle grinder and cut down the length of the stock mounting studs. The are super long and it was annoying to try and use a ratchet and deep well in there. They go together super easy once cut to a reasonable length. I wish they wouldn't have made so many bolts with extra unneeded length like that.
After it was bolted in I connected the heim links, drove the car, then set them to neutral by reaching through the rim spoke openings with a long extension.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,022
Likes: 30
From: Los Angeles CA
I just loosened one wheel well in the back and slotted it in. I didn't lift the car or take anything else apart, though my spare is long gone.
One tip, when the stock sway bar is off take an angle grinder and cut down the length of the stock mounting studs. The are super long and it was annoying to try and use a ratchet and deep well in there. They go together super easy once cut to a reasonable length. I wish they wouldn't have made so many bolts with extra unneeded length like that.
After it was bolted in I connected the heim links, drove the car, then set them to neutral by reaching through the rim spoke openings with a long extension.
One tip, when the stock sway bar is off take an angle grinder and cut down the length of the stock mounting studs. The are super long and it was annoying to try and use a ratchet and deep well in there. They go together super easy once cut to a reasonable length. I wish they wouldn't have made so many bolts with extra unneeded length like that.
After it was bolted in I connected the heim links, drove the car, then set them to neutral by reaching through the rim spoke openings with a long extension.
Okay kdid it took 5.5 hours,pain in the neck... the long studs holding the center brackets have some kind of steel cables to cradle the gas tank in case I thik it breaks loose, thanks done, need to eat and test drive, Yeah!
I don't own an angle grinder
My 89 has stock rims, when you say set them to nuetral meaning ride height torqueing of the bolts right?
Last edited by slickfx3; May 3, 2009 at 06:25 PM.
