mbp

Hello. My question is about the front sway bar on my 69. Actually, I'm not really sure on how the bar does what it does. In the A.I.M. the bracket to frame is to be tightened about 10 to 12 ft. lbs. Does the bar have to be able to "flex" or twist ever so slightly in theses brackets to counter act the swaying? Should the brackets be only hand tight to the frame or should they be tightened to prevent any movement of the bar? Hope this makes sense and thanks for any explanations.

Piersonpie

They should be tightened to the required specification. Any flexing of the bar will be happening on the bushing between the bar and the bracket.

Tampa Jerry

The bar's job is to keep, as best as possible, both wheels flat to the ground when turning into and out of a turn. Adjustments should be made on level ground with the wheels facing forward and parallel to each other. Jerry

Tech141

Let's say - the passenger side anti-sway bar link wasn't tightened/torqued and was 'loose' (maybe 1/2" - 5/8" from being tight). Would that cause the car to sit lower on the passenger front?

MelWff

No, if the vehicle is stationary, the bar cannt effect the stance of the car if the link nut isn't tight.

Mooser

You could never tighten the brackets enough to squish the rubber enough to prevent that bar from turning.
For what it's worth, the poly bushings are normally greased (to prevent squeaking)
The idea is to prevent the bar from moving up/down or front/back so that all of the rotating up/down force from one side is applied as rotating up/down to the other side and not used up flopping the bar around inside a worn out bushing. The poly bushings are a lot stiffer so they help to keep the bar rotating rather than moving around in every other axis.
Unless the bar is bent or the end-links are totally miss-set, sitting on the ground stopped or driving in a straight line on a flat road, one side doesn't affect the other side at all. Only when one side tries to go up (or down) will it try to pull the other side with it
M

Tech141

Thank You.

leigh1322

When we tune a race car, we make sure the bar is "neutral"
That means when the car is on the springs only, the bar will just slip in and touch it's mounting bolts on the a-arms, with zero extra slack
There should be no gap.
If there is a gap, and you tighten the bar, you have pre-loaded it, and that may affect both ride height, and different understeer effects left vs right.
No gap on both sides! Is just right.