- Thu May 24, 2007 8:19 pm
#8731
Suspension Techniques rear sway bar install.
(I made a separate thread for the front sway bar install HERE)
Here's the parts for the rear:
And as with the front bar, the directions were vague and shitty. I'm not a moron but I felt like a retard trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about.
This kit uses different mounting points than the OEM rear sway bar does. The outer mounting bracket uses the lower shock bolt. First you must unbolt the shock and turn it 180 degrees.
After I did this, I couldn't get the bolt threaded back into the welded on shock nut from the other side. The bolt had been replaced once long before when the OEM one (with the tapered end) snapped on me. This one was also a tad shorter. So I bought new OEM ones ($13 each) and it went right in.
Here is the shock re-installed 180 with the welded on nut now facing the rear.
If you're lucky, you might be able to compress the shock enough to rotate it 180 degrees without dropping the lower control arm. After having the right lca bolt break on me, I was able to compress the left side and rotate it without unbolting the left lca.
For the inside bushings, they mount to the subframe where the lower control arm bolts to. There were already holes there. All I had to do was enlarge them and ream the bottom one a little bit to one side so that it would be directly below the top one. The surface is not flat, the bottom bolt uses a spacer (included) between the bracket and the subframe.
Here is a shot of the back view of the bushing mount area.
On the right side, the inner LCA bolt was the one that snapped on me. I thought that I had to move the LCA out of the way to tighten the nuts on the back of the bolts that held on the sway bar to the sub frame. So this time I wasn't going to chance another $13 bolt and there was just enough room to tighten the nuts from the back with the LCA in place. It was tight and I swore and dropped the bolt/washer like 10 times befoe I got them started... but still worth the time it took to leave the LCA in.
There's 2, you can only see the top one in the pic.
bolted in place, I now have to install the endlinks.
I hope this bar clears a 3" exhaust
The "L" brackets are seen here, bolted on with the shock bolt. The end links connect the sway bar to the LCA using this "L" bracket. A pretty good idea by the engineers over there at ST - If it clears the exhaust...
I tightened the endlinks and put the car down. Maybe it is in my mind, but just by pushing down on the rear, it already feels more stiff.
We'll see soon...
(I made a separate thread for the front sway bar install HERE)
Here's the parts for the rear:
And as with the front bar, the directions were vague and shitty. I'm not a moron but I felt like a retard trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about.
This kit uses different mounting points than the OEM rear sway bar does. The outer mounting bracket uses the lower shock bolt. First you must unbolt the shock and turn it 180 degrees.
After I did this, I couldn't get the bolt threaded back into the welded on shock nut from the other side. The bolt had been replaced once long before when the OEM one (with the tapered end) snapped on me. This one was also a tad shorter. So I bought new OEM ones ($13 each) and it went right in.
Here is the shock re-installed 180 with the welded on nut now facing the rear.
If you're lucky, you might be able to compress the shock enough to rotate it 180 degrees without dropping the lower control arm. After having the right lca bolt break on me, I was able to compress the left side and rotate it without unbolting the left lca.
For the inside bushings, they mount to the subframe where the lower control arm bolts to. There were already holes there. All I had to do was enlarge them and ream the bottom one a little bit to one side so that it would be directly below the top one. The surface is not flat, the bottom bolt uses a spacer (included) between the bracket and the subframe.
Here is a shot of the back view of the bushing mount area.
On the right side, the inner LCA bolt was the one that snapped on me. I thought that I had to move the LCA out of the way to tighten the nuts on the back of the bolts that held on the sway bar to the sub frame. So this time I wasn't going to chance another $13 bolt and there was just enough room to tighten the nuts from the back with the LCA in place. It was tight and I swore and dropped the bolt/washer like 10 times befoe I got them started... but still worth the time it took to leave the LCA in.
There's 2, you can only see the top one in the pic.
bolted in place, I now have to install the endlinks.
I hope this bar clears a 3" exhaust
The "L" brackets are seen here, bolted on with the shock bolt. The end links connect the sway bar to the LCA using this "L" bracket. A pretty good idea by the engineers over there at ST - If it clears the exhaust...
I tightened the endlinks and put the car down. Maybe it is in my mind, but just by pushing down on the rear, it already feels more stiff.
We'll see soon...
Do Not PM me your technical questions. Post them in the forum!
My 1992 SOHC Turbo Hatch
My Youtube Channel: 6th Gear Garage
My 1992 SOHC Turbo Hatch
My Youtube Channel: 6th Gear Garage