New rear sway bar

Roadie

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Tonight I replaced my rear sway bar with a new Addco 1 1/8" sway bar. I found out my original hollow bar was split on the left end a while back. There is a huge difference in the bars. The new one is solid steel and weighs a lot more than the original.

The test drive showed a dramatic difference in the handling! It is like driving a different car!

I hope I can find a large empty parking lot soon so I can test the car for oversteer.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

Where did you get it? How difficult to install?


I bought it from Summit. They had it in stock and it arrived in a couple of days. It cost just under $160 with the handling charge.

It was fairly easy to install. Jack up the rear and remove the rear wheels. The end links are threaded on both ends so when I removed the bottom nuts, the top nuts stayed. Then I had to remove the wheels to get to the top nuts. I used vise grip pliers to hold the end link threaded rods and removed the top nuts. The u-clamps that hold the bar to the chassis have one bolt each and the bolts and clamps have to be reused. These bolts have nuts that are attached to the car so you don't have to worry about holding the nuts on the top.
I have air tools so that helped a little when it came to removing the nuts on the long threaded rods.

You will need a deep 6 point 13mm socket, 13mm box end wrench, 14mm wrench/socket.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

I forgot about the 12mm deep socket and wrench. You will need this to remove the end links and the 13 to put the new one back on.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

It came with new end links (bushings, rod, nuts) and new bushings for the u-clamps. The only things you have to re-use are the two u-clamps and the two bolts that hold the u-clamps on.

As I understand it, the front bar is a lot of work to change. I only changed the rear because it broke. The original is a hollow 5/8" bar and with the new one being a solid 1 1/8" bar, I suspect the car may now have oversteer which is dangerous. After I test it and if it does have oversteer, I will buy a new front bar to correct the oversteer.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
As I understand it, the front bar is a lot of work to change. I only changed the rear because it broke. The original is a hollow 5/8" bar and with the new one being a solid 1 1/8" bar, I suspect the car may now have oversteer which is dangerous. After I test it and if it does have oversteer, I will buy a new front bar to correct the oversteer.
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There are few things that I'd just rather pay someone to do, and the front sway bar is one of them. My back thanked me for it.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

did u have to rebend the u-clamps to fit over the new sway bar? i had to and it really sucked laying on my back and rebending those u-clamps. my sway bar i think was the 1 3/8 im not sure. whatever the biggest was available.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
did u have to rebend the u-clamps to fit over the new sway bar? i had to and it really sucked laying on my back and rebending those u-clamps. my sway bar i think was the 1 3/8 im not sure. whatever the biggest was available.
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1 3/8 is the biggest, but I only put in a 1 1/4. I did not have to bend the clamps.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
did u have to rebend the u-clamps to fit over the new sway bar? i had to and it really sucked laying on my back and rebending those u-clamps. my sway bar i think was the 1 3/8 im not sure. whatever the biggest was available.
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With the 1 1/8" bar, you don't have to rebend the clamps. The hole inside the bushing is just bigger to match the bar.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
With the 1 1/8" bar, you don't have to rebend the clamps. The hole inside the bushing is just bigger to match the bar.
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Sweet, I'll have to remember that.
 
RE: New rear sway bar

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]did u have to rebend the u-clamps to fit over the new sway bar? i had to and it really sucked laying on my back and rebending those u-clamps. my sway bar i think was the 1 3/8 im not sure. whatever the biggest was available.[/div]1 3/8 is the biggest, but I only put in a 1 1/4. I did not have to bend the clamps.
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Yes for the big one you will need a vise to rebend the clamp for the bigger bushing. I have the ADDCO one on mine. They should of made a modified clamp for the bigger bar. Once you get it all apart youll see where to flatten and "rebend" a 90 degree bend closer to the hole to make it fit. Mine was so tight it broke at the place i made my new bend. I bought another two clamps and rebent them with a bigger vise.
It is important that you bend just right so that the stock bolt is seated all the way back into its threads by itself without having to force it against clamp to get there. Dont use the air wrench to crush the thing together or you will loose that clearance you need to take stress off the bend. It will pop and break at your new bend like mine did on right side. If you have re-bent it correctly the hole to the clamp should line up with your frame hole perfectly and you should have no problems. Just thread it up snug with your fav tool of choice.
Just thought id share so noone else has to go through what i did with them breaking after a little while.

Sorry, edit here. The ADDCO bars didnt come with clamps so you have to rebend your factory ones. It does come with the poly bushings that have bigger hole to take the thicker bar. Maybee the new ones come with modified bigger clamps now?
 
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