HELP...Front Sway Bar 73 Runner

[oxytousc]

Hey guys...finally got the new k installed today. However, I had a small problem...the new k-frame appears to be from a 71-72 and the sway bar I ordered doesn't seem like it's going to work...it is the k-frame that has the integrated eyes on the k-frame...

Does anyone know if the sway bar itself from 71-72 and 73-74 are different? Or do I simply need shorter links? Or, should I be cutting out the eyes? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Revhendo]

Cutting your eyes out won't help anything. It's just makes it harder to tell the beer from the ketchup in the fridge. Does the K-frame you installed have spool motor mounts? If it does, it's not an earlier one. Post up a pic or two and let's get you sorted out.

 

[oxytousc]

Thanks! Have a few photos...here is the k-frame and the sway bar and links that I was sent.

 

[Revhendo]

Yep, that's a 73 or later K frame. That's an aftermarket sway bar (addco?) The links in your first pic mount to the K at the front above the strut rod bushings. The shock style mount end goes through the hole in the plate above and slightly behind the strut bushings. (If I was better at this computer stuff I would do the whole circle and arrow thing on your pics). The flat plate on the bottom of your link will accept what normally would be considered the sway bar frame bracket and bushing. I can't see it clearly, but I am willing to bet that the ends of the sway bar mount to the strut rods in a similar rigged type of fashion.
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/aco-806.pdf This should illustrate what I'm feebly trying to say.....

 

[oxytousc]

Thanks, Rev...that's what I thought...problem is when I feed the bar through the k-frame cutouts, the links are too long, by about 4 inches...does the addco bar not feed through the k-frame? Or should the links be shorter?

 

[Revhendo]

Dude, you got me on that one. Just had me crawling under my car with a flashlight and my factory bar goes through the frame. Maybe call Addco in the morning?

 

[FLG]

Installed the Addco bar on my 73 Charger...they make the mistake on all of them and send the wrong length link bolts and sleeves. All you need to do is cut the sleeves and than go to your local hadware store and buy correct length grade 8 bolts to fit.

IMO after all this work i had nothing but issues with the bar, heck one of the clamps that go on the strut rod sheared clean off...bottom line is the bar is OK but the attaching hardware is cheap Chinese garbage.

Return that bar and spend money on a FirmFeel bar, trust me you will be much happier in the end.

 

[oxytousc]

Yeah...I'll call them tomorrow...it's actually from P-S-T, it appears that they simply repackage the addco sway bar, since they include the same instructions and hardware...

 

[Revhendo]

I was just checking the Firm Feel site and their bar is a touch different.

 

[oxytousc]

Yeah. I checked their site too and noticed that. I knew I'd regret not getting the ffi bars.

 

[Revhendo]

LOL, don't regret that. Just consider it a future upgrade....

 

[FLG]

I think youd be throwing money away on this bar, like i said one of the links simply sheared clean off. IMO return it and get a FF bar.

 

[oxytousc]

Alright...got to the bottom...they just need to sent me a new link. Does anyone know the link measurement for the car with the tabs off hand? If not, I'll measure it this weekend.

 

[Ralph Cali]

Try mounting the sway bar below the k frame. I bought the same sway bar from PST and thats the way it gets installed and then everything works out just fine.

The factory sway bar went through the cutouts in the k frame. This one does not fit that way - works well.

Ralph

 

[oxytousc]

Thanks, Ralph...does it drag at all that way? I know that the instructions from PST indicated that it should mount through those cutouts. PST offered to send me whatever links I need, so I am going to try it through the cutouts. If it doesn't work, I will go for it under the K.

 

[FLG]

Going under the K-Frame your asking for disaster, if that bar hooks on something on the floor its gonna hurt big time.

Here is the same bar on a friends car installed incorrectly (below the K-Frame with the links supplied)

It seems like im talking to myself here, maybe its cause i only have a handfull of posts?? (ive got a few thousand on the dc forum). Im telling you, they give you the WRONG links, if you want to install the bar either measure the length required and get it from them or simply measure it, go to the hardware store and buy some grade 8 bolts, and take a hack saw to the sleeve and cut them to size. Problem solved. I said earlier the hardware supplied is garbage, the bar lasted me only a few months.

 

[oxytousc]

Thanks, FLG...I agreed with your post. I am having them send me the correct hardware...I'll at least use the sleeves, but will probably step up to some grade 8 bolts and nuts.

 

[FLG]

They come with grade 8 bolts, its simply the quality of the metal that that holds the bolts thats crap, no so much the 2 long links (the ones that are incorrect, since there basically just grade 8's with sleeves over em) but rather the end links are the ones that are of inferior quality, also i had some issues with them hitting the k-frame, the upper portion sticks up much further than the stock end links, where they clasp together and are held by a single bolt, these are basically a C clamp with bolts on each end.