shakes_26
02-09-2005, 09:41 PM
Well I installed the Addco #2186 Front swaybar the other night with an excellent pit crew we had -r dun in no time flat. I had some questions, TAF provided me some good info, and thought we should pass my experiences on with the others.
First, the brackets fit fine, hole sizes correct, although the holes look 'off' a little and in generaly I was less than 100% satisfied with the quality of the bushing brackets, the rest is spot on. That said, the bar bolted in no problem, the bushings, body brackets went right on.
Now we go to the ends, where the end link studs go through the swaybar, thank goodness RoyLPita came over, I'm sure I would have bent or broken soemthing. In any case this was the toughest part of the job, getting the end link studs through the bar ends. Yes the wheels need to be off, but you wont need to take the disc brakes off.
End link reassembly. Ah yes. Well I thought we had messed something up as we had what appeared to be a gap between the swaybar end and the end link. This coupled with the nut not being threaded as deep as I thought it should be led me to believe foul-up on my part. Wrong. :help:
The stud on the end link has a shoulder or flange, which the new swaybar end buts against. When your wrestling with the end link you wind up compressing the rubber boot on the end link stud. So it looks like there is a gap. You could try and mess with this, but mine seemed pretty determined to stay in place, and I was in no mood to tear them and buy myself an end link replacement. No worries the vital bits are covered by the boot.
Next, the nut on the end link stud, well it doesnt drive as deep as it did before. Of course the new bar is thicker, but it did not seem that much thicker. I measured it with calipers, the OEM bar end is 9mm, the Addco is a hair over 16mm, almost double the OEM. Therefore the nut can't go down any farther (remember above, the bar end is already against the flange of the end link stud).
We test drove the car and had no pop or noise or any ill effects. So along with TAF's feedback + that from the good folks at Team Ford, I say this mod is DONE. Lots of help from the forum members local and not so local, thats what makes this such a great place.:beer:
First, the brackets fit fine, hole sizes correct, although the holes look 'off' a little and in generaly I was less than 100% satisfied with the quality of the bushing brackets, the rest is spot on. That said, the bar bolted in no problem, the bushings, body brackets went right on.
Now we go to the ends, where the end link studs go through the swaybar, thank goodness RoyLPita came over, I'm sure I would have bent or broken soemthing. In any case this was the toughest part of the job, getting the end link studs through the bar ends. Yes the wheels need to be off, but you wont need to take the disc brakes off.
End link reassembly. Ah yes. Well I thought we had messed something up as we had what appeared to be a gap between the swaybar end and the end link. This coupled with the nut not being threaded as deep as I thought it should be led me to believe foul-up on my part. Wrong. :help:
The stud on the end link has a shoulder or flange, which the new swaybar end buts against. When your wrestling with the end link you wind up compressing the rubber boot on the end link stud. So it looks like there is a gap. You could try and mess with this, but mine seemed pretty determined to stay in place, and I was in no mood to tear them and buy myself an end link replacement. No worries the vital bits are covered by the boot.
Next, the nut on the end link stud, well it doesnt drive as deep as it did before. Of course the new bar is thicker, but it did not seem that much thicker. I measured it with calipers, the OEM bar end is 9mm, the Addco is a hair over 16mm, almost double the OEM. Therefore the nut can't go down any farther (remember above, the bar end is already against the flange of the end link stud).
We test drove the car and had no pop or noise or any ill effects. So along with TAF's feedback + that from the good folks at Team Ford, I say this mod is DONE. Lots of help from the forum members local and not so local, thats what makes this such a great place.:beer: