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View Full Version : Got the sway bar installed


FordNut
10-23-2003, 08:53 PM
Does it ever make a difference. Since I've got two of these things to play with, I can easily go back and forth between the stock one and the modded one for comparison. It corners much better, stays virtually flat in curves. I lubed the bushings the same way I did in the old days, just wrapped teflon tape around the bar before putting the bushings on. Lasts longer than grease and isn't as messy. I painted mine with black epoxy paint.

Sometimes you add a mod and wonder if it really made a difference or was it worth the money. Not with this one. It's immediately apparent and well worth every penny.
studio460
10-24-2003, 12:18 AM
Originally posted by FordNut
I lubed the bushings the same way I did in the old days, just wrapped teflon tape around the bar before putting the bushings on. Lasts longer than grease and isn't as messy. I painted mine with black epoxy paint.
Thanks for the tip, FordNut! But I could've used that tip about a month ago! I've still got Marine grease on EVERYTHING! Anyway, I agree with you about the swaybar--the car really corners a lot better--congrats on your new swaybar! Are you gonna do the Eibachs too?
FordNut
10-24-2003, 05:52 AM
No, I need the ground clearance. I drag things even at the stock height so I certainly wouldn't want to go much lower. Now if there were a truly progressive spring (the Eibachs aren't progressive after all) at the stock height or maybe 1/2" lower...
martyo
10-24-2003, 05:54 AM
Originally posted by FordNut
No, I need the ground clearance. I drag things even at the stock height so I certainly wouldn't want to go much lower. Now if there were a truly progressive spring (the Eibachs aren't progressive after all) at the stock height or maybe 1/2" lower...

I hear ya! I did the Eibachs and the car will not clear my floor lift!
TooManyFords
10-24-2003, 06:40 AM
< dreaming >
I wonder if anyone's investigated swapping in air bags for the front springs to really lower the car "on demand".

Without having looked under mine, I can probably guess the strut/shock on the front goes -through- the spring thus making this impossible.

< /dreaming >
Petrograde
10-24-2003, 06:50 AM
I agree Fordnut!

I finally had mine installed ... yup, big difference! It has the perfect amount of understeer for me.

I had it powder coated with my valve covers:up:

Tom
Fourth Horseman
10-24-2003, 09:28 AM
When (if?) I get my car back I'll be putting my sway bar on as well. Do you folks recommend painting the bar? Is there any reason to not just put it in place as it is?
RF Overlord
10-24-2003, 09:37 AM
Fourth:

I just installed mine right out of the box...it's anodised, and there were no indications from Addco that painting was necessary...I never even thought about it...
Fourth Horseman
10-24-2003, 10:33 AM
Cool. I'll do the same, then. Thanks!
FordNut
10-24-2003, 02:06 PM
Looks fine out of the box. I wanted to paint mine for 2 reasons. 1st, the OEM bar is painted black and 2nd it matches my powdercoated rear end cover/girdle.
Donald
10-24-2003, 08:30 PM
Petrograde,

Does not the sway bar bend? Is powder coat flexible? I would think it would break and flake off.
Petrograde
10-24-2003, 08:38 PM
hmm, ... I hadn't really though about it. I'm sure there is a little twisting. I'm sure it'll be ok. I'm more worried about road debris hitting it.

Powder coating is fairly strong stuff from what I've seen. But, I'll keep an eye on it and post if it starts flaking off.

BTW- sometime next year when I install some Eibach springs those will get powder coated too, if the sway bar holds up.

Tom
jgc61sr2002
10-24-2003, 08:46 PM
Powder coating will not flake off. You can use it on springs swaybars and other movable parts.:D
Petrograde
10-24-2003, 10:57 PM
Thanks jgc .... that's what I thought.
TAF
10-25-2003, 05:25 AM
And...that 26mm, solid swaybar doesn't move like the stock, hollow, 21mm one did...
joflewbyu2
10-25-2003, 06:53 AM
FordNut, pics please with the rear SVO girdle showing clearence.
FordNut
10-25-2003, 04:36 PM
OK, that's my hand between the girdle and sway bar. The ring finger is a size 12-1/2. That's as far as my hand will go between the sway bar and girdle. Plenty or space to not worry about interference in normal operation. I did notice some paint chips, should have powdercoated.

Joe, so now it's your turn to post some pics of the exhaust hangers for the '02. I'd really like to see how they attach to the chassis.
joflewbyu2
10-25-2003, 07:41 PM
i will ask my friend at work if he will take the pic of my car bottom and post for you on tuesday when i go back in.
joflewbyu2
10-25-2003, 07:42 PM
BTW, THANKS !!
SergntMac
10-25-2003, 10:04 PM
I have the 8.8 girdle from the Ford Performance catalogue, and a Reinhart sway bar. They were not installed at the same time.

I see some scrape marks on the girdle I am not happy with this direct contact, in the area of 1" below the horizontal centerline, and 1/2" (looking at it) to my left of the vertical centerline.

This contact between the sway bar and girdle, is not good in my book, yet I too, can fit my hand between the Reinhart sway bar and the Ford girdle.

Can I presume the marks are from the brief few weeks I had the girdle sharing space with the OEM sway bar? I hope so...

I've marked the contact area on the girdle with a slice of duct tape. If it's not likewise marked in a week or so of my customary driving habits, I'll be relieved. If it IS marked from recent contact, what then?
sailsmen
10-26-2003, 06:14 AM
Can you shave the girdle?
FordNut
10-26-2003, 07:56 AM
Sarge,
Which type bushings did your sway bar come with? The early ones like I saw on TAF's car are quite a bit different from the later ones. The later ones are for MarkVIII and are 7/8" but are bored out to 1" by Addco. They use the OEM brackets. The holes in mine were slightly off-center so I installed them so the sway bar would be as far rearward as I could get it.

I ran my SVO girdle for over 6 months with the OEM sway bar and have no contact marks on the girdle. Is it possible that the girdle was sc***** during installation?

Added: The easy way to tell if you have new or old bushings is the new style has shoulders on both sides along with the hump in the middle. The old ones only have the hump in the middle. Addco claims the old ones could slip out of the brackets.
joflewbyu2
10-26-2003, 09:02 AM
be aware that when the car is on a lift the bar is in a different spot. the bar moves as the car shifts weight left, right, foward or back.
FordNut
10-26-2003, 09:18 AM
My pic is with the car on the ground. Also, lowering the rear of the car by adjusting the air spring sensor will reduce the clearance.