Sway bar

[Carmine]

Hi everyone. I bought a new sway bar kit for the front of my '62. This would be the bolts, bushings, cupped washers, etc. Not the bar itself. I just tried installing this kit and wasn't successful. The bolt is about 1/4" too short for me to get a nut on it. I tried jacking up just the lower control arm, but because there is no motor in it, the entire car lifted. I compared the new bolt against the old which was even shorter. Hmmmm..............
I can't figure out how to compress something to make it work. The old bushings are the same size as the new. The old spacer tube is even longer. No reason why this shouldn't fit. Is there any trick or secret to doing this? Another part of the project that appears to be simple but ends up a problem. Many thanks, Carmine.

 

[1961BelAir427]

There may be an easier way, but can you get a couple of large friends to climb over in the engine compartment and stand on the front cross member while you bolt it up? Or just wait until you have the engine in to install it. I know you are trying to get some things done ahead of time, but the sway bar installation is something that can be done very quickly/easily after the engine is in.

 

[Carmine]

Agreed. It will have to wait until the motor is in. Thanks, Carmine.

 

[Gus68]

Put a jack on the bottom of the bolt and use a LARGE prybar to push the sway bar down. You might want a freint to help. You need to squish the bushings enough to get that nut started.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Put a jack stand under driver's side rear up to frame close to bumper then you jack up right front and it will put more compressing force on spring as if motor was in . I used that method when doing ball joint's on a two post lift to keep car from lifting off lift, of course i used a tall stand on rear and front changing joint's at chest height.When you do left front put jack stand under right rear. I use this method also when replacing spring's also.

 

[303Radar]

Is there room for a C-clamp to help compress the bushing? Going to take a fairly large one to go over the bushing and frame as well.

 

[Carmine]

Put a jack stand under driver's side rear up to frame close to bumper then you jack up right front and it will put more compressing force on spring as if motor was in . I used that method when doing ball joint's on a two post lift to keep car from lifting off lift, of course i used a tall stand on rear and front changing joint's at chest height.When you do left front put jack stand under right rear. I use this method also when replacing spring's also.

Think maybe I'll try this tomorrow. Thank you and Gus68, Carmine.

 

[Carmine]

Is there room for a C-clamp to help compress the bushing? Going to take a fairly large one to go over the bushing and frame as well.

No, no room for a C clamp. Thanks anyway.

 

[61BUBBLE348]

Carmine get the sway bar in place, bolted to the chassis, make sure it is the right way up (I don't think they are symmetrical) and finish the longer bolts later when you have more weight in the car.

 

[Carmine]

Yes, I could wait for more weight in the car, but I get a little on the anxious side. I'm really winding down with things that I wanted to get done before the motor arrives. I never removed the sway bar. Just unbolted it to replace the old bushings. Problem is, with new 409 springs, I can't get enough compression to finish up the bolting process. I need about another inch or so. I'm real close and with the motor/trans in the car, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem. Today, I'm going to try the method mentioned in thread #5. If not successful, then I'll wait, Carmine.

 

[blkblk63ss]

If that don't work this will for sure. If you are using a roll floor jack loop a chain under jack and over top of frame , this will compress spring and not let frame be jacked up. you can put rag's under chain to prevent paint damage.

 

[ROYALOAK62]

If you only need an inch, why don't you try using a coil spring compressor to lower it to start the threads.
Or am I missing something here.

Dave

 

[threeimpalas]

You should wait until you have the entire weight of the car on the wheels before tightening the fasteners down for the various bushings; ie) sway bar to frame, front control arms to cross-shafts, rear control arms to frame/axle. If you torque these fasteners to spec without the full weight of the car on the wheels, then they'll pre-load (twist) the rubber in the bushings in a bound state instead of at their nominal position. If you're replacing the bushings with polyurethane ones, then this is less of an issue because they're not bonded to their sleeve and casing.

 

[Carmine]

Put a jack stand under driver's side rear up to frame close to bumper then you jack up right front and it will put more compressing force on spring as if motor was in . I used that method when doing ball joint's on a two post lift to keep car from lifting off lift, of course i used a tall stand on rear and front changing joint's at chest height.When you do left front put jack stand under right rear. I use this method also when replacing spring's also.

This method worked. Got both nuts started but not real tight. As mentioned in another thread, I'm going to wait until the motor/trans. are in and then tighten everything including the control arms.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Agree on the sequence on tightening the bushing's but if you hell bent on getting them connected if needing a little ,you could just start them and tighten fully with all weight on . UPDATE,,,,,,,, Oop's you beat me back on here!!!!!

 

[Carmine]

That's OK. Reminders are also good. Thanks, Carmine.