I saw this “The replacement sway bar arms can be cut to length and bent to fit any width chassis.” which might have some bearing on specific information being left out.
And if you’re really wanting to know, you can figure it out pretty easily by referencing the specified hole for the splined shaft. 1 1/4" x 12 = 15" plus 1" for space at each end.
Doug thanks for that Graphic and info. If that arm is 12-13-14 then that’s plenty I could cut that one down and drill it. I’m gonna have the bar in hand soon. I figured first step would be to get the mounts and then position it and take a accurate measurement from the idea leverage position
well I’m getting some where now. www.speedwaymotors.com seems to have some parts, I got some of these Arms and bushings
I was thinking something like this would be great for the lower Mount point for the sway bar.
You would remove the Shock Bolt & install this .
It would give you a mount for the a sway bar link. Next step is to remove the stock shock bolt and see what thread pitch and length I need
any hopefully it’s not too much of a lever for the metal the threaded nut is attached to so not to twist this extension in the mount.
I see what you’re saying. It would be good to know that in advance because if I can’t no the sway bar in that point, I would need to make the swaybar arms longer and attach to a different location. I would hate to cut the arms.
The shocks are the things with the springs and on an outside corner the inside wheel will be pulled up by the sway bar. Let’s think about this, so the sway bar will be pulling up on the end of that extension, the shock/spring will be pushing down(right next to the sway bar) and then you have the weight of the tire/wheel/brakes/axle also pushing down on the swing arm.
On the compressing side the body wants to roll so it’ll be pushing down on the shock/spring, the tire/wheel/brakes/axle will be pushing upward via the swing arm and the sway bar is on the end of the extension being pushed upwards also.
So maybe it’s mostly going to be the shocks/springs fighting with the sway bar and they are somewhat close together on that extension which then takes the tire/wheel/etc along for the ride.
I say leave the sway bar arms long, drill the hole where it’ll fit the shock mount extension and check squareness of that extension where it threads into the swing arm. If it corners like a banshee and you check that the extension is still square to the mount use a cuttoff wheel and trim it down. Otherwise, try to find another mount and maybe the hole in the sway bar arm won’t effect it at the new location. Or weld a plate over the hole.
Ok I’m confused. What difference does it make Were the sway bar attaches. Most IRS sway bars attach to the individual swing axels are you saying that attaching to a Shock (that’s attached to the swing axels)is any different than mounting to directly to the swing axels.
Personally I don’t see how the shock is any different than the swing Axel.
Because you were talking about putting the sway bar mount on the end of an adapter/extension to the shock mount and that makes a lever arm which will put torques on that extension which might be more than the swing arm can handle. The sway bar is a force translation device.
Ok, got ya. So you’re saying the sway bar could be more force the “Shock Stud” may be able to handle. Got it! My 1962 VW Bug had a sway bar that attached in this very same way and I know other cars that attach the sway bar to this point.
#1 I have to commit to an attachment poin before I start the install. I can’t leave attachment point adjustable or up in the air cause the arms have to be cut to the correct length to insure they are at the correct angle of “said attachment point” example if I can’t use the shock mount, I need to re-engineer how and where the bar is mounted, and adjust the length of the arms before I go anywhere
My point is the part of the swing arm(axle part) which that extended “shock Stud” is attached to. If it’s too thin where it’s mounted then it might bend. If it’s nice strong/thick steel that should be good.
A U bracket that fits over the existing shock mount, sharing the same bolt to attach the swaybar to
To prevent the shock mount twisting as much
That’s a Good Idea you got any photos of what your talking about
I can’t tell if the swingarm is aluminum or steel?
The long stud as a mount for swaybar, is probably fine
The load of the swaybar isn’t anywhere near what the shock mount experiences when you hit a chuck hole
Moving the load to between the shock mount & wheel is marginally better.
Not knowing how the swingarm is constructed & or heat treated, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to weld or drill/bolt mounting brackets directly to it
Here’s some other ideas for attachment
#1 I’d make a bracket that went between the top 2 holes where the brake backing plate bolts to the swingarm & the inside of the shock mount
2 pieces of angle one with a hole for the shock bolt, one with 2 holes for the backing plate side, cut out for the gusset, welded or bolted together
A nice steel platform for what ever the swaybar needs, no rotating, since it’s bolted in 3 places
#2 an L bracket from the inside of the shock mount going up & towards the wheel
This version would be held in place by the bolt pushing the shock spacer against the bracket
#3 two L brackets facing each other, wrapping around the shock eye, mounted on the shock bolt
Any solution that uses a longer shock bolt make sure that no threads are touching any brackets
This may require threading the unthreaded part of a long bolt carefully so a minimum of threads show & cutting off the extra threads as needed
The steel sleeve in the shock eyelet has to be tight
Well I got the sway bar today. The guy who sold it to me on EBay listed it as a 33inch long bar. When i opened it up and measured it the bar is only 32 inches. Not sure if it will still work have to do some measurements
220, 221, whatever it takes.
The bar being 1 inch shorter sure would make this project a lot more difficult. Things are so tight under there there’s no slack. I could see bending the Sway bar arms, but they are so thick and made of aluminum bending them is going to be a real pain. If I knew I was going to have to bend the arms I would’ve bought them in steel.
Right now the Battery tray is what the sway bar arms could come in contact with. I could do a few different things.
Here is a photo from the ground looking up.
Here is a photo looking down
So Option’s in no particular order
I could machine the sway bar arms & machine OFF a half an inch off of the inside of each one to clear the battery tray
I could cut the battery tray I have about 3-4 inches. Of battery tray that sticks out from the side that’s not being used that I could Trim (Photo below) this would be a pain in the ass. But would not cost anything but time. Not a fan of this option. I’m guessing it would take me 5-6 Hrs to do it clean.
