Hi. I'm installing stock boxed rear control arms and a stock rear sway bar on my 1971 Buick GS. My car had neither on it originally. Can someone tell me the length of the stock bolts holding the sway bar to the control arms, AND if any flat washers and lock washers are used on these bolts? It would be great to hear from someone whose car came from the factory with the rear sway bar installed. Thanks for the help. John in Wisconsin
I've got an install kit from the Parts Place. The bolts are 3" with flat washers and nylon lock nuts. HTH
i replaced the all the bolts for the upper & lower control arms. on the lowers, used anodized grade 8 bolts/nuts washers, lock washers. the original nuts were not a nylon lock.
Hi, Gerry. Thanks for your help in the posting above, regarding the bolts, nuts, etc. for the sway bar I'm installing on my 1971 GS. Just one more question for you...where are flat washers used on the bolts connecting the sway bar to the lower control arms...under the heads, under the lock washers? Also, did your car originally come with a sway bar (so that you know what you replaced was stock from the factory)? I guess that is two questions! Best, John in Wisconsin
Steel spacers were used as well. Year One sells these as a kit of several. You need to put in as many that will fit with bolts in loose. Look at diagram in manual. No lock washers were used.
Thanks, much for the help, Guys. Yes, I did get the shim package from Year One. I feel dumb about the sway bar nuts and bolts, etc. ...I normally consult my shop manual for the '71, but didn't this time around! Best, John in Wisconsin
john: just back from vaca. my car was built with the F41 suspension package & yes it has the rear swaybar. if i remember correctly, there were no flat washers on the bolts only a lock washer. u may or may not have to use shims to make the bar fit properly.
When installing a rear sway bar, do you torque the bolts with the car in the air or on the ground? Does it even matter? Thanks
Got it. I have boxed lower control arms, but can't remember if I torqued them with the car in the air or on the ground. Can I just jack the car up, loosen all four bolts, lower the car and give them a final torque? If so, can the sway bar stay bolted, or does that need to be loosed for this exercise, as well? Thanks
You should be able to loosen them, put it on the ground and tighten them back up without much issue. I usually leave the sway bar alone if I'm not doing something with the bar itself. Like swapping rears is easier if you unbolt the bar because it will make it difficult to articulate the rear to get everything lined up.
Cool. While we're on the subject, when the front of the car is on ramps, how do I jack up the rear to slide my wheel cribs under both rear wheels (so the car is now elevated, but level)? Thanks
You can jack the whole rear of the car up by placing the jack under the center diff hump, even with with a rear sway bar, there is room to get the jack under it and then get whatever to hold it, stands, ramps, cribs, dollies.
So, it's OK to put my floor jack under the sway bar, sandwiching it between the jack and the differential? Thanks
While it is spring steel and will bounce back, that's not what I do. There is a at least an inch or more of cast iron center diff that is between the rear cover and the sway bar. My jack has a lip that will catch that cast iron and lift the rear of the car by that. Been doing that for 35 years without an issue.
