Hey guys, real excited just installed a 78 Trans am 1.25 inch front sway bar on my 71. The driverside bushing is fine, but as you can see from pic, passenger side bushing tight still has a gap. No matter how I position the bushing or move the bar it splits open when torqued. It must be how the bar startes to bend. Will this be okay? Any issue, should I worry. It is tight, and I will grease via fittings.
Hey Jay I just took another look at it. only one side of the bushing appears to be open. And it appears that it is the result of the bend in the bar. An idea: maybe pull the bushing off and clearance/chamfer a little on that side to allow room for the bend in the bar. Sort of a custom fit? my $.02 kjg
Hi Jay, Let me know what improvement you notice in the handling when you take the Buick out for a spin. I still have my Trans Am 1.25 front sway bar in my garage with new poly bushings. Never got around to installing it yet but hopefully will get it done in time for this Spring. Also, shipped out your 350 4bbl throttle cable today so you should receive it soon.
Thanks Chris, will be on the look out for it. Just noticed my shorter one is cracked, so even more excited to get the new cable. Ken, real good idea, you mentioned that on the phone earlier. That might work. Use like carbide burs or something? I'd hate to ruin a nice bar
LoL did I mention that already? Sorry its been a LONG day. My heads not right. Um I might try whittling it with a razorknife, or yea a burr might eat away at it ok. maybe a sanding roll? That urethane is stiff enough it should cut better than a black soft rubber. OOPS I realized we misunderstood each other. I meant cut the URETHANE not the Bar. I would not mod the bar.
Judging by the picture it looks like the bushing is made for a little larger bar. It's unlikely it will ever cause you a problem like that but if it were mine I would open up the hole in the bushing with a Dremel and a sander roll so it fits the bar tight without a gap. Bill
Possibly the bushing is not correct size. Try it on other side of car. Compare both bushings side to side. 1/16" is not that easily visible, but means much when assembled.
I hate to ask a stupid question but is it possible that the bar isn't completely "centered" on the frame? You said "It must be how the bar startes to bend." Could it be that the bar is just a tiny bit too close to the driver side, which moves the "bend" closer to the bushing on the passenger side, opening up the gap? Keep us posted because I'm about to do this mod on my 65 Skylark.
I thought about the centering of the bar, but with the brackets loose, I slid the bar either way and it did not matter. Have the day off tomorrow, so I am gonna mess with it
