I got an Addco sway bar. I put the front wheels on the car and lowered it so the Lower Control Arms (LCA) would be in the proper position for mounting the tabs on the LCAs. When I lowered it, the front end didn't go down too far because the engine isn't installed.

Should I wait to install the tabs on the LCAs until after the engine is installed?

that would help, of course you could get a couple of hefty college students to sit on the K-member to get it to sit right... couple guys at 225 lbs would be about right for the weight of the engine...



-D.Idiot

In this particular post you don't say what model of car you have, but the following comments ar all relevant to the 67-72 A bodies. . If you have drum brakes, or the disk calipers are on the rear of the steering knuckle, you can weld the tab to the LCA about one inch lower, and one inch more outboard for better alignment. This will interfere with calipers hung on the front side of the steering knuckle. Then put a slightly longer link on to put the bar end lower, down below the LCA entirely.

I have been fooling with these after market sway bars since 1972, and the angle they use to clear the front strut, and still reach the shock bolt where the tabs are mounted is not as effective as it could be, and is very prone to interference from other suspension parts. I have tried many possible alternative mounts for the tab. Until I welded the tab on as I describe here, there is a tendency for the sway bar to bang on, and hang up on either the lower ball joint bolt, or the front strut, depending on how you mount it.

The problem stems from the fact that the track of the front end changes considerably as the suspension extends itself,(that is the wheels go down in relation to the K-frame. What looks good in one postion of the suspension parts will not look good in another. Your question shows you are aware of this.

If you weld the tab more outboard, and lower, you will have to file a notch in the tab to clear the LCA rivit that holds the two halves together, and you will need to search out a longer link to put the sway bar end down below the LCA so there is no chance it will hit the LCA itself.

Once, I got this cleared up, my car handled and rode better. It feels like an OEM set up now. Before, it always felt like I had added something that didn't really belong. It only took me 35 years to get this figured out.

Sam

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Thanks for the replies. What I have is a 67 Barracuda with a 73 Swinger k-frame and disc brake setup. The LCAs and struts are the originals, but the spindle, and UCA are from the 73. I bought a sway bar for a 73-76 Dart and it goes through the k-frame.

The instructions that come with it are the worst I've ever seen for anything. I can figure things out luckily, because the instructions are totally worthless.

For instance, they give you six galvy bolts, and two grade eight bolts, but don't say which are for what. The bushings are not in order on the post as recieved, but the instructions say nothing about how they should go. The mounting plates have a slot on one end, a hole on the other, but no verabage on which direction to mount it. They look like it is a copy of a copy, of a copy, etc.

I am not familiar with the later front end set up as far as the sway bar goes, but the factory units I have seen look like they are well conceived.
I am afraid I cannot help you figure that one out though.

It might help if someone on the forum had a photo they could post or send to you of their 73 and up A body with the sway bar mounted. It seems to me that one or more of the factory service manuals has a photo of the front end with the bar installed.

Sam

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