After following the directions carefully...I gave up trying to wedge the sway bar between the A-arm/frame and the spring and just removed the upper ball joint, shock, and removed the coil spring and slid the bar through. After installation, I noticed that the end link kits are small compared to what came on the car originally. The carriage bolt is thinner and shorter and the metal spacer is much shorter as well. I'm not sure if the sway bar is supposed to have such a steep angle from the bracket area down to where the end link connects. Perhaps I didn't get the hardware in the correct sequence? Here's how I put it together:
bolt, washer cup, bushing then insert through lower A-arm, then rubber bushing, washer/cup, tubular metal spacer, washer cup, rubber bushing, sway bar, rubber bushing, washer cup, then lock nut. Anybody have a picture of their sway bar they could post so I can see how it is supposed to look? :D
Dano:beers:

thats is the right sequence i have a pic but not close up or of the end links

Just make sure that you have the front S/B about as flat as you can make it sit so that it works right! On the ground!!

My car has their 1" one and after I worked my front end totally over, I had to use Grade-8 Bolts that I worked over and now the space is like an inch(??) between my poly bushings on the ground!

pdq67

I have the same adco bar, maybe they changed thier hardware, but the stuff I got years ago was too long. I got a new grade 8 bolt and shortened the spacer.

Like pdq said, the "end" of the swaybar should be parllel with the world when the car's at ride ht.

I have the same adco bar, maybe they changed thier hardware, but the stuff I got years ago was too long. I got a new grade 8 bolt and shortened the spacer.Like pdq said, the "end" of the swaybar should be parllel with the world when the car's at ride ht.

Soooo, after I get everything hooked up and it's back on the ground, the curved sides should be 90 degrees to the end links? Or at least they should NOT be angled towards the ground OR up towards the bottom of the car? Maybe I did it right, but it sure seems "cheesy" with the cheap hardware they use.... I'll see how it works once I get her back on the ground. Thanks for the replies guys! :waving:
Dano

The curved side should be level, with the ground.

Also, if you reused your original bolts that secure the bushing brackets to the frame, you might run out to Ace tomorrow and get some grade 8 replacements. The pressure from that bar snapped my original bolts clean off.

Jim, The kit came with new brackets, "D" bushings, and new bolts to secure the brackets. I measured from the center point of the S/B out so it was centered on the car. I don't know that the bolts in the kit are any better than what was originally on the car. once I get my driveline back/installed and bleed the brakes I will get her back on the ground... Thanks for the advice on the bolts. If the sway bar is not parallel to the ground, I will go get new hardware and rebuilt the end links until it sits right. Seems like nothing aftermarket bolts on right out of the box anymore.lol
Dano:beers:

I am a LOT happier with worked over grade-8 bolts and nuts holding the washers and bushings in place after the cheap crap I used first that came with it flat went south on me..

You will see what Jim and I are talking about over time if you have the cheap aluminum tube spacers...

pdq67

Paul, I already know that it's junk that they throw in the kit...I just want to see the angle of the s/b ends once I get it on the ground. This will help me determine what length of bolts etc to buy at the hardware store ;)
Dano

Same boat here Dan.... I've left the ends of my Addco bar loose since installing it until I can get the front end loaded and down to ride height.
But this is the first I was aware that the supplied hardware is junk. Good thing you asked!
;)

ADCO's stuff's not junk, JUST cheap!!

They needed to use steel tubing instead of the soft aluminum stuff that came in my two kits years ago! (Front and rear sway-bars)....

Try these suppliers..

P-S-T
PSC
Prothane
Energy Suspension
Global West
Detroit Speed & Engineering

Now that I think of it, I bought PST's kit for my front and rethreaded the Grade-8 bolts in it, and had to cut them and the steel tubing pieces both down to get my s/b about as close to level as I could get it.

I bought new Grade-8 stuff for my rear s/b and used the left over front tubing for them too, if I remember right??

pdq67

Nothing that came in my front s/b kit is made out of aluminum. I just noticed that the carriage bolts that make up the end links are smaller and shorter than the OE ones... Maybe they have improved the quality since PDQ and JimM have purchased them? Once I see how the bar sits with the weight of the car on it, then I will see exactly which bolt to go with. As for the spacer (tubing), I can use the old one and cut it down if needed. Paul/Jim, since you have had a bigger sway bar on the front for a while now, how do you like them? Any noticeable difference in handling/cornering etc?
Dano:beers:

OK, my 1" Addco is powder-coated red, purchased from either Ricks or Summit in '03.

None of the end-link hardware is aluminum, and is cadmium plated. The thru-bolts are 6.125" (6 1/8") Grade 5 and the spacer is 1.375" (1 3/8") long.
Guess I'll look for Grade 8 replacements.

Joe, that sounds exactly what came in my kit... The part that gets me is that the GM end link parts are MUCH better than the hardware from Addco... If GM used "beefier" stuff on the little 5/8" bar, why would Addco use smaller stuff for a much thicker bar?:confused: I will get the grade 8 stuff at the local hardware store this week....
Dano

My car with both front and rear s/b's on it and my slapper-bars would push some, but nothing a little throttle wouldn't take care of..

I also had it sprung so solid that it would almost skip sideways when pushed to the limit! I have taken a 90 degree corner at speed, and it helped b/c of my ordered optional non-power steering would turn a 90 degree corner in one full turn of the steering wheel.

I used to palm it b/c I didn't want to mount an old "Necked-Lady" spinner on it like I had on my old '57 Chevy's steering wheel back in highschool as a kid...

pdq67

I used to palm it b/c I didn't want to mount an old "Necked-Lady" spinner on it like I had on my old '57 Chevy's steering wheel back in highschool as a kid...

pdq67

Necked-Lady? Is that the same thing as a suicide knob?

Necked-Lady? Is that the same thing as a suicide knob?

I was kinda :confused: on the "Necked Lady" too... I figured he was talking about a suicide knob too. We have much to learn Joe :D
Dano

Maybe they have improved the quality since PDQ and JimM have purchased them? Once I see how the bar sits with the weight of the car on it, then I will see exactly which bolt to go with. As for the spacer (tubing), I can use the old one and cut it down if needed. Paul/Jim, since you have had a bigger sway bar on the front for a while now, how do you like them? Any noticeable difference in handling/cornering etc?
Dano:beers:
It's likely they made some changes to the kit. If I'm recalling correctly, the stuff I got was so long it phycically would not fit between the a-arms, it hit the upper arm.

All of this stuff makes a big difference in handling. First thing I did was all near wear parts, sahocks, and the bar. Huge diff, but the wear parts were shot, too.

Then I did the g/s mod, that made a bigger difference than the previous stuff.

Then new rims and 45 series z-rated rubber, and another big difference.

Then the thirdgen steering box, and it's a completely different car.

I put on black rubber mudflaps to preserve my paint. The front ones are 1" off the ground at normal ride ht with no load. With 4 people in the car they scrape constantly on bumps, but even fully loaded, they do not scrape cornering hard on a smooth road. Body lean is lil to none.

I have installed a few Hellwig bars and they have had beefy components. The end links used 7/16" grade 8 bolts. Last one I did was on a 68 Camaro and it fit well. Its a solid bar so it won't save any weight but I like the fact that its made from 4140 Heat treated steel.

Another name for an old bolt-on steering wheel spinner knob is wrist-breaker!

Mount one on an old Johhy-Pop tri-cycle tractor that DOESN'T have the "knee-action" front-end and go diagonally across a bean field at speed and I will just about guarantee that it will get away from you and whack h-ll outta your wrist!!

Talk about cussing and a throwing a fit b/c it hurt's SO BAD!!

pdq67