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thinking of rear SVT sway bar

B

bobbo

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 29, 2007
Messages
72
Hi. I'm thinking about putting an SVT rear sway bar in my stock 98.5 'stique LS to help spruce up the handling a little bit more (don't want an aftermarket sway bar, I don't think). What all would I need in the way of parts? The bar (of course), bushings, brackets? How hard of a change-over is it?

Thanks,
Bob
 
Bushings and the bar. Pretty easy to do. Just requires a little maneuvering. I didn't have a garage at the time I did mine and it was too cold/gross out, so I had my mechanic do it for me... $20.
 
really? i thought the pre98 se and svt rears were 19mm while the svt got a smaller 18mm front bar???
 
todras said:
If you're going through all the work get a pre98 SE 19mm bar. SVT is 18mm.
Click to expand...

fordman302 said:
Wow didnt know that the Pre-98 were larger Good info to know..
Click to expand...

They didn't. The Pre-98 SE bar is the same as the SVT bar. It measures between 18-19mm, so for the Pre-98, Ford put the numbers out as 19mm, but 18mm when the SVT rolled around.

Both bars are identical.
 
Right now, I'm running a Roush 21mm rear bar, but with the stock 19mm SVT front. I plan to replace the front with a standard 20mm front and combined with the 21mm rear, I think it will be a perfect balance.
 
people should check out the main site more often

http://www.contour.org/FAQ/FAQ.php?s=specs

Suspension specs pre-1998

F spring R spring F strut R strut F bar R bar
GL/LX 4-cyl 18 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 17mm(.67)
GL/LX 6-cyl 20 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 17mm(.67)
SE 24 kn/m 21 kn/m sport sport 20mm(.79) 19mm(.75)

Suspension specs 1998

GL/LX 4-cyl 18 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 17mm(.67)
GL/LX 6-cyl 20 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 17mm(.67)
SE 20 kn/m 16 kn/m sport sport 20mm(.79) 19mm(.75)

Suspension specs 1998.5

LX 4-cyl 18 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 16mm(.63)
LX 6-cyl 20 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 17mm(.67)
SE 4-cyl 18 kn/m 16 kn/m base base 20mm(.79) 18mm(.71)
SE 6-cyl 20 kn/m 16 kn/m sport sport 20mm(.79) 18mm(.71)
 
hotdimmes said:
Why do you want to swap the front?
Click to expand...

I gave up trying to type out an explanation.....:laugh:

It all has to do with balancing out the front and rear bars and not generate oversteer.

I retract what I said about putting the non-SVT front on my car. I think it would basically cancel out the effects of the larger 21mm rear.......unless someone says otherwise.
 
i wouldnt say it would totally cancel out your rear bar..the as the rear would still be a little bigger. but if might cause the front to plow a little more
 
Thanks for the input. A few more questions:

1) so, the SE is bigger than the SVT... it so happens the local junkyard has a handful of Contiques and a few sport models. Can I go to the JY and grab a sway bar off a junker, or should I go and buy a new one?

2) So I'll need new bushings (not like I'd use the ones already the sway bar if I swipe it off a junker... I'm cheap, but not that bad haha). Should I go OEM or find some of the urethane ones I've heard about? Who has the best prices on them?

3) With the new bar and bushings, do I need new brackets for the bushings, or will the ones on the car work with a bigger bar/bushings?
 
bobbo said:
Thanks for the input. A few more questions:

1) so, the SE is bigger than the SVT... it so happens the local junkyard has a handful of Contiques and a few sport models. Can I go to the JY and grab a sway bar off a junker, or should I go and buy a new one?

2) So I'll need new bushings (not like I'd use the ones already the sway bar if I swipe it off a junker... I'm cheap, but not that bad haha). Should I go OEM or find some of the urethane ones I've heard about? Who has the best prices on them?

3) With the new bar and bushings, do I need new brackets for the bushings, or will the ones on the car work with a bigger bar/bushings?
Click to expand...


1) As I said above, the SE bar is the same as the SVT bar. Off a junker is fine as long as the bar has never been bent.

2) Poly bushings would be your best bet as they last the longest and will be the stiffest. BAT sells poly bushings in a few different sizes.

3) IIRC, the brackets are all the same. The difference is in the diameter on the inside of the bushing, but the outside is sized the same or very close.
 
CSVT1214 said:
1) As I said above, the SE bar is the same as the SVT bar. Off a junker is fine as long as the bar has never been bent.
Click to expand...

WTF are you talking about?! They are not. The SE being 1mm larger than the SVT is something you can feel actually. I have done it to my car. I've even measured the 2 to be sure.
 
todras said:
WTF are you talking about?! They are not. The SE being 1mm larger than the SVT is something you can feel actually. I have done it to my car. I've even measured the 2 to be sure.
Click to expand...

I'm getting all my info from the old forums. IIRC DemonSVT and RogerB have both stated many times that the SE and SVT bars are the same. They measure over 18mm but less than 19mm. Ford just decided to round up or down depending on the year Contour.

I guess we need to confirm it for sure.
 
Even if it were good to do I wouldn't just based on how big of a PITA it is to remove the front.
 
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