Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Rear Sway Bar Replacment

Hey, am I unique it having a major problem getting the rear sway bar out? I removed everything according to manual, but there doesn't appear to be enough room between fuel tank and subframe to slide the thing out!

All set to put put in a BAT, but can't figure out how to get the original out.

Anyone else have this problem?

I couldn't see how to get it either. I remember some old post about it, maybe you could search for them. Or, do what I did: drop the subframe. Just take out the four bolts holding the subframe to the body. It'll drop down on the suspension links/exhaust and give you lots of room to work. My bolts hadn't been touched in 140k miles and 10 years, and came right out, so yours should be easy!

go onto the drivers side turn the bar so it's arms (that connect to links) are facing downward and keep pulling, the tank has a shield on it with pading behind it so there is some play.

The harder part is getting the new bar in. Hit the side of the swaybar arm with some grease (you only have to do this to the side that will end up on the passenger side. Starting on the drivers side turn the bar so the arms r down again. Your going to have a use a rubber hammer to bang on the bar to get it to slide past the rear sub and tank shield.

Here is some pictures.



You can see pass the bracket hanging the gap you can pull the bar threw while facing the arm of the sway bar down.



Only thing I could think of with out dropping sub frame.

brackets will be a pain to get into place as well. Do this only enough to get the bolts started (start them on each side) you will have to tap the brackets back and tighten slowly each side. Its a floor jack under that wood. Don't bend up your subframe bracket area, it will cause problems, noises that will drive you crazy and possible mounting bracket sub frame damage. Also a warning, you can possibly cause more problems for yourself installing this bar if the sub is rotted and it breaks a mounting area in on the sub frame. So be ready to try and find someone to weld and beef up a sub frame for you. Installing will be another project.

You might also want to try this. I just went outside today and my sub frame and swaybar brackets where pretty bad from forcing them up there. Here is an install with new brackets the sub frame fix (I pryed and hammered) and a idea to take the stress off them.

Here you see the problem, tighten any more and you'll start bending stuff



Here is my idea, going to ride around, don't really see a safty issue doing this. And it takes the stress off the side that slides into the sub frame. Maybe could do away with one washer (sub frame not perfect) but should help keep it from ripping the bracket out or damaging the sub frame.



Old brackets looked like this, that tab shouldn't be bent like that.

Oh forgot to say there is no padding behind the shield around the tank, the tank is plastic though. Be careful I didn't put a hole in my tank, but I'm sure something could go wrong hammering the bigger sway bar in.

JD

Thanks for the reply. I thought I'd either have to drop the tank some, or loosen the subframe as you did.

Did you have any alignment issues when you loosened the subframe? That had me thinking I oughta drop the tank some instead.

Hey! Did you see my post?? I did it with out dropping the subframe....

Yeah, I did and thanks for the complete blow-by-blow with great pictures! I got to the point of forcing it also, and got to the point I think I could of forced it out on a lift, but the right side of the bar was on the ground (I had the rear wheels about 6inches off the ground, so it was pretty high already). Looking at the stuff closely, it appeared to me likely that I'd do some damage to something on the tank if I tried forcing it.

My guess is that the closeness in this area is car to car variable. I know I've seen some posts where folks get this job in and done in less than two hours (which I'm sure is doable if the bar just falls out between the subframe and tank). I'm now scratching my head as to what the best approach is, and whether to reinforce the mounts before putting the BAT bar on. I was hoping to have the bar on before a Divisional AutoX this weekend, but I'm not going to push it.

BTW, I'm surprised you needed to shim the mounts to get around the new bushings. It would appear that the new bushings are not standard size?

Again, thanks for the thorough response. This is a great forum.

Just wanted some credit

Picture turing the bar so the arm on the passenger side is facing down and you want to pull just the arm threw the space (the round part, have the flat link side passing threw the bottom). That way only a small section of the bar is passing threw. Mine did come out just by pulling from the drivers side, you just have to keep it straight.

But getting the new one in is where the force comes in. You are correct in haveing to align the rear subframe. And you will need pins (as they call them) to make sure the frame lines up correctly. And if you drop it (which is the best way to do the job, or drop the tank, maybe easier) you might as well have the subframe beefed up to take the stress of the new bar, or you might be taking the sub back off.

I agree this is a great site. For someone to spend there free time managing and paying for a site and asking nothing but sharing info has to be a great person.

Well the spacers help some, but with the car being a 98 and living on and island (salt water in the air 24/7) the sub frame is rotted in the thin metal areas (swaybar plate) so going with a beefed up subframe. Oh yeah they use salt in the winter...

Getting noise on hard turns and even some bumps, this started after upgrading to the thicker sway. Someone is beefing up one that is track tested (the mod) and making pins to align it. That will more then fix it up.

The reason I'm going that way instead of putting the stock bar back in, is because I like the feel of the BAT sway bar. You know when the rear is going to break away in a turn. Goes good with the BAT suspension kit I did 5 months ago. Makes the car feel even more like its on railroad tracks.

I have the OMP SB in the front, waiting for the rear SB for the ...rear. Also have the universal mid brace from JC Whitney for the mid (inside mount) on it's way. I don't know if you can make a street car too ridged but will find out. The roads r not smooth around here...