This is how I installed my Whiteline 20mm adjustable front sway
bar. The instructions didn't work for me and I did it wrong the
first time. Thanks to the guys at ShopTalkForums for pointing out
my mistakes so I could fix it. The bar has a tenancy to rotate
on the beam. I'm not sure if my first installation was tight
enough, but it slipped in a hard corner and resulting in the tire
rubbing on the fender lip. Welding the U-bolts to the beam was
recommended by John Connolly at www.aircooled.net where I purchased the
sway bar. I like how it feels after the second install -- very
solid and grips well. I
think the modifications needed to get it right are worth the
work.
1. Cut a window in the shock mount brackets to clear the
shock. The side with the three holes is the top. The single
hole mounts to the lower shock bolt of the spindle. Without the
window, it will rub/bind on the shock and possibly wear through.
Or, the bracket needs to be mounted upside down resulting in reduced
ground clearance.
2. With the car up on blocks so the front end is loaded when the
drop links are adjusted, temporarily mount the bar on the beam.
The beam mounting brackets are rotated up so the bar clears the
adjuster. Check the shock tower seams for clearance with the
beam. Remove the beam and grind back the shock tower seam to
ensure the bar does not rub. Repaint the shock tower where the
grinding was done. Reinstall the bar and snug the U-bolts in
place for welding.
3. Weld U-bolts to beam. This keeps the beam brackets from
rotating on the beam under hard cornering. The picture is the
left U-bolt after welding, grinding, filling with sealer, and
painting. The bottom half of the U-bolt was welded to the beam on
both sides of the bolt, preventing rotation on the beam and allowing
the bar to be removed.
4. Mount the shock brackets to the spindle centering the window
on the shock. A 10 mm wave washer was added inboard on the lower
shock bolt. Pick your stiffness -- rear holes on the sway bar
arms are softer than the front holes. Pick the mounting hole on
the shock mount that results in the drop bar being as close to vertical
as possible. Mound the drop arms to the sway bar arm with the
bushings inboard with the bolt head inboard to allow for easy
adjustment. Also, the pivot bolt was shortened about .4" to clear
the shock for the stiffer settings. The drop arms will be at a
slight angle inboard. Slide the sway bar to center it between the
shocks attempting to get equal clearance for the outboard ends of the
pivot bolts then snug the beam mounting nuts down on the U-bolts to
hold the beam centered. Adjust the location of the top nuts on
the pivot bolt so the sway bar arms clear the top trailing arm.
The cupped washers are positioned on the bolt with the curved side (not
cupped side) toward the bushing. The bushings are positioned on
the bolt so the raised boss seats in the hole of the shock mount.
Set the locking nuts at the same distance from the pivot bolt on both
sides, then snug the bushings until fully seated and equal compression
on both sides. Finally, bounce the front end to settle the car
and tighten the beam mounting nuts onto the U-bolts ensuring the clamp
brackets are positioned to locate the bar horizontal with equal
clearance above the sway bar arms to the trailing arm pivot on both
sides. More clearance is needed for softer settings. Double
check
clearances and tightness all around. Drive it hard and triple
check.
Enjoy the G's.
