Sway bar options

[BitchinZ]

The ST 240Z 1" front bar is already 5mm larger than the stock 280Z bar.

[raven12]

Pretty sure he's asking if the ST 1 1/8" bar up front is better than a 1" bar.

[RebekahsZ]

The mounts come with the bar. Don't worry about 1" vs 1-1/8".

[m1ghtymaxXx]

Excellent, so I'm thinking I'll grab the 240Z front and rear combo (unless anyone thinks the larger 1 1/8" bar will beneficial). If it doesn't come with the mounts than I can always order one of these: http://www.energysuspension.com/universal-products/sway-bar-bushings.html

 

For the 240Z rear bar swap, do the end links use the same pickup points on the control arms or do new holes have to be drilled? 

[johnc]

The kit comes complete with everything you need for the install.

 

What about this sentence don't you understand?

 

I will give you one tip, for the front bar mounts on the frame, put a washer between the "U" shaped clamp and the frame when you bolt things up to keep from binding the bar when you tighten the 8mm bolts.

[RebekahsZ]

Same holes as stock.  Sway bar mounting holes and end-links often don't line up perfectly when you first install them.  Leave everything loose until all the hardware is on, then tighten everything up.  On the end-links, just snug them up, don't over-torque them or the polyurethane will crack prematurely-ask me how I know.  If you don't want your bars to squeak, you can put several wraps of teflon tape around the bar in the area where the bushing contacts it.  There are silicone-based lubricants that can be helpful with squeaks later.  Last time I ordered one of these kits, it had to be made to order then direct shipped to me.  Be patient and follow-up periodically: nobody is keeping parts on the shelf anymore, so expect it to take several weeks to a month or more from production to hitting your doorstep.  Use betamotorsports when you can-his price will be the same, and if his price is more, you paid for his expertise and experience, worth it.  Try not to order around the suppliers on this forum unless the price difference is huge-$10-20 won't be significant over the life of your project.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

Same holes as stock.  Sway bar mounting holes and end-links often don't line up perfectly when you first install them.  Leave everything loose until all the hardware is on, then tighten everything up.  On the end-links, just snug them up, don't over-torque them or the polyurethane will crack prematurely-ask me how I know.  If you don't want your bars to squeak, you can put several wraps of teflon tape around the bar in the area where the bushing contacts it.  There are silicone-based lubricants that can be helpful with squeaks later.  Last time I ordered one of these kits, it had to be made to order then direct shipped to me.  Be patient and follow-up periodically: nobody is keeping parts on the shelf anymore, so expect it to take several weeks to a month or more from production to hitting your doorstep.  Use betamotorsports when you can-his price will be the same, and if his price is more, you paid for his expertise and experience, worth it.  Try not to order around the suppliers on this forum unless the price difference is huge-$10-20 won't be significant over the life of your project.

 

Some good tips! Since this will require locating the mounting brackets and drilling holes, was going to attach the links on both sides and see where that puts the bar on rear the diff mount, then center, level and drill. 

 

I appreciate the advice from John and would love to support Betamotorsports, but in this instance I was putting together an order of exhaust parts from Summit (great prices) and found they have ST bars, which are no additional shipping charge. Given my location on the far side of a large island in the North Atlantic, shipping is a killer, especially since all the Z car parts vendors seem to be concentrated in the US south-west.

[RebekahsZ]

Hard to argue with that!  Be sure to post  your progress so we know how it turns out.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

So I installed the ST rear bar this weekend along with an OBX LSD diff and Technoversions Ron Tyler diff mount. I was quite impressed with the ST kit, I hadn't realized it includes rear control arm braces (for lack of a better word) with the mounting ears for the rear mount sway bar. Besides having to trim the braces down about a 1/4" inch to fit, install was a snap. Only issue is the sway bar rubs against the parking brake cable. I'm thinking I'll try and find some sort of cable bracket to secure parking brake cable to the control beneath the sway bar, or wrap something around the sway bar and cable where they contact to avoid abraision. Anyways I would highly reccomend this to any 280/late 260 owners looking to upgrade their rear sway bar. The rear bar makes a pretty big difference in exhaust clearance, and allows for removal of the bar without dropping the exchaust.

 

For me this a huge benefit since the previous owner of the car had hit a rock on the highway that among other things, snapped off on of the the left sway bar mount. The mangled remains of it were given to me in a box, and I managed to straighten in out and weld it back in, but I couldn't get the torch up into beam to weld in the top of the mount, so I think it had some flex to it. Now it's as solid as can be.

 

Car should be on the road within 3 weeks, between the bars and the LSD, it should be a lot more fun now!

Edited April 22, 2013 by m1ghtymaxXx

[glitched]

not that it really matters all that much but interesting Informational weight measurements for front bar from a suitcase scale:

Stock bar weighs 5.6lbs

ST bar weighs 14.3lbs

 

 

 

[DuoWing]

So after reading this thread I went ahead and got myself the 240Z sway bar kit. I was kinda hoping for the green sway bars. I'll hopefully get around to installing these this upcoming weekend. Looks like it should be a fairly easy install.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

After 3 months/a couple hundred miles driving, the rear let say bar mount bushing has completely disintegrated. It does sit a few inches from the exhaust (stock location), so I presume that's the reason for failure. I contacted Suspension Techniques and they've agreed to send a replacement, but of course the next one will likely fail in short order. I was going to use some header wrap on the section of pipe near the bushing, but is there a bushing that might offer a bit more heat resistance?

 

Surely I can't be the only one to experience this.

[johnc]

Make sure the rear bar is not binding.  Sometimes you need to put a washer between the U clamp that the transverse link brace at each bolt.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

Make sure the rear bar is not binding.  Sometimes you need to put a washer between the U clamp that the transverse link brace at each bolt.

 

This is to not compress the bushing as much? Or does the whole pivot need to move back? I would have thought the link would lean forward to prevent any binding due to the location of the pivot.

[johnc]

Yes, you want to securely hold the bar in place against the transverse link brace yet not so tight as to bind the bushing against the bar.  And yes, spacing the rear anti-roll bar mount rearwards so that both bar links are vertical at your static ride height is a very good idea.  Typically its 1/2 to 5/8" depending on how low your car is.  You;ll need to cut and drill some aluminum flat stock to make the spacer.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

Yes, you want to securely hold the bar in place against the transverse link brace yet not so tight as to bind the bushing against the bar.  And yes, spacing the rear anti-roll bar mount rearwards so that both bar links are vertical at your static ride height is a very good idea.  Typically its 1/2 to 5/8" depending on how low your car is.  You;ll need to cut and drill some aluminum flat stock to make the spacer.

 

 

Thanks for the tip! I suppose that's best done at the front too? I made some 1/8" steel bearing plates at the front since I'd heard the frame rails have a hard time tolerating the stress of a thicker bar.

[srgunz]

Thanks for the tip! I suppose that's best done at the front too? I made some 1/8" steel bearing plates at the front since I'd heard the frame rails have a hard time tolerating the stress of a thicker bar.

 

You are correct there. I went to the big front bar when I used to autocross a lot. I tore one of the mounts from the frame of my 240Z.

After repair I went with the 280Z front bar. That big bar is now wall art in my garage.

[Justinp551]

Stirring up a old topic here but... Spirited street driver with eibac springs and tokigo struts on a 2+2. Any benefit of a ST bar set or is the stock bars decent for the 2+2?

[idiot280]

Bump. All these years later, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread. It has just the right amount of technical information and member bashing. 4/5 stars.