jgkurz Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Hi all, I recently purchased new Suspension Techniques sway bars for my 77 280Z. The front bar is 1 1/8 inch part# 50100 and the rear is 7/8 inch part# 51080. Here's the problem. When I mount up the rear bar it will not allow me bolt the damper block back on the the rear cross member. It appears as though the detent in the center of the bar was manufactured incorrectly. I believe it should be reversed from it's current position. If I mount the damper facing the rear it would probably work, but that's not the way it was orginally mounted. The below pictures are exactly how it would appear in my car. I find it hard to believe that ST made these bars incorrectly. What am I doing wrong? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I'm not sure you are doing anything wrong, but I will mention that I believe the general consensus on this forum is that the plates are not necessary, and will go un-noticed if you leave them off the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgkurz Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 My experience is that leaving the damper off the car causes the differential noise to resonate throughout the car. Because the Z is inherently noisy to begin with I am going try an keep it on the car so it doesn't get worse. I will take it off as a last resort. Thanks for the reply. Regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAZRNR Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 Did you try mounting it with with indent facing up instead of down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I believe the bar's arms will hit the control arms if done this way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimZ Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I just checked my bar, which is also a Suspension Techniques 7/8" bar (late '80s vintage), and it does not have a bend there at all - it's just straight. I'm guessing maybe they added the bend to give better access to the driveshaft flange bolts (maybe?). As others have said, since the mass dampers have fallen off of probably 99% of all Zs still on the road, I'll bet that whatever vehicle they used to model the bar did not have one. Also, the orientation of the damper is irrelevant, so long as it's bolted in the same place - is it possible to rotate the mass so that it no longer interferes? You could even cut and reweld it in another shape if you really wanted to keep it. Personally, I'd just ditch it - mine fell off years ago, and I have seriously never been able to tell the difference. Should be an easy enough thing to try, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I was going to say my ST rear bar (7/8") did not have this middle bend in it either, but after seeing the picture I just assumed my memory had gone south. I bought mine in '88 and it was straight throughout the twisting portion of the bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgkurz Posted September 2, 2003 Author Share Posted September 2, 2003 Thanks much guys!! I can mount the damper facing the rear if I choose to keep it. I'll probably take it off and see how it sounds. I do take my car on road trips occasionally so less "diff droan" the better. I could always use the volume knob on my stereo to fix the noise....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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