Sway bars from other makes/models

[Guest ON3GO]

since everybody on this site is awesomely insane and im sure a few people have found sway bars from other makes and models that can work on our Z's.

i thought terry did but i couldnt find any of the threads.

basicly i wanna get sway bars for my blue Z but i dont really have the cash to spend on ST ones or a aftermarket brand, i mean i do but i rather try and get another cars set to work.

 

the 280zx front bar fits on our Z's that i know (unless im wrong) so i was gonna get one of those from a junk yard, but the rear im stumped.

everytime i have a car on the lift at work i always look at the sway bars to see if i can get them to work on my Z but so far i havent found one that looks close.

 

any ideas?

 

mike

[JMortensen]

PM Matman. He has a ST rear bar for a 280Z that has no end links and no brackets. You're smart enough to figure that stuff out, and I'm sure he'd give you a good deal on it.

 

Terry used a Honda Prelude bar, then was going to try a 2wd Toyota truck front bar IIRC. He also bends them to fit with a press, so they don't just fit right up. One important thing to note is that Terry has the bar mounted to the uprights in the back like the ST bar for a 240Z. Your 280Z already has brackets to mount the bar in the front of the diff. I think if you want to mount the bar in front of the diff then you'd pretty much be stuck with a 280Z bar because that space is so tight. If you went to mount it in the back you'd either have to make your own mounts or get them off of a 240Z that had a ST bar at one time.

[blueovalz]

The closest ones for the rear that I've found were front bars for the British cars (old MGs, Spitfires, etc). Even these need some slight work. The one that I used on the back of mine is a question mark now. I cannot remember for sure what the donor car was (I looked at sooooooooo many).

[Guest ON3GO]

ya i thought about the rear bar mounting problem.

i have a set of bars that i got from Sparky that are super thick for my green Z but havent put them on yet. wonder how those mount.

 

ill contact mat..

 

mike

[Here comes trouble]

I am planning to fab up a "ala Terry adjuster" placing the sway bar in the rear or behind the diff. One thought was to obtain a small diameter (3/4 or 1 inch) splined 37 1/2 inch long sway bar with the removable sway bar arms that Stock cars use. From what I have seen, sway bars mounted in front of the diff on a severe lowered Z rub everything in close proximity. I guess I will find out if 37 1/2 inches will work back there. With progressive springs a smal diameter sway bar would be apropriate and easily changeable along with high rate regular coil overs.

[blueovalz]

This is exactly the method I will adopt as well for future tuning. A company that I've corresponded with will make them any length (other than their "standard" length of 37.5") for an additional $25 dollars. These splined bars are priced reasonably, but the arms are a little pricy (between $40 and $80 per arm).