sway bar question on mounting and what is preload?

[gretchen/jason]

So ive read stuff about sway bar preload . What is it and how do i know if i have it . I just recently hooked up my front sway bar with new end links and it seems the front end raised up just a bit not sure but it sure looks like it did . Ive searched the site but havent found anything that clearly explains it for me . to me it sounds like pre load is like when a car is lowered onto its springs .

 

When my z is on all 4 tires how should the sway bar look . Level or the end links somewhat raised up . my z is lowered of course .

 

And where the end link bolts to the sway bar that end of the bar is higher then where it mounts to the frame by about 1/2 to 3/4 of a inch . Should the end link mounting point be level with where its mounted to the frame ?

 

as it is with the front end the car has hardly any roll what so ever its tight in the corners the rear i havent hooked up yet as im trying to figure out how to mount the bar to the controll arms i bought from Arizona z car

 

I just want to make sure the sway bars are properly mounted to work the best they can . Oh these are stock sway bars .

 

If needed i can take measurments of frame height from the ground and such if this helps anyone with this question .

 

Jason

[JMortensen]

The sway bars are intended to follow along with the suspensions movement as long as it is even from one side to the other. It's doubtful that installing the bar would lift the front end noticeably, because the only thing that would be trying to lift the car would be the end link bushings.

 

Preload is when the bar is unevenly loaded with the driver's weight. When you put the driver in the car, the left side sags down further than the right. You can remove the preload by disconnecting one side of the bar and loosening the other with the driver in his seat and then shimming the bushings so that they are not preloaded when you start to tighten them down. Then tighten evenly.

 

You can get it more precisely dialed in with rod end links, but with poly or stock end links that's about the best you can do.

[gretchen/jason]

So not to sound dumb i do ask alot of questions just to be acurate .

If i put my car on a alingment and put 240 lbs of weight in the drivers seat " its what i weigh " then loosen the end links till the bar " floats" loosely but not to loose and snug the end links that would get rid of the preload ?

 

I have used the adjustable end links from MSA i was impressed with them when i had them but got rid of them during my V8 swap .

 

Jason

[JMortensen]

Basically you just want the swaybar to start from a neutral position. If you put 240 lbs in the driver's seat like you said and then loosened up the end links you would see that there was about 1/2" gap between the driver's side end link and the bar when the passenger's side was just touching. So you add 1/2" of shims (washers to "lengthen" the post in between the actual bushings) and then the bushings rest on the control arm and the bar evenly. Now you just tighten them down evenly, and you've removed the preload. I could have said it better the first time, sorry.