Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
User avatar
KevAndAndi
Posts: 531
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:14 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Chatham, NJ

Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby KevAndAndi » Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:27 am

I'll be working on the suspension this winter - in the front, I will be replacing the lower control arms and the sway bar bushings. I've seen people here refer to the sway bar as a real PITA that is difficult to reattach. What are the issues that make it so difficult? Are there tips or tricks that anyone would care to share so that I could minimize the utterance of expletives?
Kevin
1981 Spider 2000

User avatar
lglade
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 327
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:05 am
Your car is a: 1984 Pininfarina
Location: Mukilteo, WA

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby lglade » Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:33 am

I had my car supported on jack stands, and using a floor jack under the control arm (with a piece of wood for protection) and a large pry bar, I found it pretty easy to manipulate the ends of the bar where I wanted them to go.

One tip is to be sure to identify the bar end clamps for up/down and left/right since the parts are not the same, nor are they symmetrical up and down.
Lloyd Glade- Mukilteo, WA
1984 Pininfarina Spider Azzurra
1962 Fiat 500D - wife's car
2015 Subaru Outback
2017 Ford Focus RS

User avatar
KevAndAndi
Posts: 531
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:14 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Chatham, NJ

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby KevAndAndi » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:07 pm

lglade wrote:I had my car supported on jack stands, and using a floor jack under the control arm (with a piece of wood for protection) and a large pry bar, I found it pretty easy to manipulate the ends of the bar where I wanted them to go.

One tip is to be sure to identify the bar end clamps for up/down and left/right since the parts are not the same, nor are they symmetrical up and down.


Thanks. Are the ends of the bar under tension - is that why a pry bar is required?
Kevin
1981 Spider 2000

User avatar
lglade
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 327
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:05 am
Your car is a: 1984 Pininfarina
Location: Mukilteo, WA

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby lglade » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:32 pm

Yes they are...and the bar ends sit between a couple of studs on the control arm. So you have to 'coax' the sway bar over the top of the lower studs to get the ends into place. You can then use the floor jack to lift/lower the contol arm into position, being careful not to lift the car off of the jack stands.
Lloyd Glade- Mukilteo, WA
1984 Pininfarina Spider Azzurra
1962 Fiat 500D - wife's car
2015 Subaru Outback
2017 Ford Focus RS

User avatar
lglade
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 327
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:05 am
Your car is a: 1984 Pininfarina
Location: Mukilteo, WA

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby lglade » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:32 pm

.
Lloyd Glade- Mukilteo, WA
1984 Pininfarina Spider Azzurra
1962 Fiat 500D - wife's car
2015 Subaru Outback
2017 Ford Focus RS

User avatar
Nanonevol
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 828
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:17 am
Your car is a: 1977 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Medway, Massachusetts

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby Nanonevol » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:56 pm

The studs that hold the two middle clamps to the frame are not that large so take care as usual (soak in PB Blast, for example) removing their nuts. I snapped one off and the resulting repair becomes complicated.
1977 Fiat Spider
1985 Jaguar XJ6
1967 Triumph Bonneville (hard-tail chopper)
1966 BSA Lightning

User avatar
njoconnor
Posts: 614
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:06 pm
Your car is a: 1972 124 Spider

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby njoconnor » Wed Nov 09, 2016 8:54 pm

Kevin, this was (for me) the toughest part of the suspension rebuild, only because it seemed to take more time thanmore complex systems. After a lot of effort, and some great advice from Mike (seabeelt), I managed to get the bar back on.

Lloyd describes it well. I'd add a few items based on my mistakes..

1) Before removal, make sure you mark the top and bottom sides of the sway bar. There's a very slight curve to the ends, both outwards and (IIRC) down.
2) Mark the current positions of all 4 bushings (suggest a small grinder wheel to "nick" an index mark in the surface on either side of the bushing).
3) Remove, repaint if desired, replace bushings. Dish soap is a great lubricant!
4) Loosely attach the center clamps over the center bushing, maybe 2 turns of the nut onto the studs.
5) Per Lloyd, use a wood cushioned floor jack to slowly raise/lower the bar end until it lines up with the studs on the lower C arm. You may find that a C or bar clamp helps you draw the sway bar onto the studs enough that you can start those nuts. Or...you may get lucky and the bar slips on once it's at the correct height.
6) Using a 3/8 drive rachet, slooooowly tighten the end nuts and the center clamp nuts. Check a manual (Haynes, Chilton, factory) for the torque setting. I recall it was lower than I expected (maybe 14 ftlbs? it was low....) DON'T use a 1/2 inch drive rachet. You'l break a stud and complicate the repair no end (don't ask).

I found the occasional crude oath helped the bar comply with my plans for it :shock: . Installation fluid was definitely an after action component.

Good luck....it's well worth it.....

Neil
Neil O'Connor
Madison, WI
72 FIAT 124 Spider
12 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
14 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Eco-Diesel
ex-71 FIAT 124 Coupe
and a host of Audi's, Saabs, VW's, MOPAR's, Fords, and a Bimmer....

User avatar
KevAndAndi
Posts: 531
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:14 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Chatham, NJ

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby KevAndAndi » Mon Nov 14, 2016 12:22 pm

Thanks, all, for these tips! Will definitely mark the bar before I remove it and hit it with POR-15.
Kevin
1981 Spider 2000

User avatar
seabeelt
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 1612
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:22 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spider - 1971 BS1
Location: Tiverton, RI

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby seabeelt » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:22 am

Easiest way to reinstall them is with the wheels back on the ground. We did my sons car at the end of the summer. Tried it while on the jack stands. PITA. Much much easier with the suspension loaded. things line up pretty easily
Michael and Deborah Williamson
1971 Spider -Tropie’ - w screaming IDFs
1971 Spider - Vesper -scrapped
1979 Spider - Seraphina - our son's car now sold
1972 Spider - Tortellini- our son's current

TStark
Posts: 127
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:24 am
Your car is a: 1975 Spider
Location: NE CT

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby TStark » Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:10 am

I concur entirely with seabeelt

User avatar
KevAndAndi
Posts: 531
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:14 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Chatham, NJ

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby KevAndAndi » Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:30 am

seabeelt wrote:Easiest way to reinstall them is with the wheels back on the ground. We did my sons car at the end of the summer. Tried it while on the jack stands. PITA. Much much easier with the suspension loaded. things line up pretty easily


Should I assume that it is also easiest to remove it with the wheels on the ground, or does that not make as much of a difference?
Kevin
1981 Spider 2000

User avatar
seabeelt
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 1612
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:22 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spider - 1971 BS1
Location: Tiverton, RI

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby seabeelt » Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:16 pm

Easier to remove on the ground as well
Michael and Deborah Williamson
1971 Spider -Tropie’ - w screaming IDFs
1971 Spider - Vesper -scrapped
1979 Spider - Seraphina - our son's car now sold
1972 Spider - Tortellini- our son's current

JohnMc
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 226
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:30 pm
Your car is a: 1970 Fiat 124

Re: Front sway (anti-roll) bar tips, tricks?

Postby JohnMc » Sat Dec 10, 2016 6:20 pm

It took my son and I about 8 hours to do the project - that was 2 to 3 hours a day because we gave up and had to regroup. Advice above was correct. Mark and take pictures of everything that you remove. Very easy to get turned around. This was the most frustrating job I have encountered because it just seemed so easy. Perhaps also things might have slightly moved as I replaced all the suspension.


Return to “Suspension Related”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests