Addco rear sway bar and lowering blocks?

Is anybody running both? Looks like the bar gets kinda close to the right shock. Also looks like a lowering block might not be compatible. Has anybody got experience with this configuration, or could someone who is running that sway bar post pics of their right shock area?

Thanks!

 

I hope there isn't a problem. I have purchased and plan on using both.

 

Well if you install before I do, could you please let me know how it goes and take some pics? I haven't bought my sway bar kit yet, but that's something I definitely plan to do. If I do mine first I'll share my experience here too...

But hopefully someone else has already done this.

 

I have done the swaybar install on Gagemans Mav...It is very close on the right side in relation to the shock. Raising the axle on the perches will most likely make it hit the shock. .

 

So it sounds like I need to come up with a spacer of some kind for the axle brackets...

 

A word to the wise -- notice how Mavman72's U-bolts for the sway bar aren't vertical but the bottoms are rotated to the back. I know why he did that. I mounted mine so the sway bar U-bolts are vertical and have two problems. First, the sway bar hits the differential housing on bumps and second, the link brackets mount too far forward on the subframes so the links are not square with the bracket. (Is that an extra hole I see on the subframe?) I need to re-do mine to be like that picture.

 

I have them, and the bar is about a piece of paper close to the shock on the passenger side. I haven't had any problems, and the shock doesn't show it being rubbed, so I left them. I'm gonna check the bar and see if I flip it over will it work better.

 

Thanks Pete, was going to post pics but you beat me to it.

 

I dont see no extra hole...
It was necessary to gain proper orientation to move the holes.
Turning the bar upside down will turn the bar ends up closer to the housing/shock making it worse clearance wise...We tried it.

Hey Mike!!! whats up? I have no life and my typing skills are improving because of it...LOL...

 

I ran both for a while with no clearance issues. It was close, but it didn't hit the shock. I hit a ladder in the middle of I-75 and ripped the retaining bolts for the link mounts out of the frame. I would run some sort of traction device due to the fact that the axle will tend to rotate more with the lowering blocks and possibly stress or break the mounts for the links(been there, done that).
Has anyone tried mounting it facing the rear of the car? My exhaust is in the way but I would like to see if anyone has done this or not.

 

I have both. As in bars and issues. First mine dimpled the shock and hits on bumps. I like the rotated install. That will be the next thing I do when I overhaul the rear diff. It is whining, ever since the new pinion seal was replaced that is. Don't think we got the pinion nut back to the same torque. So I am going to pull the 8 out from my 32,xxx mile rust bucket parts car, clean, sand prime and paint it and install the Exploder rear disc setup AND reinstall sway bar to the rotated position along with new shocks.

Not sure I have pics, but if some are needed, I will try to get some.

Richard

 

Now I'm starting to wonder if this kit is really any better than what I can cobble together from the junkyard. I mean the axle brackets aren't anything special, neither are the links, and the frame brackets don't look hard to reproduce. The only thing really custom about this kit is the bar itself, and how application-specific could it possibly be when it's so obviously way too close to the shock? Surely there has to be a bar out there that's a better fit.

 

keep in mind that Addco bars are a matched set to prevent over/understeer. if you do change the rear bar and you are using their front 7/8" bar, I would stick with a 3/4" bar of as close to the same width and has approximately the same arm length as the Addco one as possible. They say that using no bar at all in the rear is better than one that causes instability.

 

Yeah I totally agree with that. Always a smaller bar on the rear, and if the front bar is as small as mine is, it's best to just not put one on the back. I might mock something up but I'm not about to drive around with any bar on the back until I've got a bigger one up front, probably the Addco one.

Now, people have put Maverick front bars on the back before... Wonder if they have the same issue with the shocks.

 

I would think you would do that with a stock front bar (5/8") not a big one. You could get fancy and use a rigid mounted bar with link arms to the axle with adjustable pivot points. It really is just a matter of trial and error.