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Rear Sway Bar w/ 2" Drop Springs

Discussion in 'Suspension, Steering, Brake & Wheel Topics' started by YBDRTY, Jul 6, 2020.

  1. Jul 6, 2020 #1
    YBDRTY

    YBDRTY Member

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    I have a '73 Z28 tribute car that started life as an LT. It does not have a rear sway bar. I want to add one. So, I have a few questions that maybe someone can help me with...

    1) I haven't checked to see of the mounting holes for the shackles are in the rear frame. Are they there or is it a big deal to drill and tap the holes of they are not.

    2) I have 2" drop leaf springs mounted on the car. Will a standard sway bar kit work or will I need to order a kit with shorter mounts?

    Any advice you could provide would be helpful.
     
  2. Jul 7, 2020 #2
    Rene Melten

    Rene Melten Veteran Member Lifetime Gold Member

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    I installed Global West inch and a half drop springs, no issues using a Trans Am W6 sway bar.
     
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  3. Jul 7, 2020 #3
    YBDRTY

    YBDRTY Member

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    Thanks for the feedback Rene. Did you notice if the sway bar was about 1-1/2" lower across the differential cover than before? Yesterday, I was on perpetual hold with Summit, Jegs, QA1 and Speedway Motors. After not being able to get anyone to answer my call, I called Addco Industries. Tech Support picked up on the 2nd ring. He indicated that I should use a 2" shorter vertical end links in order to achieve the same orientation of the sway bar and the differential cover horizontally. Made sense to me. He readily offered to have a end links custom made for me that are 2" shorter than stock. He did not charge anything extra for the special order. I'll let you know how it works out after I install it.
     
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  4. Jul 8, 2020 #4
    Rene Melten

    Rene Melten Veteran Member Lifetime Gold Member

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    I had to use the Firebird end links to match the diameter of the bar, they were the same length as the Camaro end links I had at the time. I cannot recall if the sway bar went up or down in relation to the axle but obviously it did move when the car was lowered.
    2011-11-16 003.JPG
     
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  5. Jul 10, 2020 #5
    Fbird

    Fbird Veteran Member Lifetime Gold Member

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    yes your bar is going to be "lower"across the diff cover than it WAS. so long as you keep the bar "clocked reasonably between 2 and 4 o"clock" when viewed front the side this will give you all the bar can do without some "undue" stresses being applied to the drop bars.

    btw Rene's bar looks about 4"O clock now. ;)
     
  6. Jul 10, 2020 #6
    INSPECTOR57

    INSPECTOR57 Veteran Member Lifetime Gold Member

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    The 70-73 cars require different brackets than the 74-81 cars. The early cars use a weld-on bracket & DO NOT have holes or provisions for mounting the early bracket. Only the factory equipped cars have the weld-on brackets. You can't just drill holes & mount the later style bracket either - the frame is not reinforced in that area like the later ones.
    The weld-on brackets are being reproduced:
    http://www.2ndgenz.com/products/rearswaybarbrackets.html
    s-l640.jpg

    Gary
     
  7. Jul 11, 2020 #7
    Fbird

    Fbird Veteran Member Lifetime Gold Member

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    learn new stuff every day ;)
     
  8. Jul 14, 2020 #8
    Lowend

    Lowend Administrator. .a car, a man, a maraca. Staff Member Lifetime Gold Member

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    It makes me happy to see these in production.

    I'll echo here: YOU MUST WELD IN THE REAR FRAME BRACKETS. (have I emphasized that enough?)
    Having personally torn a rear swaybar bracket out of the frame, and had a terror of welding it back together next to the fuel tank, I can tell you this isn't optional.

    RE: drop links and lowering springs, you don't need to worry about it. The bar is designed to rotate to accommodate ride height changes and suspension travel.
     
  9. Jul 16, 2020 #9
    YBDRTY

    YBDRTY Member

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    Thank you sooooo much!
     
  10. Jul 17, 2020 #10
    BonzoHansen

    BonzoHansen Administrator Lifetime Gold Member

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    another option is aftermarket. UMI, PTFB, etc.
     

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