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Swaybar contacting K member. #1651695 07/27/14 06:48 PM 07/27/14 06:48 PM
Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington R Rapom65 OP member
Rapom65 OP member R Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington	My swaybar contacts the K frame in two places, don't know if this is designed in or it needs to be spaced away to stop the contact. My set up: '74 Duster and K frame, factory disk brake / sway bar car. I have replaced the stock 318 sway bar with a Helwig 1.125" hollow swaybar with the provided poly mounts and endlinks. Using the stock swaybar bracket/bars to mount the poly mounts to the K. There are two areas inside the K that hit the bar at the same location on both sides. They feel like they could have been stamped into the upper half of the K when the metal was formed and therefore are a designed support, or, the larger diameter of the bar just exceeded the designed in clearances and now it's hitting. I can see reasons for both to be true. Don't remember any mention to check this in the instruction sheet. Any ideas? Last edited by Rapom65; 07/28/14 04:52 PM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651696 07/27/14 07:01 PM 07/27/14 07:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 813 Ontario,Canada brads70 super stock
brads70 super stock Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 813 Ontario,Canada	Does the sway bar pass through the k-frame like an e-body? I think it does from what I remember? If so years of jacking up the car may have bent the bottom of the k-frame causing clearance issues. If so try inserting a piece of square tubing up there and using the right size bolt and nut to spread the bent part back, or a wrecking bar if it fits to pry it back into position. If it hits the top portion of the k-frame them yes as you mentioned you can shim it down. Hope that helps. Brad

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651697 07/27/14 07:21 PM 07/27/14 07:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,395 The Pale Blue Dot Skeptic master
Skeptic master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,395 The Pale Blue Dot	The K on my car was bent up where the bar goes through. I ended up using a torch and a porta-power to open it up. Even though my car is a 68 Barracuda, the K is out of a 75 Duster. I'm using the Hellwig 1-1/8" bar, can't find any pics right now

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651698 07/27/14 08:24 PM 07/27/14 08:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal autoxcuda Too Many Posts
autoxcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal	I helped with the initial mock up of that sway bar for Helwig. It took three bars to get it spaced in the k-member to may liking and have room for a 1 1/4" option too. Checked on two 73-76 K-members. I've got a 1 1/4" prototype version with no rubbing. It is not just a copy of the stock sway bar made thicker. I'm having computer problems and can't access my pictures. Can you post a picture of it and where it hits? Do you have the bend in the middle pointing up or down? If it's hitting on the top, can you spacer/washer it down for clearance? Most k-members have been wacked in the bottom. Last edited by autoxcuda; 07/27/14 08:28 PM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: autoxcuda] #1651699 07/27/14 08:48 PM 07/27/14 08:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal autoxcuda Too Many Posts
autoxcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal	Found some pics of mine on Google images... [image]https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/7162970-CopyofPICT0709.JPG[/image] [image]https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/7162970-HellwigFrontSwayBarInstallSm18.JPG[/image] [image]http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/attachment.php?attachmentid=143336&stc=1&d=1271095152[/image] [image]http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/attachment.php?attachmentid=143337&stc=1&d=1271095152[/image]

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: autoxcuda] #1651700 07/28/14 01:17 AM 07/28/14 01:17 AM
Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington R Rapom65 OP member
Rapom65 OP member R Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington	I can't seem to get your images to load, dang it. Parts are OEM '74 Duster from same car. Swaybar passes thru K member and the top of the bar is up against the top inside of the opening. Bar is installed correctly, flipping it over makes it worse as the point of the"v" of the bar is against the K then. I'm thinking that since I used the stock brackets to mount the poly mounts to the K that they are not as thick as the bars that come in the kit. Just thin enough to allow contact. K is not damaged in any way. I'm planning on installing .25" spacers unless someone can convince me the bar should rest against the K in those spots. Any benefit to spacing the bar lower than that? Last edited by Rapom65; 07/28/14 03:18 PM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651701 07/28/14 01:36 AM 07/28/14 01:36 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal autoxcuda Too Many Posts
autoxcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal	Quote: I can't seem to get your images to load, dang it. Parts are OEM '74 Duster from same car. Swaybar passes thru K member and the top of the bar is up against the top inside of the opening. Bar is installed correctly, flipping it over makes it worse as the "v" of the bar is against the K then. I'm thinking that since I used the stock brackets to mount the poly mounts to the K that they are not as thick as the bars that come in the kit. Just thin enough to allow contact. K is not damaged in any way. I'm planning on installing .25" spacers unless someone can convince me the bar should rest against the K in those spots. Any benefit to spacing the bar lower than that? Ok, that info helps. It sounds like it's rubbing the half-moon stampings just at each opening of the k-member pass thru. There's usually some stamping flash on that edge too. Hellwig brackets are thicker and will move the bar down some. Why are you not using the supplied brackets? Are you using the Hellwig kit supplied bushings with U-straps? I don't think they will fit in the stock channeled brackets. You can always space down much easier than spacing up. Once you get the spacing right, you can make a simple plate with two holes in it. Or run washers between sway bar brackets and K-frame. In a past incarnation, I had to run big spacers in the factory brackets to use universal poly bushing/strap just with a 100% factory sway bar. The sway bar needed to be moved down and the universal poly bushing/strap will not fit in the narrow channeled factory sway bar to K-member bracket. I sorta cheated the bar up a tiny bit as 75% of the bottom of k-members have made contact with some object in the last 35+ years. But I'm pretty confident you are hitting because you are not using the supplied hardware. Click on these pictures to see them: https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/7162970-CopyofPICT0709.JPG https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/7162970-HellwigFrontSwayBarInstallSm18.JPG Last edited by autoxcuda; 07/28/14 01:58 AM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651702 07/28/14 02:21 AM 07/28/14 02:21 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal autoxcuda Too Many Posts
autoxcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal	Quote: ... Any benefit to spacing the bar lower than that? As long as it doesn't rub and hang up the suspension at any travel seen on the road, you're good. If it just rubs some when both front wheels are off ground, that's fine. When you are driving and both front wheels are at full drop, you don't need anti swaying action. Last edited by autoxcuda; 07/28/14 05:45 AM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: autoxcuda] #1651703 07/28/14 05:20 AM 07/28/14 05:20 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,575 The Netherlands BigBlockMopar master
BigBlockMopar master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,575 The Netherlands	Quote: As long as it does rub and hang up the suspension at any travel seen on the road, you're good. Make that: As long as it doesn't rub and hang up the suspension at any travel seen on the road, you're good. BigBlockMopar.com

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: BigBlockMopar] #1651704 07/28/14 03:41 PM 07/28/14 03:41 PM
Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington R Rapom65 OP member
Rapom65 OP member R Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington	Thanks for the input guys. Basic answer is sway bar should be free to pivot at the poly mounts and is not supported or limited in any other way. After studying the supplied bushing mounts vs the stockers I can see that Hellwig's brackets are acting as spacers as well as mounts for the pivot bushings. My brackets are just too thin and don't provide the spacing for the larger diameter bar. The reason behind my question about spacing the bar down is that Uhcoog1 wrote in his thread on adjustable sway bar end links that he had 3/4" spacers on his bar. I always wondered if there was a benefit to this or he was correcting a fitment issue of some kind. To your questions: "It sounds like it's rubbing the half-moon stampings just at each opening of the k-member pass thru. There's usually some stamping flash on that edge too." It actually contacts a few inches inboard of that point where the "flat" of the stamping has a dip in it on both sides. "Why are you not using the supplied brackets? Are you using the Hellwig kit supplied bushings with U-straps? I don't think they will fit in the stock channeled brackets." They just seemed to be excessively heavy for the application. I flipped my stock straps over to address the bushing fitment issue. I have some 1/4" slugs that will make perfect spacers to correct this issue. Last edited by Rapom65; 07/28/14 03:57 PM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651705 07/30/14 05:52 PM 07/30/14 05:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington R Rapom65 OP member
Rapom65 OP member R Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington	To close out this thread: I attempted to use some .25 spacers along with my slightly modified stock sway bar mounts. Although the combo would have been slightly lighter than the Hellwig supplied mounts I would have had to modify each spacer to fit the curvature and space available under the K frame mount points. Was not worth the time and trouble. I reinstalled the Hellwig brackets and checked the interference points by sliding a strip of paper between the bar and K frame. One side cleared and the other was touching just enough to stop the paper. I will recheck the clearances once the car is together and everything is torqued down appropriately. Thanks again for the your perspectives and info.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651706 07/30/14 05:56 PM 07/30/14 05:56 PM
Joined: May 2003 Posts: 96,649 On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ... amxautox Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
amxautox Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot. Joined: May 2003 Posts: 96,649 On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...	How about just using a thin piece of sheetmetal, say the skin of some motorhome, tin can, or something that thin. Tom "Everyone should believe in something; I believe I'll go fishing." -Henry David Thoreau Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths author unknown

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Skeptic] #1651707 07/31/14 05:31 PM 07/31/14 05:31 PM
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 553 Sac, CA, USA N ntstlgl1970 mopar
ntstlgl1970 mopar N Joined: May 2007 Posts: 553 Sac, CA, USA	Quote: The K on my car was bent up where the bar goes through. I ended up using a torch and a porta-power to open it up. Even though my car is a 68 Barracuda, the K is out of a 75 Duster. I'm using the Hellwig 1-1/8" bar, can't find any pics right now I had the same issue on my ebody, used a similar method to fix it

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: Rapom65] #1651708 07/31/14 08:26 PM 07/31/14 08:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal autoxcuda Too Many Posts
autoxcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 27,466 So Cal	Quote: To close out this thread: I attempted to use some .25 spacers along with my slightly modified stock sway bar mounts. Although the combo would have been slightly lighter than the Hellwig supplied mounts I would have had to modify each spacer to fit the curvature and space available under the K frame mount points. Was not worth the time and trouble. I reinstalled the Hellwig brackets and checked the interference points by sliding a strip of paper between the bar and K frame. One side cleared and the other was touching just enough to stop the paper. I will recheck the clearances once the car is together and everything is torqued down appropriately. Thanks again for the your perspectives and info. Was thw front of the car off the ground with front end dangling down? If so, the bump in the middle will rotate up. When the car is at ride height the middle will move down and you'll have plenty of top clearence. Last edited by autoxcuda; 07/31/14 08:29 PM.

Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. [Re: ntstlgl1970] #1651709 08/01/14 12:51 AM 08/01/14 12:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,395 The Pale Blue Dot Skeptic master
Skeptic master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,395 The Pale Blue Dot	Quote: Quote: The K on my car was bent up where the bar goes through. I ended up using a torch and a porta-power to open it up. Even though my car is a 68 Barracuda, the K is out of a 75 Duster. I'm using the Hellwig 1-1/8" bar, can't find any pics right now I had the same issue on my ebody, used a similar method to fix it I pressure washed that thing out 3X and still had all kinds of smoke coming out. It's good that we have a large metal welding table @ work, with good ventilation.

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