Posted By: Rapom65
Swaybar contacting K member. - 07/27/14 10:48 PM
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?
Posted By: brads70
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/27/14 11:01 PM
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
Posted By: Skeptic
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/27/14 11:21 PM
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
Posted By: autoxcuda
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/28/14 12:24 AM
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.
Posted By: autoxcuda
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/28/14 12:48 AM
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]
Posted By: Rapom65
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/28/14 05:17 AM
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?
Posted By: Rapom65
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/28/14 07:41 PM
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.
Posted By: Rapom65
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/30/14 09:52 PM
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.
Posted By: amxautox
Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber. - 07/30/14 09:56 PM
How about just using a thin piece of sheetmetal, say the skin of some motorhome, tin can, or something that thin.