Swaybar contacting K member.
#1651695
07/27/14 06:48 PM
07/27/14 06:48 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington
Rapom65
OP
member
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OP
member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 86
Battle Ground, Washington
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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.
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: Rapom65]
#1651696
07/27/14 07:01 PM
07/27/14 07:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 813 Ontario,Canada
brads70
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 813
Ontario,Canada
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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
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: Rapom65]
#1651698
07/27/14 08:24 PM
07/27/14 08:24 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,548 So Cal
autoxcuda
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,548
So Cal
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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.
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: autoxcuda]
#1651700
07/28/14 01:17 AM
07/28/14 01:17 AM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington
Rapom65
OP
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Battle Ground, Washington
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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.
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: autoxcuda]
#1651703
07/28/14 05:20 AM
07/28/14 05:20 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,575 The Netherlands
BigBlockMopar
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,575
The Netherlands
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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.
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: BigBlockMopar]
#1651704
07/28/14 03:41 PM
07/28/14 03:41 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 86 Battle Ground, Washington
Rapom65
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Battle Ground, Washington
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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.
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: Rapom65]
#1651706
07/30/14 05:56 PM
07/30/14 05:56 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 96,666 On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
amxautox
Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
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Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 96,666
On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
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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
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: Skeptic]
#1651707
07/31/14 05:31 PM
07/31/14 05:31 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 553 Sac, CA, USA
ntstlgl1970
mopar
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mopar
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 553
Sac, CA, USA
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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
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Re: Swaybar contacting K memeber.
[Re: ntstlgl1970]
#1651709
08/01/14 12:51 AM
08/01/14 12:51 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,395 The Pale Blue Dot
Skeptic
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,395
The Pale Blue Dot
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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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