3rd gen rear sway bar and 8.75 question

[Old School]

Hi Guys. Have a question for you. I changed out my 7.25 for a 8.75 the other day
and now my rear sway bar doesn't fit it hits the carrier. Has any one else had this problem
and how did you correct it? What did I do wrong?

Thanks

[Charger1973]

Is it a stock rear sway bar?  And why did your car have a 7 1/4?   

[Old School]

Sorry I meant 8.25, it was early in the morning was a little tired. Yes it is the stock sway bar. It doesn't just lightly
hit it either. If I tighten the everything you can see the bend in the sway bar from the carrier.

[Nacho-RT74]

what year of Charger ?

stock sway bar ?

straight sawy bar or bended in the middle ?

71/72 uses a straight bar and 73/74 uses a slightly bended bar.

[Charger1973]

Yeah you might want to take some pictures, it would help alot. 

[Old School]

I have a 74 Charger.
Stock sway bar, but it is straight.
So I assume that the 8.25 had a straight bar and the 8.75 had the bent bar on 73 & 74 Chargers.
Is that correct?

[Nacho-RT74]

no, simply incorrect sway bar... you have the earliers one... sway bar matches with car year not axle. 73/74 Mopar parts catalog only states one sway bar for B bodies no matter engine, tranny or axle.

73/74 Models with the isolation stuff sway bar plates sits higher and axles have shorter pedestals to keep same rear ride height than earliers, and that's the reason why they used bended sway bars, to save from hit the center pumpkin. Of course kind of axle helps or not, but is not a direct relationship

[Charger1973]

Nacho is right.  Although I have installed a straight 72 sway bar on my 73, but I changed everything under my car to 72 parts including the shock plates.

[Charger1973]

My 73 with 72 parts.

[Nacho-RT74]

some editing... of course does have relation with axle, but not really model or kind like  really axle year...

make a quick search on board and you will find LOTS OF INFO WITH PICS ABOUT this topic... mostly started by me LOL

[Old School]

Thanks guys.

[1972Rallye]

I don't mean to add to the confusion here, but...  I have a complete rear sway bar setup I removed from a '73 Charger many years ago - It is straight like Oldschool's and Charger1973's.  I looked up the mounting plate numbers (3643818-9) in my '73 parts book and they are listed, but for use without insulators.  There are also 2 different bars listed (one for use with insulators and one for use without insulators) with no mention of differential size.

Like most of us, I thought that all '73-'74 axles used the isolated leaf springs/k-member.  I had never heard of any without insulators... I wish I could remember more about that car...

So based on this new info I found, I'm gonna assume that the straight bar set-up is for '71, '72, & '73 cars without insulators. The curved/bent bar set-up is for '73 & '74 with the insulators.

Nacho- you mentioned your 73-74 parts book only mentions one bar.  Mine shows 2 for R & W (B-bodies) - the bar for use without insulators is number 3643980.  Is that number shown in yours?

[Nacho-RT74]

No... listed on y catalog:
except police car 3845007

police cars ( 400, 440 ) 3845016... stated as new add for the year, since my catalog is April 74


Some numbers were changed between 71/72 and 73/74 with "supersedes number", so probably some parts are phisically the same but diff PN

without insulators on you catalog could it be that PN is without complete kit, including frame brackets isolators.... Check for axle housing if they list two diff PN...

Charger1973 changed the complete assembly INCLUDING AXLE form 72 donor, that's the reason his assembly does have straight bar

all 73 and laters B bodies are isolated

[Old School]

Still a little uncertain about the sway bar. When I bought the car it had a 8.75 rear in it. I had to pull it and give it back
to the guy I bought it from. I bought the shell no drivetrain. I kept the leafsprings and the isolators and all the mounts.
The sway bar did not hit the carrier then, but it does now. Thats what is driving me crazy. Is there any difference in the
shape of the 8.75 carriers from year to year? I have a 489 case.

[Charger1973]

The one in my car is a 489 case, I dont think that really has anything to do with it.   Can you take a picture of your setup? 

[1972Rallye]

No... listed on y catalog:
except police car 3845007

police cars ( 400, 440 ) 3845016... stated as new add for the year, since my catalog is April 74


Some numbers were changed between 71/72 and 73/74 with "supersedes number", so probably some parts are phisically the same but diff PN

without insulators on you catalog could it be that PN is without complete kit, including frame brackets isolators.... Check for axle housing if they list two diff PN...

The "without insulators" part number was for the bar only.  No kit listed that I saw. I don't have the catalog with me here, but I'll double check tonight.  No differential listed at all, just with or without insulators. 

Strange...

[Charger1973]

I dont think there was different suspension setups with/without isolators in 73, after all their big thing that year was advertising that it was the "quiet ride" suspension.

[Nacho-RT74]

is not carrier difference is just housing difference just for pedestals/perches height and center hole size not for width ort any other reason...

[1972Rallye]

I dont think there was different suspension setups with/without isolators in 73, after all their big thing that year was advertising that it was the "quiet ride" suspension.

Normally, I would agree. The parts catalog says otherwise.

The sway bar set-up was removed from a '73. It's a straight bar like the the '71 & '72 pieces. The mounting plates have part numbers stamped in them that are only called out in the '73 parts book (not listed in the '72 book), so I know these are '73 pieces.  Maybe I'll take a couple pics and post 'em later tonight or tomorrow...

[Charger1973]

Hey you never know with Mopars...  I didnt think there were SEs with no louvers on the windows either but I was wrong.   

[hemihead]

I think the parts for use without Isolators is for the early cars that were built to use up the 72 parts or for crash replacement purposes.Also, I not sure if the Coronets used the Iso stuff in 73 or not. I can't remember.

[Nacho-RT74]

Normally, I would agree. The parts catalog says otherwise.

Tipical... that's the reason some of my posts looks oftenly wrong, but mostly of my info is Parts catalog based

The sway bar set-up was removed from a '73. It's a straight bar like the the '71 & '72 pieces. The mounting plates have part numbers stamped in them that are only called out in the '73 parts book (not listed in the '72 book), so I know these are '73 pieces.  Maybe I'll take a couple pics and post 'em later tonight or tomorrow...

remember year after year is harder to find factory assemblies on cars, they could be replaced with whatever owner found for a while fits, waht doesn't mean is the correct stuff

[Charger1973]

Maybe it was for police cars or something that needed a stiffer suspension?

[Nacho-RT74]

Maybe it was for police cars or something that needed a stiffer suspension?

maybe just because stronger rods ?... they look at least to me weak on standarts assemblies considering the lenght

[Nacho-RT74]

here is the complete right assembly
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOPAR-74-Roadrunner-rear-sway-bar-complete-w-brackets_W0QQitemZ200127924795QQihZ010QQcategoryZ33592QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem