71/72 B Body Rear Sway Bar Rebuild ?

[71383bee]

I picked this up last weekend at Indy and decided to take it apart, blast it, paint it, and install it on the Super Bee.

I noticed that the square rubber bushings around the bar are held to the stabilizer links by what appears to be 2 half square shaped pieces that look like they were pinch welded together.   I am scratching my head at how the factory replaced these bushings...if ever.  

Has anyone ever wrestled with these?  I thought they were similar in style to what was on the e bodies.  

Do you actually cut them and then re weld them together?  Or is it possible to wrestle the new bushing on and then slip it onto the bar...    

Any help would be much appreciated.  

[myaerocars]

All I did was replace the round rubber bushings and left the square ones alone   ... I thought  I saw once an aftermarket replacement end link for these bars and  the 2 pieces kinda clamp the bushing. Check ebay for the item.. I think I saw it once there.

Godspeed,

JON

[71383bee]

That is what i originally was i was thinking too.  It was suggested that the only way to do it is to drill out the pinch welds and then bolt the 2 pieces together. 

Yes I have found that item too...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220694243169&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT#ht_2448wt_941

I think I will get it. 

Its not pictured, but upon close examination one of the stabilizer links is heavily corroded and worn.

Do you remember what size or part No. you used for the frame mount rubber? 

Thanks,

[Nacho-RT74]

those are FRONTS 73/74 sway bar rods... and I think they are noticeable LARGER than the rears

[71383bee]

Honestly Nacho...it would be nice for a change if you could offer something positive instead of jumping on yet another one of my posts to tell me i am wrong.  I am not being paranoid on this I can point to dozens of post on moparts, dc, and here where I post something and you chime in and here you go cutting me down on something again. 

Lets see the last one was a post on the Grant tuff wheel where someone only was asking about how easy they are to mount and how they look.  Several people including me posted and there you go you singled guess who...ME out again basically bashing the idea because you or your buddy had a wheel and it got rusty...big surprise considering it was stored outside in firkin south america which last time I checked a globe is a lot closer to the equator than say...WISCONSIN. 

On another post I was just helping a guy out with a 69 swinger who had the tuff wheel already on and was asking how to get it further away from the dash.  I helped him by pointing out the 70 and up A and later B's used a tuff wheel adapter and that is what he should use for his car.  And here you come to tell us the tuff wheel was not avail for the 69 swinger (thanks like he cares since he already installed it) and the adaptor was not available for that car...well whoopde do...no answer as to whether it will work to what he wants which is get the wheel away from the dash...no just another mopar bureaucrat telling us what and what not to put on our cars. 

I am NOT doubting your knowledge and understanding, but it would be NICE if instead of coming on and saying nope nothing can be done because it is not the exact part or specific # you need and then disappear into the ether without offering a suggestion of what you COULD do. 

I am not an idiot I am aware that chrysler made multiple size bushings...MAYBE is it just possible that the OD of the square bushing for this part is the SAME OD for the rear sway bar bushing...are the wheels turning yet...Lets just theorize for a moment and come to the conclusion that I probably can't walk into a dodge dealer and order a new rear sway bar so i am going to have to do some engineering here to make this work so if I did get this part and yes I know it may have the wrong size bushing i could probably get the right size bushing from...espo, moog, pst, energy suspension, and use it.

I for one am not a huge fan of 4,000 +Lb cars running around on 40 year old rubber so I would appreciate some HELP.  Is the OD of the totally wrong square rubber bushings used on this part and other 73/74 front bars the same or very close to the same for the 71/72 rear sway bar?  THAT would be most helpful.     

[Nacho-RT74]

Ehhm sorry, I'm not just trying to cut you or anybody, Just trying to let you know about what are the differences I can tell you and let you know those are not direct replacements, and being not direct replacements what you'll be dealing.

Lenght diff is one, and maybe bar diameter difference ( so then the bushings ) is something you will be dealing. Now if you preffer to buy and note that after spend the money, go ahead.

Now if you decide to buy EVEN telling you what you'll be dealing, thats your deal. But NOW you know it

I'm not telling it won't work, I'm telling you what's that and what are the differences. Rest it's up to you.

I would try the bushing replacements and drill the welld spot, using bolts to replace, keeping same rods. Front 73/74 sway bar rods being longer will make sit the bar lower, and thats something at least me would try to void. In my opinion A 3rd gen rear sway bar height looks some scary by itself on stock height, to help it a little bit being even more scary being even lower on a longer rods.

But, it can be done ? yeah sure!

Apologize if you are missunderstanding my post 


Note: I have a front sway bar rod around and I can measure it, to be sure about the lenght

[Nacho-RT74]

On another post I was just helping a guy out with a 69 swinger who had the tuff wheel already on and was asking how to get it further away from the dash.  I helped him by pointing out the 70 and up A and later B's used a tuff wheel adapter and that is what he should use for his car.  And here you come to tell us the tuff wheel was not avail for the 69 swinger (thanks like he cares since he already installed it) and the adaptor was not available for that car...well whoopde do...no answer as to whether it will work to what he wants which is get the wheel away from the dash...no just another mopar bureaucrat telling us what and what not to put on our cars.     

Note... when I get the definite response or posible solution about something I spend the time ( sometimes even an hour ) to search and post it. Search again that thread and note I found a GRANT adaptor made for earlier columns diameter and posted the piece coming from ebay. Which by the way, still will be needing an spacer

There was two threads at the same time talking about the same about tuff wheels on earlier columns.

BTW about the rust spots on grant wheels, I was not the only one. There was another member ( from USA ) posting about the same. And aggresive wet climate is worst on Louisana, Mississipi, Missouri, Alabama and Florida than Venezuela ( I have been there ). Neither Venezuela or USA are able to void what is common in the world specially being both faced to the same Caribbean sea, and I can get USA south states in just 4-6 hours flying. Closer than a coast to coast USA flight. We are not that different

I don't want to began a discussion about this specially being off topic ( will ruin your own thread ), but, well, just wanting to clear some, friendly

[Nacho-RT74]

this is what I got on the one I have in hands, ( removed from my car, when I replace them for NOS I got ):

But I know there are some a little bit longer, I found some NOS being around 1/8" or so longer

IT LOOKs maybe the diff ( if someone ) won't be that significant. Measure the rear sway bar rods your have for comparision. I don't have my car close to measure my rear rods and make the comparision by myself

[71383bee]

this is what I got on the one I have in hands, ( removed from my car, when I replace them for NOS I got ):

But I know there are some a little bit longer, I found some NOS being around 1/8" or so longer

IT LOOKs maybe the diff ( if someone ) won't be that significant. Measure the rear sway bar rods your have for comparision. I don't have my car close to measure my rear rods and make the comparision by myself

BINGO!

Now THIS is a helpful reply.  Thank you for taking the time to research an answer.  I am not doubting your experience and I agree that you HAVE helped several of us 3rd gen guys.  I just have found it a little too often that you will chime in and tell us that something is wrong or it won't fit and I think it does not really help to solve the problem or issue noted in the post.  I know it is the wrong part, but can it it be made to work is what i am after.  Now how did you know about the length you have shown?  is this actually measured or an educated guess?

I measured my stabilizer links and I have the following dimensions:

From bottom of square bushing mount to bottom of widened ring = 2 7/16"

From bushing to bushing = 2 3/4"

As it looks to me this would bush the bar lower by about 1/4" which may or may not be too significant.  A 1/4" lower does not concern me...what does concern me is if it gets too far from the frame mount.  Of course I haven't mounted it to the frame yet so that really is not a huge problem.

I am leaning towards this route because one of the stabilizer links is heavily corroded/worn.  

What do you think...will a 1/4" lower really hurt?  ALSO are the rear square bushing OD's the same as the fronts?  they are 1 5/16" square on the rear bar.



Here are my other issues...

stabilizer link...


frame mounts...soaking w/ PB Blaster for 2 days to no avail, but this is a relatively easy fix...just a PITA


My bar is a 13/16" bar BTW.  

[Nacho-RT74]

BINGO!

Now THIS is a helpful reply.

well as I told you, I never left an "empty" thread with some suspicious or incomplete info, UNLESS is just an opinion


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the stock height is already scary to me... if even lower dunno what to think

why not refill the worn stud ?

square bushing, dunno, I got the rear sway bar NOS 4 years ago, so never have had to search replacement for it

Fronts have two sizes for BB and for SB... can't recall the thicknes on each one though