I have the 1 1/8" solid bar and twice now its shearded off the passenger side bolt that connects it to the end link. I've set the bushings so that the bar moves easily, I tighten the end nuts until the spacers (needed because the bars about a half inch shorter than stock on each side) stop spinning, I have the end links as vertical as possible, I've made sure the bar isn't preloaded in either direction, but it keeps breaking the grade 8 bolt on the right side. Any ideas???

 

im thinking the bar could be to short and the endlinks could be at too much of an angle. Do you know anyone else that runs the same bar?

 

No, I don't even know anyone in my area that drives an FD.

 

I take it you guys know eachother?

 

As OC said the bar must somehow be binding at the attachment. Are the endlinks nearly vertical with the suspension at ride height? If not as the bar swings up the endlink must really "lean" forward. This basically tries to tear the bar out the front of the mounts and may be stressing the bolt you are having trouble with.

 

Yes, I'm both donsmith - old log on - and RenoCYM - new log on.
I have the end links as vertical as I can get them, maybe no more than 5-10 degrees angle in, towards the center of the car, and less than that forward, towards the front bumber. I have the front of the car on ramps for the installation, could this be screwing me up as to the endlink settings???

 

I wouldn't think so, you definately seem to have some sort of real problem.

Is the bar perfectly centered in the chassis? Are the end links perhaps bent or binding?

 

It's centered within a 1/16", it took me lots of fiddling and swearing to get it even left and right, dropping or adding a washer on each side, and I installed stops inboard, like the OEM, to keep in centered. As to the endlinks, they look okay, and I didn't have any trouble with the OEM bar. The new Addco did 2 days of autoxing - about 14 runs - before breaking the first time, and one day with 21 runs ( 3 drivers!) before snapping the second time. (We get a lot of runs here in Reno.)

 

verify dimensions with addco. if chronically short, use spacers at upper link to move vert links forward. May allow elimination/reduction of spacers at bar ends. Also, grade 5 bolts are very tough, and may last longer than grade higher strength 8's.

 

I will be picking up the Addco sway bar in a few weeeks. I'll post if there are any problems. Did you notice a big difference in handling?

-Jeff