Growing up doesn't have to suck

[iamdub]

I would imagine somebody out there makes custom or adjustable links.

I tend to be a bit out there and I make custom links.

 

[iamdub]

have you tried mounting it the other way around? swap left and right sides

I haven't. But I stared at those pics for about five minutes then held my laptop upside-down to help with a visual, because I eat crayons. It would help with the height, but not the front-to-back slope of the flattened end. The bar needs to be as parallel as possible to the ground and it looks like shorter links are all that's really needed. My only concern is if the holes will be aligned with it that close. Worst case, I move the sway bar back on the frame a little, drill some holes and through-bolt it. All in all, a relatively easy fix. I bet the bar will be even more effective once it's properly aligned.

 

[George B]

You could make custom bent links too.

EDIT: Offset links…

 

[wjburken]

You could make custom bent links too.

 

[randeez]

I haven't. But I stared at those pics for about five minutes then held my laptop upside-down to help with a visual, because I eat crayons. It would help with the height, but not the front-to-back slope of the flattened end. The bar needs to be as parallel as possible to the ground and it looks like shorter links are all that's really needed. My only concern is if the holes will be aligned with it that close. Worst cast, I move the sway bar back on the frame a little, drill some holes and through-bolt it. All in all, a relatively easy fix. I bet the bar will be even more effective once it's properly aligned.

yea i dont think the length is going to be any different but i think the mount of the bar will sit more parallel to the LCA. mine would do the same thing lowered, lifted i flipped it over from where i had it when lowered.
is your drop all spring/shock? no spindles?

 

[89Suburban]

 

[iamdub]

yea i dont think the length is going to be any different but i think the mount of the bar will sit more parallel to the LCA. mine would do the same thing lowered, lifted i flipped it over from where i had it when lowered.
is your drop all spring/shock? no spindles?

1.75" spindles and 1.75" struts (lowered spring perch).

I can hold my original bar up into position, but flipped, to get an idea. It'd be MUCH lighter holding that in place for mock-up.

 

[iamdub]

Ugh. I don't like having to do a bunch of things just to find out I can't finish, then undo everything I just did to reschedule for another day. Such is life.


Here's the scoop. I removed the wheels and set the lower ball joint studs on some blocks and the rear diff on a same-height block so that the Tahoe would be resting at its normal angle, with the weight on the suspension. I removed the end links to inspect the misalignment of the hole in the lower control arm to the eye in the sway bar. Here's what I have:

I rotated the bar as flat as reasonably possible-




Eye is about 1/2" forward-




And maybe 1/4" inboard-




I'm not worried about that 1/4" inboard misalignment. But I have two options for fixing the bigger mess. OPTION 1: I could move the sway bar back, but I don't have much space in the bracket for the rearmost bolt. To get the absolute most gain, I'd drill a hole as far back as possible then shave one side of the head of a bolt down to the shank and drop it in from the top. The head being against the "wall" would keep it from turning and I'd use a nut on the bottom side. The frontward half would just be drilling a hole and bolting it. I'd use a flat plate for a shim instead of the ring currently in place, as seen in the pic-




OPTION 2: Make custom offset end links. This is really where I'm leaning. There's not enough space between the adjacent surfaces to use any kind of offset (Z-shaped) bar stock. Also, the angles of the two flat surfaces aren't parallel, as seen in the third pic. I'd need the two bushings between the bar and LCA to be as back-to-back as possible. Due to all the angles involved- the misalignment of the holes and the angles of the surfaces, I'm thinking of bolting the upper and lower bushings to each component with separate bolts. I'd put the head of the one going into the sway bar under it and the head of the one going into the LCA above it. Snug them up just as they fall out so the bushings aren't forced at any funky angles. Then, weld the heads together just as they meet. Even slicing half off each head to "Siamese" them together if that's necessary. Reinforce as feasible. This would simultaneously account for the hole misalignment and the angles. I'll look into using regular donut style poly bushings since they'd possibly be flatter than these thermoplastic ones, giving me a few millimeters more breathing room between the bushings.


I didn't have time to do any more than just assess and take pics. I might get back into it and decide to just slide the bar back and use regular, straight, but really short end links (Option 1). Either way, I wanna wait 'til I have time to actually do something about it and not just look at it.

 

[iamdub]

While I had it up, I checked on how the rear was doing. The bar is still clearing everything, so the panhard mount mod is a confirmed win:

 

[89Suburban]

Ugh. I don't like having to do a bunch of things just to find out I can't finish, then undo everything I just did to reschedule for another day. Such is life.


Here's the scoop. I removed the wheels and set the lower ball joint studs on some blocks and the rear diff on a same-height block so that the Tahoe would be resting at its normal angle, with the weight on the suspension. I removed the end links to inspect the misalignment of the hole in the lower control arm to the eye in the sway bar. Here's what I have:

I rotated the bar as flat as reasonably possible-

View attachment 388700


Eye is about 1/2" forward-

View attachment 388699


And maybe 1/4" inboard-

View attachment 388701


I'm not worried about that 1/4" inboard misalignment. But I have two options for fixing the bigger mess. OPTION 1: I could move the sway bar back, but I don't have much space in the bracket for the rearmost bolt. To get the absolute most gain, I'd drill a hole as far back as possible then shave one side of the head of a bolt down to the shank and drop it in from the top. The head being against the "wall" would keep it from turning and I'd use a nut on the bottom side. The the frontward half would just be drilling a hole and bolting it. I'd use a flat plate for a shim instead of the ring currently in place, as seen in the pic-

View attachment 388702


OPTION 2: Make custom offset end links. This is really where I'm leaning. There's not enough space between the adjacent surfaces to use any kind of offset (Z-shaped) bar stock. Also, the angles of the two flat surfaces aren't parallel, as seen in the third pic. I'd need the two bushings between the bar and LCA to be as back-to-back as possible. Due to all the angles involved- the misalignment of the holes and the angles of the surfaces, I'm thinking of bolting the upper and lower bushings to each component with separate bolts. I'd put the head of the one going into the sway bar under it and the head of the one going into the LCA above it. Snug them up just as they fall out so the bushings aren't forced at any funky angles. Then, weld the heads together just as they meet. Even slicing half off each head to "Siamese" them together if that's necessary. Reinforce as feasible. This would simultaneously account for the hole misalignment and the angles. I'll look into using regular donut style poly bushings since they'd possibly be flatter than these thermoplastic ones, giving me a few millimeters more breathing room between the bushings.


I didn't have time to do any more than just assess and take pics. I might get back into it and decide to just slide the bar back and use regular, straight, but really short end links (Option 1).

This ain't SHIT. WE WILL SURVIVE AND CONQUER!!!!