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iamdub
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This is what @89Suburban did. He mounted a push bar on his so he no longer had a use or place for the hooks.
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- Thread starter iamdub
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This is what @89Suburban did. He mounted a push bar on his so he no longer had a use or place for the hooks.
At some point I plan on mounting some hooks to the push bumper frame like these. Give my fangs some fangs.
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iamdub
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Sparksalot
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iamdub
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Finally messed around with that damned front sway bar.
Left: Aftermarket OEM replacement for stock height with poly bushings. Middle: 1.5" shorter aftermarket link with thermoplastic bushings. Right: Same shorter version with spacer removed and poly bushings from OEM replacement, making it a total of 3" shorter than the stock height
I wanted to try the poly bushings since they were a little shorter and probably more solid than the thermoplastic ones. I took it a step further and removed the cupped washers between the two center bushings to make the mounting point centers even closer:
Installed. I used the cupped washers as spacers since the bolt is too long and I had barely ran out of thread. This was still mostly for mock-up and to locate the bar so I could focus on the real work which was relocating the frame mounts:
After checking the bar for centering, this is where the mounts fell out:
I checked some specific clearances when locating the mounts. A 7/16" drill bit fit snugly in the bushing U-bracket, so I was able to make some accurate centering marks:
Left: Aftermarket OEM replacement for stock height with poly bushings. Middle: 1.5" shorter aftermarket link with thermoplastic bushings. Right: Same shorter version with spacer removed and poly bushings from OEM replacement, making it a total of 3" shorter than the stock height
I wanted to try the poly bushings since they were a little shorter and probably more solid than the thermoplastic ones. I took it a step further and removed the cupped washers between the two center bushings to make the mounting point centers even closer:
Installed. I used the cupped washers as spacers since the bolt is too long and I had barely ran out of thread. This was still mostly for mock-up and to locate the bar so I could focus on the real work which was relocating the frame mounts:
After checking the bar for centering, this is where the mounts fell out:
I checked some specific clearances when locating the mounts. A 7/16" drill bit fit snugly in the bushing U-bracket, so I was able to make some accurate centering marks:
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iamdub
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Double-checking the bolt's positioning with the drill's centered mark. The threaded boss for the original location is thick and takes up a lot of room above that frame pad. I wanted the bolt head to fall out between that boss and vertical wall of the frame pad so it'd hold the bolt from spinning. This took a lot of thinking, feeling around, eyeballing, etc. But, it all worked out. I didn't think I'd have any hardware to actually get this finished. But I found four 3/8" Grade 8 bolts, some washers, etc. and got it all together:
Since I had the front sway bar all bolted up again, I could raise the lift and replace the washers in the rear U-brackets with the spacers @89Suburban made for me when he had to make some for his new bushings (Bless his soul for doing twice the work!):
Stopped to check on things after some aggressive slalom action. The end link bushings seem fine. I have shorter bolts and lock nuts on the shopping list for them. Also will be getting shorter bolts and better spacers for the U-brackets. The bar is MUCH flatter than before:
Thought about getting new bushings, but I'm not gonna bother. Not yet, anyway. Lemme see if I can eff these up then I'll reassess:
While checking things with the flashlight, I stuck it and my phone between the wheel spokes to get an overhead shot of the rear bar's clearance between the panhard mount and shock:
Up next is just replacing the hardware with more appropriate pieces. I'll try to get it all this week between jobs.
Since I had the front sway bar all bolted up again, I could raise the lift and replace the washers in the rear U-brackets with the spacers @89Suburban made for me when he had to make some for his new bushings (Bless his soul for doing twice the work!):
Stopped to check on things after some aggressive slalom action. The end link bushings seem fine. I have shorter bolts and lock nuts on the shopping list for them. Also will be getting shorter bolts and better spacers for the U-brackets. The bar is MUCH flatter than before:
Thought about getting new bushings, but I'm not gonna bother. Not yet, anyway. Lemme see if I can eff these up then I'll reassess:
While checking things with the flashlight, I stuck it and my phone between the wheel spokes to get an overhead shot of the rear bar's clearance between the panhard mount and shock:
Up next is just replacing the hardware with more appropriate pieces. I'll try to get it all this week between jobs.
George B
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Nice work!
Outstanding!!
Caddylack
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I can't even comprehend having a solid bar with virtually no end links.
I feel like that says a lot about how beefy your rear bar is. I would expect major understeer.
I feel like that says a lot about how beefy your rear bar is. I would expect major understeer.
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iamdub
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I've only kinda tested it. It was at night and on a road that follows a curvy bayou. Locals know it as "Snake Road" for obvious reasons. I have new bushings on the way and will replace all them stupidly long bolts. Then I'll find a safe place to really test. There's a few places I already know of from past jaunts.
