[ira968]

Changing my front bar and went too fast. Forgot to mark left and and right end of bar. Probably will be obvious when re-installing which end is left and right but thought someone might help so I don't bolt it up wrong and then have to turn it around. Did notice after I got the stock bar out that one end had a yellow paint mark -- perhaps this indicates right or left?



Also, I have a power steering leak which makes things really messy where I am working. Seems to be coming from above in the direction of the reservoir. Is there any particular hose that is usually the culprit?



Thanks for bailing me out!

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[bob blackwell]

The yellow paint is probably for something else. I have changed anti-sway bars on two 968s, a 944S2 and a 924S and it did no;t matter which end went on which side. Just have the car weight sitting on the wheels before you tighten everything up. If you do the install using jackstands with the weight off of the wheels and tighten everything up you will end up with pre-load on one side or the other.

Power steering leaks from the hoses under the reservoir are notorious on these cars. Just reach under there with a clean hand or a paper towel and you will feel where the leak is. Frequently the leak can be stopped by just tightening up the hose clamps. If not, drain the reservoir and remove the clamps and hoses one at a time and if the hose is not cracked/split too bad, cut off the damaged material and reattach the hose with new, better clamps (available from Pep boys, etc.). Refill reservoir with automatic transmission fluid (Dexron II or eequivelent) and bleed the system by slowly turning the steering wheel from side to side) This will leave rubber marks on your concrete garage floor, so go outside with the car if that bothers you. Good luck, this simple repair should last a year or two, depending on how much the 968 is driven. Bob Blackwell.

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[ira968]

Thanks Bob! I found photo reference on the front bar to determine the correct orientation. From my vague recollection of geometry there is a left and right based on the shape of the bar. I picked up a new power steering return hose as I am pretty certain this is the leaker.



One thing I could use more info about is the preloading of the sway bar you mention and not to tighten until the car is on the ground. Since everything with the bar is designed to pivot or rotate how is this so? All distances and mounting points are fixed based on the bar, brackets and links -- without any provision for adjustment. Is it not designed to always be in a neutral positon until the load shifts when cornering?

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[flash]

also carefully check the left to right orientation to insure equal length arms before tightening - though not a real problem with rubber bushings, with delrin, unless you modify the setup similar to what i did, it tends to "walk" thereby changing the action left to right



the "not tightening until lowered" thing is to prevent the rubber from binding up in the wrong place, which could create preload or premature wear - this is much more of a problem with adjustable bars or endlinks



i would defintely get your leak fixed before installing rubber bushings if you don't want to wipe them out in short order



i roll over 2 pieces of cardboard (with some sawdust underneath if on concrete or other grippy surface) when i want to do the bleeding or such repetitive steering - they act like platters and eliminate the tire marks

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[bob blackwell]

You are correct Ira968, it is designed to be in a neutral position until the load shifts because the body wants to lean. I probably do not know why or cannot explain why, but I have tried mounting the bars both ways and when the weight of the car is not on the wheels, one side will bolt up fine and then the other side does not seem to line up properly. I had to use a floor jack to line things up once and then I put the car on a lift that I drove on and the weight stayed on the wheels, then I loosened everything a bit and took the "pre-load" off and retightened up again. Good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[Dave]

Ramps are a good tool for swaybars, suspension loaded, can set-up with no pre-load.



I had a CHRONIC problem with the front sway bar "walking" at the track. It would move so much that the little circlip would pop right off. I since installed the inexpensive swaybar positioners (front swaybar support at www.klaindustries.net). No more walking.



Sponsors here likely sell them. I got mine through Paragon Products and highly recommend them for front M030 swaybar installations.



Good luck!

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[bob blackwell]

I concur with Dave's recommendation. The KLA sway bar braces really help to stiffen up the front end after you install a stiffer anti-sway bar and/or stiffer bushings. I was getting a "popping" noise from the front after installation of the M030 anti-sway bar and Delrin bushings. Installation of the KLA braces eleminated the noise entirely. I got them from Paragon Products too, but you can order them from KLAindustries.net too, good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[flash]

we have seen the delrin cause some problems - i know people have complained about them making noise, though i had not previosuly had that problem with any of the other cars on which i had used them



then, of course, ron's car wore one out and started making a racket - fortunately, i had already come up with a plan to alleviate the problem entirely, and had tried it out on my car with great success - here's the deal:



take each bushing piece, and with a dremel tool with a small round tip, groove an "X" pattern on the inside surface in each half, about .050" deep, stopping about .125" from the edge



install with a heavy waterproof grease - do not use lithium



on the center section of the swaybar, up against the swaybar centerlink bushing, install a shaft collar, the same size as your swaybar, against each bushing



these shaft collars will keep the swaybar located in the center, and allow the grease to keep the bushings from wearing out and keep them quiet



over a year now and no noise



i'll try to take pics and write up a DIY with the part numbers for the collars and such



and i also highly rcommend the swaybar braces from either kla or tarret engineering

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='bob blackwell' date='Apr 10 2006, 08:34 AM']Just have the car weight sitting on the wheels before you tighten everything up.  If you do the install using jackstands with the weight off of the wheels and tighten everything up you will end up with pre-load on one side or the other... Bob Blackwell.[/quote]



Wow, the things you learn on this site. I would never have thought of that. I'm in the process of replacing my engine mounts, and will put everything, including the sway bar, back hopefully Wednesday night. A question about this, though. As low as our cars are, how can you get under there to tighten the sway bars with the weight on the wheels (i.e. the car on the ground), unless you have ramps, which I don't?



A related question - my car is up on ramps, but the front wheels are off. Do you think it would be OK to tighten the sway bars in this situation? I have two jacks, so I could even support the weight of the control arms with each jack.



Thanks.

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[bob blackwell]

Cloud, I use a hydraulic lift which the car just drives on and off similar to ramps, but all four wheels are supported). As a retired military member I can use the local Air Force Base Auto Hobby shop for a reasonable price and this is more convenient than other alternatives. I think it would be very difficult to tighten up the suspension mounts with the car on the ground, but with the wheel turned it might be possible. If you support the control arms with the jacks it should line up just fine. When things are difficult to align, it helps to loosen the bolts retaining the center braces to the frame, not remove them entirely, but loosen them enough to align the holes so the bolts go in easily. Good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[peartree]

A couple months ago I replaced my steering rack. Upon re-installing the sway bar I opted for delrin center bushings since the old rubber bushings were destroyed from the leaking power steering fluid. I, too, have had the "popping" noise from the front suspension - presumably the sway bar. The KLA brace seems like a simple, cost effective fix and further stiffens things up to boot. Bob and Dave - thanks for the tip!

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[dave968]

Where can you get the shaft collars?

Dave

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[rustech]

Grainger

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/start.shtml



or



McMaster Carr

http://www.mcmaster.com/

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[Gentleman Driver]

I am about to replace my front swaybar bushings and castor blocks and I am trying to figure out the ideal way to tighten both down with the suspension loaded. Is supporting the control arms with jack stands a safe thing to do? I don't have access to ramps unfortunately but I also don't want to damage the control arms...



Appreciate any advice.

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[PorscheDude]

Do not support the weight of the car by the control arms. Put the car up on jack stands, then use the jack to "lift" the control arm into position.

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[flash]

you can cheat a bit



use a touch of silicone spray on the center bushings - then those you can tighten in the air



the end links are accessible with the car on the ground - not easy, but can be done

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[Gentleman Driver]

[quote name='flash' post='46665' date='Jan 31 2008, 01:02 PM']you can cheat a bit



use a touch of silicone spray on the center bushings - then those you can tighten in the air



the end links are accessible with the car on the ground - not easy, but can be done[/quote]



Yeah, I assumed the end bushings were the problem, not going to be fun. Plus I have to torque the castor blocks with the suspension loaded too, which I guess are accessible with the car on the ground too...

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[banditsc]

You can get a pair of cheap ramps at Walmart or something, probably under 20 bucks. Most of the ramps are a pain to drive the car up, if you can, but you can at least jack the car up and place the ramps under the wheels and then lower the car.

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[Ryan]

Just go to a home constuction site and get some 2x10 cut-offs and lower your car on a stack of them to give you room ,but still a load.

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[doggonit]

Just a quick question.............what do you torque the sway bar bolts down to on a stock setup? I have replaced the bushings and it seems like I am getting too much feedback on semi-bumpy roads.

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