Addco rear sway bar install questions

I’m looking to install the Addco rear sway bar to my ’71. I have a few questions that I am looking for some input on.

I’m currently driving the car as I prepare for a total tear down in the spring. I’m trying to have everything figured out and purchased so that the car will be down for as short a time as possible.

She currently has a four bolt rear. I have a five bolt to swap in. The 250 will be swapped for a 302. The car will also be getting new four leaf springs and a new front suspension with a one inch drop.

I plan to add reinforcement metal in the area where the ends of the sway bar attach to the body.

I read a previous post on the subject which stated that the U bolt mounts for the sway bar should be welded to the housing in order to prevent them from wearing through the housing.

I would like to mock up the bar on my car now so that I can get the reinforcing metal in the proper place, drill the holes and weld the U bolts to the rear housing. I plan to paint the underside of the car and powder coat the rear end.

Here are my questions:
1. I’m concerned that if I mock up everything now, when I install the different leaf springs with new bushings, a heaver engine and with the dropped front end, the changes will cause the rear suspension to sit differently? Thereby, throwing off the measurements and causing the sway bar not to fit on the completed car.
2. If the above is not a problem, can the housing from a four bolt rear be used with the internals of a five bolt? If so, then I can weld the U bolts on now and have it powder coated later on. Otherwise, I would have to install the five bolt, weld in the brackets, tear it all back down and then send it out to be coated before reinstalling. I would like to avoid this. Is the wear through really that much of a problem? I might only drive the car 5,000 miles a year.

If the above is too much of an unknown, I will probably just mock it up so that I can weld in some of the reinforcing metal and then drill the holes when the car is completed. I might skip on welding the U bolts.

For those who have the bar, did they come with neoprene bushings? Is there anything you would do differently? Also, if you did the front sway bar, what bushings came in the kit?

Thanks,
Micah

 

I didn't have the wear through problem on the axle housing, those bolts when tightened properly, should hold just fine. That said, I was going to weld mine to improve the appearance of the brackets and just in case they did loosen. What I did have an issue with was the endlink mount. The squared off u-bolt is not the best design and I had to weld a plate on the frame predrilled with nuts welded on the backside to mount the endink brackets so it wouldn't pull through the frame. I haven't tried it yet, but I have been thinking about turning the bar around and using longer endlinks from the rear. I probably would have to redo the exhaust and I'm not prepared for that yet. With your low projected mileage, I really don't see a problem unless you autocross or have traction bars.

As far as the housings, the 4 lug is different than the 5 lug, so you can't just swap axles and the carrier.

My kit came with urethane bushings. The endlinks might have been a little hard and may have something to do with ripping the endlink brackets out of the frame.

 

The "frame" material is simply too thin. If it is not reinforced, damage is inevitable.

I welded 1/8" plates on mine, with pre-drilled holes that have threaded flange-nuts welded inside. The end-link brackets are mounts with 3/8" grade-8 bolts instead of those ridiculous "U-bolts".

For the axle mounts, I eliminated the brackets provided by Addco, and used exhaust clamp brackets instead. They look better and are more secure.

 

Mock it up with the new parts you intend to use. Not the existing components. Patience is prudent for what you want to do...Good luck!!

 

you will defiantly want to reinforce the frame as said above.

their are several problems with your differential plan.

if you weld on the housing, it will warp the housing and require straightening. when you powder coat a housing, the sand blast it before they coat it. most powder coaters dont care about sand getting on the inside of the housing. it is extremely hard to get all the sand out of the inside of the housing. this sand will come loose and destroy the bearing of the differential. make sure your housing is fully sealed up from any chance of sand contamination.

 

Instead of welding the U-bolts to the rear I welded the brackets to the rear so that they can't rotate and I'm doing away with the U-bolts just using regular bolts through the brackets, trying to clean it up a little. I haven't messed with the frame yet.

 

As for welding any type of bracket to the rear end housing, Bryant is correct and if yoy do it could be a costly mistake................as Bryant................I learned this the hard way some 35 years ago.
I have used the Addco type of housing brackets on more than one car and currently have one on my 1/2 ton pickup............and in 40,000+ miles on my truck they have never moved or worn any pattern in the housings....and I tow the Maverick behind the truck which is about 4000lbs inlcuding the Maverick and trailer.

 

Good to know about the warping. I was not considering welding the U bolts on until I saw someone post doing so. I think I will skip on this.

I agree with the problems with sand in the housing. I had the two gas tanks in my Jag powder coated and it caused hell with my fuel filter when I went to start it for the first time. I was figuring on pressure washing the inside of the housing to clean it out before and after. Otherwise it will be like having sandpaper in with the 90w.

I wish I could mock it all up now, but I need to drive the car and the replacement rear end is pulled apart. Hate to tear the car apart, assemble with new parts, tear apart and then reassemble again. That is just for the rear, I have a front end to do too and a new engine that will change how the car sits.

I think I will just mock it up with what I have to get the reinforcing metal in the gneral area and drill the holes when it do the final install. I'm not going to be racing the thing so it seems like it should be OK.

Thanks all.

Micah