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My Rear Sway Bar nightmare...

D

Detroit3series

CEG'er
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
179
Location
Detroit, MI
When revamping my whole suspension I bought a new rear subframe and a 21mm rear sway bar, I also lowered it with B&G springs and Konis. I took it to Slimm's HotRod and alignment shop after being recommended there cause of their familiarity with lowered cars and what I got is bolts going through the slot in the subframe for the clamps of the swaybar. In hindsight I would've got the subframe modified like I've seen on here to fab the slot into a bolt hole. Afterwards they told me the swaybar is pretty close to the K-member and after I drove it every bump follows with a loud scraping sound from the back. Can't seem to find a shop that wants to repair it right. I'm kind of dreading doing it myself, I'll have pictures to follow. My question is has anyone came across this problem before? Also, how involved is removing the subframe and swaybar to get it modified/fab to be correct?
 
I also have a 21mm swabar (BAT) and a spare subframe. I hvant been brave enough to fab it yet because I know I have to get it right the first time. I think the "solo" method is probably the best way, and you can't afford to half-ass it. Like you say, you don't have much space.

I have read that you can sneak the subframe out from under the exhaust without having to remove the exhaust, but you are still join to have to do a lot of work under the car.

Can you get under the car and see where it is scraping ?

Mad Dog
 
It is very common.

I'm doing this right now, mine was done poorly. Pulling the rear subframe is pretty easy. PRT will sell you a bracket that can be welded in.
 
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These are a few shots where its rubbing

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They cut a notch out of the K member but looks like it wasn't enough. At this point if a little more notching will save me from an assload of work I think I'll go for the notching.

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Here's how they got the bracket in I guess.

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More

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One more
 
Beans, thanks for the info - I didn't see those on PRT before.

Detroit, I guess you have nothing to lose with a little more removal, but I am not an expert. How in the world did they get the beefy bracket to fit on the OEM mount ? There is no room at all. Did they move the whole sway bar towards the front by 1/2" ?

Mad Dog
 
(Untitled)

MadDog said:
Detroit, I guess you have nothing to lose with a little more removal, but I am not an expert. How in the world did they get the beefy bracket to fit on the OEM mount ? There is no room at all. Did they move the whole sway bar towards the front by 1/2" ?

Mad Dog
Click to expand...

No idea, it looks like its on there right. But I've never heard of K-member rubbing issues with the 21mm bar so I'm kinda suspicious about the installation.
 
Im not really sure i understand the issue, there is no reason for that bar to be hotting anything. . Looks like one of your nut looks loose to me in the last pic.
 
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Beans said:
Im not really sure i understand the issue, there is no reason for that bar to be hotting anything. . Looks like one of your nut looks loose to me in the last pic.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. I didn't think there was a way to install it wrong so that it would be hitting anything either. I guess I'm just gonna have them take out that last little notch to see if that stops that awful scraping sound.
 
No Title

So it looks like because I'm using an older subframe it doesn't set the swaybar out enough to gain clearance. I heard that there's an updated version of our rear subframe units. Anybody know if this is true?
 

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