how much does a sway bar twist/flex?

[ttocs]

I roughly installed a steeda adjustable sway bar some time ago and I am finally getting around to the final details of torquing everything down and making sure its all good. When I mounted this originally I only got all the mounting bolts finger tight because I realized the sway bar was rubbing the Ford racing Diff cover on the edges and at the time decided I would deal with it later when I finished everything up. Well that time is now. There is room on the diff cover to clearance/grind away whats in the way I am just not sure how much a sway bar twists/flexes/moves in order to make enough space.

If your not familiar with this specific kit it works a little different in that you keep the stock sway bar and then add brackets to mount this one to the axle and just just in front of the axle.

as you can see with the stock stamped cover there is TONS of room but the cooling fins on the aftermarket cover stick out past this point. At first I thought it was just a light rub and a small grinding session would give enough space and I would be done in 15 mins. Now after spending the last 3 hours dropping the bar/grinding some more, raising the bar, marking the cover and the repeat this all I am surprised how much I have had to cut out. I have it now to where there is a hair of space around the bar/cover but then I was not sure how much movement this could have once the suspension is in motion? How much space should I leave between the bar and the cover?

 

[SnakeBit!]

no way to know for sure. I would mark it with some chalk or something and then drive and see if it hits. not the greatest way since you need the cover off to grind it unless you have a dremel and then can finish it up with that instead of removing the cover again. that's the problem with mixing mods, the stuff is made most times to fit stock stuff, then you mod and it is thrown out the window. I had purchased a steeda hd 27mm rear sway bar to replace the 25 on the car and it hit my panhard bar all the time. wound up having to take it off and put a 25 back on. hopefully you ground enough.

the way those you got mount, I would think it would move with the diff so maybe it won't hit at all. you might be able to hear it hitting, if it does, especially if you put the back seats down.

 

[ttocs]

I am pretty sure if it moves at all it isn't much because like you said the way it mounts to the axle. But that bend that they have in it makes it different as if it were straight I would not be worried. I asked steeda on their site in hopes maybe they would know and am hoping to get a response back(just last night). At this point it clears it and with the air ride I have the ability to move the suspension up/down to check its movement and like you said I am going to watch for contact and remove more if needed. One day I will have to mount my gopro down there and take a drive to see what it looks like in action.