front swaybar drop link preload

[jaydubya]

I have Charlie Bars on my 82 911SC. I am softening up the front bar position for some street driving. It was set so that the front edge of the link was 1" from the end of the bar that it slides on. I am backing it out to 3/4".

Car is up on 4 jackstands, wheels are off, front supported on tbar mount plates.

Here is how I am adjusting the preload on the droplinks - apply floor jack gently to one of the front transverse control arms, just inside of mount point for strut. Raise jack until car just lifts of left-front jack stand. Adjust droplink length to remove tension (by shortening it in this case).

Problem is I run out of adjustment before the tension is gone. It's pretty close though. I'm wondering if the procedure I'm using is putting too much of the car weight on the corner that is being adjusted. Or maybe I just need a shorter droplink for this softer setting...

Have tried adjusting the swaybar droplinks with all four tires on the ground but can't get around the wheels to reach the adjustment nuts. Car is too low to crawl underneath.

I would love to hear how you do this adjustment. I'm sure there must be an easier way.

Found some good stuff by doing a search but no specifics on this problem.

Thanks,

Jeff

[widebody911]

Put both the front wheels on big blocks. I got a seat of blocks @ Home Depot - they're remnants of window/door headers, and I got them for $4 each. This will give you the room you need.

[jaydubya]

Thanks, put it on some ramps and that gave me enough clearance.

BTW, figured out that you can't just jack up one side since the swaybar is connected to the other side (duh).

[Miguel Antonett]

You really want no preload on the swaybar. The car should be on the ground or rack (4 corners), levelled, and resting on the suspension. Set one drop link - try to maintain the arm connecting the drop link to the swaybar as horizontal as you can; then, having the second drop link just hanging from the connecting road, adjust it to a point where it barely lines up with the tab holes on the A-arm - lock it with the counter nut. Bolt it and you're set - no preload.