best technique for installing fromt sway bar ?

[jwetering]

What's the preferred technique for installing the front sway bar ? I wrestled the bee-atch in once when I was younger. I think I bent it wih my bare hands to make it fit. No way I could do it again now that I'm...40. There must be an easier way.

The A-arms are off, at least one is right now. Would lubing the bushes with Vaseline be a good idea?

[jwetering]

OOps - I see that 82911SC and I started an almost identical thread at the same time....JINX!

[Jeff Alton]

Big pry bar is your friend hear Jasper. Do you have the larger 22mm front carrera bar? Don't feel bad, Weissach couldn't put the larger bar in for me a few years ago. Try some of the following.....

1. Jack up the a-arms so they are at an angle similar to when the car is on its wheels.
2. Just pry with a big bar.
3. Put one end in and then loosen the front a-arm mount on the other side and put the bar into the bushing, then swing the a-arm around and put the front mounting bolts back in.

A smart guy like you should have not trouble with this...

Cheers

[jwetering]

Well - one of the most harrowing 2 hours spent in my life, and all because I'm just plain dumb, or inattentive, or...well you tell me how stupid this is:

Outside, raining, front bumper of car protruding out from under the carport. Take a sip of the herbal tea my wife made for me and scald my lip and tongue...great...I think it's going to blister. I get on my back and start wrestling with the sway bar. Both a-arms are mounted to the chassis, but the ball joint pins are not yet attached to the struts. I realize I don't know which way is up on the bar so I go to 101 proj and get a snapshot - got it! Damn my lip hurts.

I wrestle with the b!tch for an hour and a half straight, feet getting soaking wet, I'm using dish soap for lube, my neck and back are in pretty bad shape to begin with but here lying on my back in the rain wrestling with this bar, my glasses fog up so I take them off and crud gets in my eye, I rub it out with my fingers...which are covered in dish soap, it stings like a b@stard. An hour and half of wrestling and cursing I finally get the bar into the mounts...FINALLY - but wait...it's upside f*cking down!! AAAAAGGAHH!

So then I take a breath and say fock it - I'll take the A-arm off and do it that way. I can hardly move my neck and shoulders but the job is done in ten minutes. Almost two hours of excruciating pain and misery all because I didn't want to loosen four bolts right from the start. Unbelievable.

Anyway - I'd like to say I learn something from these little exercises, but it seems they happen over and over again. I wish I was a more patient and thoughtful person.

[Tom '74 911]

Jasper - I feel your pain! I've had the exact same experience on more than one occasion/task, including my front sway bar. It's usually a few hours past my bedtime and by that point and I'm working in my 30deg. F garage with minimal lighting and dead tired. I usually end up going up to bed just shaking my head, wondering why I'm such a dumba$$ for not being able to figure out whatever it is that I'm needing to put back together. Usually a new day resolves the issue, but the suffering must occur first.