Tarrett - Elephant Racing Sway Bar Installation Info

[Gordo2]

Folks,

I have been searching through loads of posts to find the best info on installing through body, adjustable, sway bars. I haven't been able to find a good step by step with pictures that describes the installation process.

Appreciate any pointers to links that have covered the install process from start to finish.

For info I will be installing:
-Front/rear Tarrett adjustable sway bars
-Elephant Racing (ER) PolyBronze bearings on the control arms (w/low friction mounts) and spring plates
-ER rear Monoballs
-Sander's 22/28 hollow torsion bars
-Poly-Graphite camber plate/upper strut mount bushings
-New rear wheel bearings
-Turbo Tie Rods
-New Ball Joints
-Undecided: triangulated strut brace (most likely from Elephant)
-Bilstein Sports front & rear (installed late '06)

All going into an otherwise stock '83 SC. I've already purchased a majority of the big ticket items. A few orders to go and I will be putting the car up on stands for the remainder of the winter. Will thoroughly document & post all.

Thanks, Gordo

[Shawn 357]

The through body sway bar looks intimidating to install but it is not that bad. I have found that it takes me about the same amount of time to pull out the gas tank and install the bar as it does to try doing it with the gas tank in so I would recomend pulling out the gas tank. You will have to disconnect the strut at the ball joint so that you can hold it out of your way while you use the drill to make the holes for the sway bar to go through the pan. Here are some pics.

[Shawn 357]

[Shawn 357]

BEWARE, it was a late night when I did this and you will notice in this picture I put the tab on the A-arm perpendicular to how it should be so I had to grind it off and give it another try

[Wayne 962]

It's very similar to my article on the 914 installation:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_front_swaybar/914_front_swaybar.htm

-Wayne

[Shawn 357]

Out of order but here is a picture of what the nut plat looks like when it is installed from inside the trunk (gas tank removed):

[911pcars]

Do these big ticket items come with no installation instructions or are you seeking real-world install tips? Just curious.

Sherwood

[lateapex911]

I was on the fence trying to chose between Tarret and Smart, but chose the Smart ARBs because of their no weld mount on the front A arms. Both are gorgeous. The Smart bars include very thorough and easy to follow instructions. I found it to be rather straightforward.

[Shawn 357]

Here is a picture of some of the parts you are going to install. Notice that the sway bar ends can not be upside down or they may bind. The Tarett Engineering ends have on side that is flat and the other side is slightly angled; make sure to have the flat sid on the top on both the front and the rear bars. In this photo the flat side of the ends is facing up on both the front and rear bars:

[lateapex911]

Here's a pic of my install. Note the attachment at the bottom. Two allen socket head screw and the mount.

[Shawn 357]

Originally Posted by lateapex911

I was on the fence trying to chose between Tarret and Smart, but chose the Smart ARBs because of their no weld mount on the front A arms. Both are gorgeous. The Smart bars include very thorough and easy to follow instructions. I found it to be rather straightforward.

I have run both the Tarett and the Smart bars and like you said they are both great quality. I prefer adjusting the rear Tarett bar over the rear Smart bar.

[lateapex911]

I haven't put the rear bars on my car yet. (Acck!) I have done the monoballs, and put the WEVO SPS system on. (Install hint: I froze the monoballs first before installing them, slid in dreamily)

Shaun your chassis looks sweet....but my struts are nicer.

[Gordo2]

Thanks Gents,

Exactly the kind of stuff I am looking for. I checked the Pelican Tech articles, the 914 must have thrown me off (I do some late night surfing). Didn't see some of the pics that Shawn listed, great stuff!

The sway bars should arrive the week (with instructions). I just realized the other day that they required drilling into the fender well (which sent me to searching for more info).

Thanks, Gordo

[rothaus]

It looks to me if the car has already front sway bars the installation is easier. The U-pieces are already on the A-arm, and the holes and the plate with the 3 mounting nuts are in place.

Either one would work, its just the question between price and size

Cheers

Engelbert


muelhaupt.us

Starting suspension Work for AX

[scottbooth]

I have never seen the Elephant or Smart bars up close, and wonder how tight the alignment is on the bushings and on the mounting bolts.

I am in the process of installing new Wevo RARB mounts for my rear anti-roll bar. The install instructions that I've seen on here recommend tack welding the mounts to the tub with the bar in place (supported by a jack), to make sure that the mounts are lined up correctly and don't bind on the bar.

My concern is that my current bar (the low-end adjustable Weltmeister) might have more tolerance in the bushings and/or the bolt holes, so that if I use it to line things up I may have trouble if I upgrade to a different bar in the future. While the factory mounts could probably be bent into place if needed, the RARB console is pretty stout, to say the least.

Anyone think my concern is valid? Or am I just trying to convince myself to buy a new set of anti roll bars?

Thanks
Scott

[Tom '74 911]

Originally Posted by Gordo2

Folks,

I have been searching through loads of posts to find the best info on installing through body, adjustable, sway bars. I haven't been able to find a good step by step with pictures that describes the installation process.
Thanks, Gordo

Hi Gordo -
I recently installed the ER front sway bar on my '74 911. I did not remove the gas tank and it went fine. It was a bit nerve racking to drill the holes, but it went well - having the right tools makes it easy. After drilling the holes, I fished the backing plates behind the tank w/a coat hanger - worked great, but don't drop them!

In order to get the sides lined up, some bending of the inner fenders is required. I used the sway bar itself, inserted part way to do the torquing and after only a bit of fiddling, was able to get them lined up perfectly.

Good luck,
Tom

[CBRacerX]

Originally Posted by lateapex911

Here's a pic of my install. Note the attachment at the bottom. Two allen socket head screw and the mount.

H'mm - who supplies that lower a-arm mounting solution? If the angulation works that seems like a decent no welding approach.

[scottbooth]

Sorry for the semi hijack, Gordo. I read my post back and realized it probably seems to be ignoring your question. Did not mean to come off as selfish, though probably I am.

Tom is right - it's a pretty straightforward job. My Weltmeister bars had bolt-on U-tabs for the front A-arms so had to line things up and drill a couple holes, but I did not need to weld. I will probably weld the tabs on now that I am welding other stuff; it can't hurt. (This is the "when a guy has a hammer, everything looks like a nail" approach.)

I think the early (short hood) cars had the through body bars from the factory, so they would have the U tabs on the A-arms already. But my 78 SC did not have them; its factory front bar attaches differently. So your 83 probably doesn't have them either.

I mounted the front thru-bar with the gas tank in place and didn't have much trouble, so I wouldn't worry about taking out the tank unless you get stuck. Removing the tank can be a pain in an old car - when I took mine out last winter (to check the tub for rust), it was pretty firmly stuck in place, and the tank-to-body foam seal disintegrated, I cracked a couple of hoses, etc. So it may be best to leave it alone unless you have to take it out, or are ready for more projects.

Good luck. I am out to the garage to do some grinding and welding, not a bad way to end the year. Happy new year and best wishes to all the Pelicans!

Scott

[lateapex911]

Originally Posted by CBRacerX

H'mm - who supplies that lower a-arm mounting solution? If the angulation works that seems like a decent no welding approach.

That's the Smart Racing front bar. it's a modular approach... you choose the stiffness you need, and you get the appropriate bar. If, in the future, you change to stiffer springs and need a stiffer ARB, you simply pull just the bar out, and slide a new one in. Everything else remains as is. And the bars "Overlap" their adjustment range.

Smart Racing is a well respected supplier of Porsche bits. Their geometry is first rate. Their rear bar is actually much tricker!

[lateapex911]

Originally Posted by scottbooth

My concern is that my current bar (the low-end adjustable Weltmeister) might have more tolerance in the bushings and/or the bolt holes, so that if I use it to line things up I may have trouble if I upgrade to a different bar in the future. While the factory mounts could probably be bent into place if needed, the RARB console is pretty stout, to say the least.

Anyone think my concern is valid? Or am I just trying to convince myself to buy a new set of anti roll bars?

Thanks
Scott

I DO think you have a very real concern. I would borrow an ARB setup from a fellow Pelican, or just suck it up, LOL, and get the Smart bar (or whatever). That's just me, but I've bashed in my own head a few times, and wasted time (which is money), when i should have just spent the money in the first place and done it right. That's the #1 reasons race cars and project cars cost so much!