Tarret Rear Sway Bar - Drop Link Issue
 

Many questions tonight as I re-assemble my rear suspension (following a bunch of upgrades).

I got the rear trailing arms hooked up and went to test fit/connect the rear drop links to my Tarret sway bars. I noticed that the drop links are canted/not vertical - to the point to which I'm afraid I will get interference between the upper part of the drop link and the head of the Tarret toe adjuster/eccentric fitting.

Pictures may help explain:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242018183.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242018212.jpg


I checked to ensure that the sway bar was perfectly centered in the mounts (same amount of bar extending from the mounts on both sides). I tapped on the arms onto the bars to make sure they were seated as far toward the center of the vehicle as possible. I also tried a thinner washer between the lower drop link and the sway bar arm. Despite these efforts, the drop links still seemed too canted/not vertical (with potential for interference).

I can't see how loading the suspension (putting the wheels on and lowering the car to the ground) would impact this - is it possible that once the suspension is compressed the drop link will be in better alignment to the spring plate?

Greatly appreciate any suggestions.

Gordo

I'm wondering if I should try to get the arm seated

I used these drop links with stock sways (late Carrera sways on a '74) and had the same problem. There's very little that can be done. Keep in mind that you'll need to leave one of the links disconnected (at the sway bar) so that you can set for zero pre-load when the car is weighted. I'm now using Smart Racing sways which, while more $$$, are a better design IMO.

Have you tried putting the car up on ramps or blocks with the suspension loaded? What about camber? Does adjusting the camber setting change this relationship? There is also an alternative mounting for these links where they are attached to the threaded boss on the trailing arm itself rather than the accentric adjuster on the springplate. On my car this is where the stock swaybar drop links attached. Is this alternative mounting position possible with your car? I will be installing this same setup soon so I will likely run into this same problem..............

Probably not good geometry at any point in the suspension travel. This binding could destroy the rod end. Unless the parts were assembled incorrectly, the installation should have provided sufficient bearing range.

Small OD spacers can be installed on each side to allow for increased angularity. These misalignment collars can also be used, but they fit into the rod end which then requires a smaller OD fastener or a properly sized rod end to compensate for these collars and with the correct male thread:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242059090.jpg

High misalignment rod ends could be used instead with a longer threaded fastener, but at increased cost. Good ones aren't cheap:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242059580.jpg

Sherwood

Hello Don,
I can see and understand the possible problem here. The length of the hex shaped eccentric adaptor was designed to allow for the drop link to be vertical, but will vary a little from car to car. Can you rotate the link at all? If it can rotate, it’s not binding, and should be fine. Here are a few other things to check. Try it with car on the ground, it may improve. Has your car been aligned, toe will effect this? Is the problem the same on both sides? Please let me know what you find, and I’ll help you resolve it.

Thanks,
Ira Ramin

Thanks
 

I will get back on it tonight and see what I can come up with.

Sorry Ira, would have contacted you direct, but was hoping someone had an on-line quick fix for me last night (was goofing around in the garage until late). If I can't figure it out I will give a call.

I plan to assemble the other side and put it back on the ground to take a look. For some reason last night I was thinking this wouldn't effect the the drop link alignment - clearer head today I can see how it would (hopefully for the better). The suspension is currently hanging/fully extended.

Gordo

That is exactly why you buy stuff from Tarrett!

Re-Thinking
 

I installed the other side tonight. It was more vertical than the first side. I played around with re-centering the bar to even out each side/minimize potential for rub. Again, this was a sanity check install, with the suspension unloaded/at max extension.

The more I thought about it, dropping the car to the ground/compressing the suspension should straighten things out.

I won't get around to putting it back on the ground until I get my CV's re-packed and back on later this week. Will update soon (assuming I don't run into any issues with servicing my CVs :rolleyes:).


Thanks again, Gordo