Help? - Mixing Elephant spring plates and SMART sway bars

[wayner]

I've been searching for two days for threads on setting p the drop links on these. I know that I stumbled across a thread in the past but can't find it. I recall that it had some great pictures.


If you can provide advice, there are pictures in my build thread of what I am trying to do

Saving a 73 from the crusher...

[James Brown]

one question i have is if you have or want to adjust them it looks like some hardware would get in the way as the angle of the mounting rod increase. the longer that rod is, the better. but, where else can you go? What does ER or Smart use to mount there sway bars?

[wayner]

Good question.

I've added the picture here for reference.
Hopefully someone can fill us in on the details

[Craig_D]

Tarret end links came with an optional eccentric bolt that would mount it to the spring plate's eccentric adjustable mount (I believe it was the toe adjustment). It may be possible to get the Tarrets, although they're much shorter than the Smart end links and install them on the springplate (I think I can see the large allen bolt of the toe adjuster in your photo)

I just used the stock SC mounting point on the trailing arm for mine, but thought I'd mention the optional Tarret mount points are on the spring plate. I still have the mounting bolts if you'd like to give that a try.

[wayner]

Thanks Craig

I'm back to visit the car in a few weeks so will take all my new found info with me and may take you up on your offer once I see what I have got.

Here is the thread that I have been looking for. Never fails, you can search for days but they only ever show up after you ask for help

Smart Racing Sways Ground Clearance

[KTL]

The Tarett drop links have a much larger bearing bore- M12. So the Smart link is not going to fit on the Tarett eccentric adapter piece because it's M8 size bore.

The Smart/JWE adapter piece is a tapered cone that has a large M12 stud on the side that goes thru the spring plate & trailing arm. On the link side it is reduced to M8 for the smaller Smart links



I think the problem you're having is related to the steel trailing arms? The forward alignment bolt you're connecting to is not in the same "plane" as the forward alignment bolt on the aluminum trailing arms. You're putting the link where its supposed to go. It's just not in the same place as you're seeing on other cars with aluminum trailing arms.

This is one thing I don't like about the Smart bars, which is how the link adapter eliminates the alignment eccentric bolt. It's a nice design, in that it creates a nice tapered, wide support point for the trailing arm to connect to the spring plate. Unfortunately the downside of that is it removes the eccentric bolt. So when it comes time to align, you have to remove the Smart adapters and install the eccentrics to do the alignment. Once you've got the alignment locked down, you can remove the eccentrics and reinstall the Smart adapters.

Or, if you convert to coilovers and 935-style rear "spring plates" (no longer doing any springing), then you no longer need the toe adjusting eccentric because the 935 plates have the toe alignment handled by the rod end adjuster at the forward part of the spring plate assembly........

[wayner]

Thanks Kevin!

[911dean]

Kevin
Thanks for the explanation.
Dean