Front sway bar is the worst.
 

Whats the secret? I've got the driver torsion unbolted and loosened. Still not enough to get the front sway in. I've edged up the pass side through the new mount, (about 2") and still nothing.

For those about to say, "just put in through-body sways"... don't.

Please your insight

Car's post 74 btw

I usually add lots of dish soap to one end and push thru the bushing as far as possible. After that, if there is still no room to get the other side in, I will use a rubber mallet and tap the other end until you can get the other side into place. After that, tap the opposite side until the bar is centered. Last, install the brackets that hold the thing in place and install the belly pan (to me, the belly pan is the hardest when trying to get the bolts started).

Glad I have that to look forward to!

MHO, one of the worst sway bar setups ever, but perfectly suitable for general cruising. Personally, I would take a Sawzall and permanently remove said evidence and replace it with a through-body type setup as found on early 911s. And in case you want to return your ride to concours level, leave the end mounts in place and pick up a factory replacement bar for almost nada (they're worth that much now, but can't speak 30 years hence).

Sherwood

drop the strut out of the strut tower and it should give you some room to get things comfy. dish soap as suggested is good too. but it will make yir pee slit burn if you misuse...

The sway bar is fine. It's no big deal to unbolt the a-arm(s) and install it/them once the sway bar ends are on.

Did this, still a big deal. Lots of lubricant used of course.

It's in now, but I have the bushing sticking out about a 1/4".
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1462328941.jpg

Any suggestions on how to slide this aft? I've tried with wood working clamps, rubber mallet, gently pushing while "orbiting" the bar in the bushing, etc...

It will stay like that unless you undo the lower a arm, re lube....dish washing fluid/soap and be generous...and re mount.
I had the same issue on my first go around.

A bottle of glycerine, ratchet straps, a rubber mallet, and an extensive vocabulary of profanity. Not a problem!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat5.gif

Seriously though, I used all of the tools above and not much vocabulary. It really wasn't that hard. I ended up doing it again a couple weeks later after casting a set of hard bushings using modeling clay as a form.

Dish washing soap, glycerine, straps, mallets .... surely these are not what the pros use.

I like to take the load off by placing the front end on ramps, allot of lithium grease and cursing :D.

I updated mine to thicker 87-89 front sway bars, much more difficult. My old thinner ones were much easier but again I had my front wheels on a ramp.

I also found it easier to align the stone guard mounts with it on the ramps.

A BFH and cursing are both essential components of any mechanic's tool box, be they diy or pro types.

Silicone spray helps too. You want to use a lubricant that doesn't attack the rubber and make it sticky. So anybody thinking of using petroleum grease, don't do it.

Yes indeedy you should loosen whatever A-arm bolts are helpful in getting that SOB installed. Agreed with Sherwood it's the worst.

Because wait until you try to get the U-bracket bolts to go in, as you're trying to align the belly pan. It's a pain in the arse for sure. And be very careful when you do install the bolts- install by hand. After all the pulling and pushing and grunting and swearing like a mofo, it's easy to lose patience and cross-thread those rearward mounting bolts. Been there done that on a handful of these cars.

Plumbers grease, get at lowes / Home Depot. I went through same shxt, tried all kinds of crazy, got this grease and was done in a half hour. Other grease makes thinks sticky as previously mentioned.

Update, I'm through this now. I took tons of pictures and (the last time I did it) it went really quickly/easily. I'll do a short write up next week.

Just fyi, have you measured the diameter of your sway bar and then made sure you have the correct size bushings? Mine always fits easily into those bushings.

I WAS just about to say: """just put in through-body sways"""

As for rubber lube, Dow /Corning makes a great product: 111 Valve Lube
comes in handy on many automotive situations, have used it on the gaskets on the oil return tubes, with great success.