Author Topic: Front Stabilizer Bar  (Read 1826 times)

shelby001

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Front Stabilizer Bar
« on: February 29, 2020, 09:05:49 PM »

 I recently changed my rubber bushings just because they were cracking around the  outside edge not because they were worn. I also changed the stabilizer pins. I took the car out & now have a clung when I hit a bump & it seems to be on the driver side.  What I noticed is the drivers side pin is not straight up& down like the passenger pin , not sure why . Any thoughts on this?? Bushings seem okay on the bar.

madeulook

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Re: Front Stabilizer Bar
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2020, 08:42:52 AM »
Your control arm bushings may be in the same condition as your sway bar bushing were.
SFM5R-madeulook
1965 GT 350 Competition Tribute
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Coralsnake

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Re: Front Stabilizer Bar
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2020, 09:04:23 AM »
Did you install bar upside down?

shelbydoug

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Re: Front Stabilizer Bar
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2020, 09:16:02 AM »
I have found that the original "pins" as you refer to them are generally adequate to resist bending but the bushings crush rather easily.

Aftermarket links and bushings are worse. The durameter of the rubber is not equal to the originals.
But the original links are 3/8" and marginal at best with the bigger bars. I have bent a couple myself with my 1-1/8" bar.

The aftermarket many not have the correct bolt hardness rating. You NEED grade 8.



What I would recommend is to change the "pins" to grade 8, 1/2" bolts. Use flanged nuts on them. you can't bend those.

Go to a high quality poly bushing. The original cupped double thick flat washers are adequate if you can save them.

Tighten the assembly while the entire front end is dangling and the car is on jack stands under the chassis rails.


Look at the anti-sway bar right near the front balancer. Verify that there is no indication of the balancer rubbing on the bar.

The '67s, in particular the GT500, have a nasty habit of grinding into the balancer and generally speaking the bar itself needs to be shimmed down at the bracket points for clearance.


Bar configurations do vary from year to year and if somehow your bar got changed out for the wrong configuration bar, it could be rubbing on the running balancer when the front is at full travel (possibly over a bump, etc)

These usually aren't just little superficial rubbings, if allowed to contact the balancer, it will actually machine itself into the bar by 1/4" or so, weakening both the bar and damaging the balancer.

All 67-68's should verify that you don't have a clearance issue there. Don't just presume that everything is ok. Ford Engineering never picked this up as a common production issue. They screwed up.


You may have a decision to make. What I am telling you to do will be picked up by a Concourse Judge and you will loose points. If you want to drive this thing like it was intended to be driven, then you have little recourse but to make these upgrades.

Ping. That balls in your court.  ;D
« Last Edit: March 01, 2020, 12:37:19 PM by shelbydoug »
68 GT350 Lives Matter!

shelby001

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Re: Front Stabilizer Bar
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2020, 04:31:45 PM »
Did you install bar upside down?
No I looked at that first time I took it out & found I had a clunk . 

Coralsnake

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Re: Front Stabilizer Bar
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2020, 05:56:03 PM »
Is this a GT500 KR?