DeTomaso Mailing List: June 98, Message #270

Ah, John,

	I was afraid you'd ask me about that.  First the easy answer about the
Spherebars and the half-shafts: Mine fit nicely, but it is close tolerance.
 I have the Spicer half shafts I got from PPC about seven years ago.  They
bolted on without any modifications.
	Now the hard question about neutral sway bars to avoid preload.  I have
learned that you should NOT tighten down your sway bars after the car is up
in the air on jackstands.  For the basic (me) enthusiast, you should place
the bars and only snug them into place and then set the car down on the
ground or even drive it around the block.  With suspension now absolutely
at normal ride height, you can now proceed to tighten down the sway bar at
the A arm mounting points.  This is a little awkward, but can be done.
	After my mechanic went through my suspension, I asked him how he did it. 
I as I understand, it seems to involve an experienced eye to add some shims
here and there at the sway bar mounting points and then recheck the corner
wgts.  I think.  This is fuzzy. I welcome more expert commentary.
	I will check for shims or spacers on the Spherebars today.
	Finally, I know the feeling of "ever so slightly " forcing the sway bars
into position and I am sure that, in the past, I certainly added some pre
load to the suspension.  I would recommend the spring and shock and
Spherebar upgrade.  I would also recommend adjusting the corner weights.  I
suspect that the shade tree mechanic sway bar adjustment is about 85% as
good as the "correct" way, judging by the seat of the pants.

			FWIW,  Chuck Engles

----------
> From: Mary Taphorn <marytaphorn@email.msn.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <detomaso@realbig.com>
> Subject: Re: Zero Preload on Sway Bars
> Date: Sunday, June 07, 1998 5:01 AM
> 
> Charles, you said
> 
> 'The car weighs 3231 pounds rf: 707   lf:672  /rr:  945
> lr:907.  The diagonal wgt sum is 50% and the sway bars have set neutrally
> so there is no pre load. '
> 
> Do you know how they set your preload to zero on your sway bars?  I
presume
> that after adjusting your car's corner weights and placing a driver in
the
> car they used spacers under one side of your car's SphereBar bushings in
the
> front and back.
> 
> Can you visually see if spacers were used?
> 
>  If so, how did they over come the interference problems with the
halfshafts
> at the rear that Curt and Dave have been discussing.
> 
> I remember when I installed my sway bars, I was forced to load them
> substantially to get them on the car.  However, I don't recall if it was
> vertical or horizontal preloading or a combination of the two to get the
bar
> aligned with the bushing. Anyway, zero preload would be nice as otherwise
> your efforts in cornerweighting is greatly compromised.
> 
> As I am considering the new shocks that we discussed, I may get the
> SphereBar brackets as well, if there is a satisfactory method of
adjusting
> preload.  I guess the alternative method of bending the sway bar always
> exists.  Although, I have no idea how to do that in my garage.
> 
> Thanks John T
> 
> 
> 
>