sway bar?

[Ricksquickviii]

hi

just recieved my new 1 1/4 sway bar is Gold-Zinc finished may i paint this? or should i leave it Gold-Zinc finished

 

[ralph]

i say its your car and you should do what you think is best

 

[BlackIceLSC]

you can paint it. Just scuff it up with scotch brite, and clean it real well. I would then sand off any paint where the sway-bar body bushings will ride.

also, dont lose the lube they sent with it. That stuff is for the U-clamp bushings, and is about the only stuff that doesnt squeek.

furthermore, did you read my article about shimming the u-clamp bolts to compensate for the added bar thickness?

Addco's new poly-bushings dont come with a "relief" molded into them. Therefore, the U-clamp now has to try to fit all that added thickness into the mount.

see here:

it's a diagram I drew up after I broke a U-clamp. I didnt shim it enough. You have to use 3-6 washers for the 1-1/4" addco rear bar. Trust me...if you dont, there will be a day when the clamp goes SNAP...and they arent available at Ford anymore.

 

[Ricksquickviii]

Wow thanks that was helpful

you can paint it. Just scuff it up with scotch brite, and clean it real well. I would then sand off any paint where the sway-bar body bushings will ride.

also, dont lose the lube they sent with it. That stuff is for the U-clamp bushings, and is about the only stuff that doesnt squeek.

furthermore, did you read my article about shimming the u-clamp bolts to compensate for the added bar thickness?

Addco's new poly-bushings dont come with a "relief" molded into them. Therefore, the U-clamp now has to try to fit all that added thickness into the mount.

see here:

it's a diagram I drew up after I broke a U-clamp. I didnt shim it enough. You have to use 3-6 washers for the 1-1/4" addco rear bar. Trust me...if you dont, there will be a day when the clamp goes SNAP...and they arent available at Ford anymore.

 

[Markviiiedrea]

you could paint it but it will just get coverd in dirt after a few months, so if you do just clean it up evey so offen

 

[AbrahamLincoln]

My rear sway bar U-clamp just snapped the other day. I called Ford and they have them available for the 95 Thunderbird, are they the same part for the Mark? Because above he says they don't make them anymore.

I wish I would have known to put washers in there, would have saved me this new headache.