I had put off finishing the installation of the rear sway bar until I had the tail & lift gates mounted so that I was closer to what would be the finished curb weight. Since I had filled the back of the wagon with everything that was heavy and laying around the shop to get a good measurement of the rear wheel clearances I decided to fabricate the finished mounts for the sway bar and get it out of the way.
With the weight in the back and the rear axle supported on jack stands it looked like the cross member that the shocks were mounted to would also serve as a good mounting location for the sway bar. All that I would need is a spacer around 1 3/4″ thick to mount the bar so that it’s ends would be parallel to the ground at ride height. I found some 1 1/2″ sq tubing under my welding table and used it with some 11 ga plates to make up the spacers which I then welded to the frame.
Damn it was dark under the back of the wagon. Everything was painted black and the light was for crap. It was pretty much welding by braille but I was able to get it done. I should have taken a minute or two and hauled out one of the light stands I had built for painting, it would have been a big help for sure! Anyway, after the mounts were made I fabricated some new longer links from some 3/8″ all-thread and 3/8″ ID steel tubing. Bolted everything up and installed the rear shocks and was ready to call it all done when I happened to notice that the brake bleeder valves on the rear calipers were not at the top of the caliper where they need to be to properly bleed the brakes.
Once again that dummy that I have working in the shop with me had screwed up yet another task! To make things right, I had to take apart the brake brackets and basically turn them almost 180 degrees to get the bleeders where they need to be. I am glad that I saw the issue before I was installing the brake lines! I swear that I would love to fire that dummy, or at least ban him from the shop, but I haven’t figured out how to accomplish it yet!
Time to do the Tighten Up!
This 7/8″ sway bar coupled with the 1 1/4″ bar in the front should help keep the old girl flat on her feet when heading down the mountain! I am really looking forward to seeing how she will handle going through the Salt River Canyon!