• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Busted a Link!

Bruzilla

Bruzilla

Well-Known Member
Local time
8:53 PM
Joined
Jan 11, 2012
Messages
7,644
Reaction score
7,816
Location
Orange Park, FL
After driving around the Roadrunner for almost a week with no issues, I got one last night. We were coming back from watching the Penguins game, and stopped at a McDonalds and while travelling through the parking lot I heard a loud "that's not good" bang. All the gauges were good, the car had no issues, and we continued home. As I was backing my other car out this morning, I saw the driver's side link for the rear sway bar hanging down, so it appears the bang was the link failing.

I had busted the top of that link off when trying to get the nut off when I was replacing the leaf springs, and had tried to fix it by welding a bolt to the top of it. It worked for a few months, then failed. I can't find anyone who makes these anymore, so I'm thinking I'll remove the bracket and bushing, grind off the stem, weld an appropriate-length Grade 8 bolt to the bracket, weld a nut at the appropriate length up the bolt to use as a retainer, and then reattach to the shock plate. This should be a better fix than Plan A. :)
 
Did the weld break or did the metal that's just off the weld?
 
The original broke off right above where the stud expands out to hold the lower retainer in place, and I welded a small bolt to the top of that area. I think using a bolt that short on an area where there is a lot of force being applied caused the failure.
 
There's a slightly redesigned kt available on ebay.

Someone posted a link on another thread, possibly my rear bar bushing thread.
 
...for the record, I took my rear bar off pending finding a set of bushings that will fit.

I haven't noticed a difference in handling, but my front bar is pretty big- 1.25".

...and of course now the bushings are crumbling up front.
 
I looked at that kit, but it's supposed to be for the front bar, even though my front bar doesn't have anything that looks like that.
 
What's with crumbling bushings etc?? I even have utility wheels that have a poly type outer surface that have crumbled away. China made crap?? Even the rubber boots on my pickup have disappeared and that thing does not go off road so that's not the reason.....
 
Did you grind them to a V, I do this and leave a 1/8 gap for a full weld? I've had very good luck repairing things even in extremely harsh environments this way.. not just a cap.
 
Bruzilla, can you attach a picture of the broken part? I am replacing my rear sway bar set up with a bigger one from pst and still have all my old hardware. I have a 72 but I would think the sway bar link would be the same? If I have the part you need, they are yours.
 
The problem is you were driving thru a McDonald's parking lot when it happened, not good!
 
plymouthman72 said:
Bruzilla, can you attach a picture of the broken part? I am replacing my rear sway bar set up with a bigger one from pst and still have all my old hardware. I have a 72 but I would think the sway bar link would be the same? If I have the part you need, they are yours.
Click to expand...
They look like this. A bracket that attaches to the bar that has a stem with a stop on the end. A washer goes on the stop, then a rubber donut, then it goes up through a hole in the shock plate and a second donut and washer go on the top.

s-l300.jpg
 
Mine is a one piece that has to slide all the way on and off. I will take a picture when I got home. If its something you think you can use I can send it to you.
 
You probably would not want to weld to a grade 8 bolt. Grade 8 are made from alloy steel, which will become brittle and break easily after being welded. There is a heating and cooling process for welding alloys and hardened materials, but you will be better off using a dead soft bolt. The softer material will allow it to stretch a little before a failure.
Just my .02
 
Bru- your pic is the redesigned one I was talking about.

FL is HARD on foam and rubber.

Do NOT buy car or outdoor speakers with foam surrounds, ever.

Wiper blades turn brittle in a year or less.

My last set of Uniroyal Tiger Paws got cracks and belt separation after 2 years and less than 6,000 miles.
 
YY1 said:
Bru- your pic is the redesigned one I was talking about.

FL is HARD on foam and rubber.

Do NOT buy car or outdoor speakers with foam surrounds, ever.

Wiper blades turn brittle in a year or less.

My last set of Uniroyal Tiger Paws got cracks and belt separation after 2 years and less than 6,000 miles.
Click to expand...
Do you have those on the front bar of any of your cars? Mine doesn't, but all the listings I see for that part number show these are for the front bar and not the rear even though they damn sure look like the OEM parts. I'm wondering if this is another case of someone entering bad info into the database all the parts vendor uses.
 
Mine is aftermarket and has fabricated clamps.

I think I could use those on the front, though.

My rear bar is a different design, with the bar toward the body and the open ends toward the axle.
It has straight bolts with round bushings on the to shock plate ends- holes in flattened end of bar, no clamps.

I do have a couple factory rear bars, and it looks like those you posted would work, and eliminate the closed clamp issue.
 
Im sorry, I completely forgot to send you a picture. Would any of these brackets help you out? The rubber is not good anymore but the links are still good.

20170329_200428.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

mbc0724
1971 440 valve cover stud length?
Replies
5
Views
494
mbc0724
mbc0724
ckessel
Master cylinder oe application.
Replies
5
Views
537
ckessel
ckessel
M
1971 charger drum to disks
Replies
2
Views
611
Moparkrazed
M
R
Steering gear adjustment
Replies
10
Views
1K
Rpdrunner
R
hofferwood
'66 Satellite 8 3/4" new leaf spring u-bolt size (length)
Replies
8
Views
870
hofferwood
hofferwood
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top