RobertISaar Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 gen 1 small bar: 5/16" gen 1 large bar: 3/8" <--gen 1 3.4, possible 3.8 cars gen 1.5 small bar: 1/2" gen 1.5 medium bar: 5/8" gen 1.5 large bar: 3/4" <--- 1995 gen 1.5 3.4 ONLY. and this is why we pay ken the big bucks. SAVED. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 i thought 1st gens were either 12mm, 14mm or nothing or 1/2", 9/16, or nothing. I could easily bust out the calipers if they decide to work today and measure mine which came from a z-34. I should put calipers in my toolbox for junkyarding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white4d96 Posted September 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Well, I caved and grabbed a 1.5 bar. I'll measure it for you guys, but it's definitely not the big fucker, as one of those was on the lumi next to my donor. I woulda grabbed it but it was very very crusty. Not to mention half the work was done on my donor thanks to someone pilfering the struts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white4d96 Posted September 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Looking like its a half inch bar. I just did a rudimentary check with a tape measure. BTW, anyone got any idea how to bend this thing enough to go around the strut? I can't get the fucker to budge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 YOU ARE WAY AHEAD OF ME.... WITHOUT MY GUIDANCE.... To my Knowledge I am the only one to have performed this swap. THE ISSUES: Gen 1.5 cars have a suspension that is about 1 inch wider in track than gen 1 cars. Gen 1.5 rear swaybar have a 1 inch wider track than the stock gen 1 bar. Gen 1.5 rear swaybar options are thicker than gen 1 bars. Gen 1.5 bars as stock rub or plain do not fit gen 1 cars due to interference at the struts. Use of a gen 1.5 bar in a gen 1 car requires: 1) altered track width [as Bob has done using second gen lateral links] or 2) altered bar width, either by a)modification or b)compression THE ROUTE I TOOK IS 2b HOW? here: ****keep in mind I tried the lightest duty gen 1.5 bar for the project*** further results have not yet been tested*** Once the stock bar had been removed, I took the gen 1.5 swaybar and utilized a heavy duty ratchet strap to compress at least 1 inch of it's width out. (yes, be careful, tension can be dangerous) slide it into position and get it into the mounts. the bar actually has "washers" designed to run in contact with the bushing at it's outer ends to keep it centered on the stock vehicle. the goal it to get it in there with all mounts tight and then let the tension off the bar by releasing the ratchet strap. Now the bar is going to hold a constant load on the those end link bushings, which is why i have fabbed up slightly modified "CAGE" brackets and used them in that application. WHOA!!! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CAGED BRACKETS FOR???? THATiS NUTS!!!!!!!!1 HUH??? read: On an infrequent basis I have observed the stock outside edge bushings for the rear swaybar "extrude" (slowing slide outward) to the outside of the vehicle and allow the bar to come free and start banging around with the end loose. This occurred to my first lumina when i was 500 miles from home.. and nothing like freaking out cause your car is making this horrible wang and bang sound.. and you are the middle of buttfuck-nowhere. FUTHERMORE... I HAVE in evidence someone's hack job to fix this probelm on a bar I have in my possession...someone simply welded a washer on the outside of the bar right against the bushing, started melting the bushing and horrible mess of it... I can;t even remove the bushings.... In the case of the Gen 1.5 bar, the bar will to this same thing, which is push outward on the bushings and if or when it does eject it's bushing instead of just flopping around it will spring out and start binding up with your struts instead... so if you go to the heavily sprung compressed bar you need to go with caged brackets for sure....as caged brackets would help prevent bushing slide out that has allowed swaybar mayhem to occur. WAIT! WHY THE @^$(*!@# YOU HAVEN'T TOLD ME WHAT CAGED BRACKETS ARE!!!! Well, here goes. I got a normal outside bracket and got welded(Thanks, Patgizz!) a piece of bar steel across the edge of the bracket in a position that prevents the stock bushings from sliding outward. The bar steel must fit without contacting the end of the bar, and must prevent the bushing from sliding out. IS THIS ROAD TESTED??????? The one that I have installed has been fine for probably 50,000 miles now. I actually used stock gen 1 3.4 bushing (one size too small) on the smallest gen 1.5 bar and slathered the entire thing in rubber friendly silicon grease.... and it has been going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white4d96 Posted September 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 hm...you wouldn't happen to have pics of these caged brackets, would you? I took it back out for now, being without a sway bar for a few more days won't kill me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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