Here is a list of the problems that I had:

1.) Spacers were too short, to prevent the bar from moving side to side
2.) Bar moved so much that it gouged out a large chunk of my penske shocks. OEM shocks should not have this problem.
3.) Energy suspension brackets were severely deformed after only a handful of events.
4.) End Links were at there maximum eccentricity when installed on the stiffest setting.
5.) Arms rubbed a hole into the boots on the steering rack.

Here is what I did to fix everything:

1.) Made new mid-section spacers using similar material as original. ($3.00)
2.) Relocated the mounted brackets forward by using 1/8" shims to allow for more shock clearance. ($8.00)
3.) Hired a shop to press the arms slightly to allow for more shock clearance, and to help with endlink alignment issues. ($300.00) This took a while to get right.
4.) Used a few 5/16" spacers (nuts) on the endlinks to allow for a nearly vertical connection. ($1.00)
5.) Replaced Energy Suspension brackets. ($20.00)

BTW, I really liked this bar. I just wasn't expecting to do that much work after paying $650.

John,

Have you checked your brackets for deformation?

 

Both the new and old brackets look fine.

Did you start with the end links provided by Bill? The ability to use different bolts might be an advantage over the McMaster Carr links, since you can use spacers to orient the links vertically. I think I said it before, but I should look into that.

 

Yes, I used the endlinks that came with the bar. They were bolt thru type ball joints. Two were high eccentricity, and two were standard.

 

My measurements were done with the arms flush with the ends of the bar. After cleaning the crud out of the splines, I found that the arms could slide pretty far onto the bar, leaving 1/4" of bar sticking out. I decided to reassemble the bar the way it was originally, with the ends of the bar flush with the arms.

I cut down the flanged sleeves to 1.43". It was a snug fit, but I managed to get everything reassembled. I guess that I would just go with the 1.25" spacers if I were going to do it again.

I posted photos at http://www.idsfa.net/~john/Images/S2000_mod/Swaybar/

 

[QUOTE=Orthonormal,Jul 3 2008, 12:39 AM]My measurements were done with the arms flush with the ends of the bar.

 

[QUOTE=Orthonormal,Jul 3 2008, 12:39 AM]I cut down the flanged sleeves to 1.43".

 

Hmm... With John's 3rd picture, I can now see what Jason is talking about where it is right on top of that boot. I have to make sure that I keep it off of it.

 

We'll see how this goes. I have a brand new pair of bushings and clamps in there. Now I realize that I must have had bushings go bad three times. Both the old ones, one new one on the right side which I got replaced, and then the one on the left side. I had reversed them, and one of them was already starting to tear along the lip. I hope the flanges help by spreading the load, but I think I've got a real problem with sideways thrust. Maybe I cured it by changing the endlink spacing by moving the washers. I need to keep an eye on it.

 

Looking at John's pictures I'm reminded that somewhere along the way, Gendron changed the angle of the bend on the arms. I'm guessing he did this due to the clearance issues his bar had with large body shocks (Penske, Moton, JRZ, etc), but the downside is the large inward tilt the droplinks have, the additional angularity the top joint sees, and the side thrust loads on the body bushing.

On my bar, I had to mill half the thickness off the arms to get the link away from the shock. Even then, using the McMaster-Carr link setup, I had, at most, 5 mm clearance between the link and shock body. I couldn't get a finger between them, and to remove a link I had to pull off the arm.

FWIW.

-Steve

 

What's really odd is that I remember having a lot of trouble getting the endlinks out of the 1st hole (shock clearance) when I originally got the bar. That could have been with the car sitting on ramps instead of with the suspension at full droop. Thanks for the input, Steve.