yea these are from gendron. Maybe I shouldn't of posted my issue but I wanted other people to know that if they buy the bearing mounts (which is wise) that they need to grind down their bar to make it fit, not "lightly sand." Also wanted to share that you should buy 4 new bolts to bolt the mount to the chassis because the oem ones won't work. I'll contact them today and recommend that if they are going to make the hole so close to the side of the bracket, they should include new bolts or atleast tell you to buy new bolts.

The new bars might be all ready grinded down to fit the bearings but most of us have the "old bar" which requires "light sanding." Sorry for my rant but I was heated last night. I spent more time and effort on this bar then I did on putting all new rod bearings in. Thats crazy! My mistake was trying to beat/push the bearing down the rod and not just continuing to "lightly sand." Once it wouldn't go on I had to beat it back off and grind the bar down. If my post saves one person from going through the trouble I did, then my goal would be acomplished. I was just trying to share what I learned and help someone out in the future.

 

I had to sand down the paint to get the bar in the bearings too. I just chalked it up to light fab that might be expected when installing a race part on a "race" car. Big deal.

 

It's not a "big deal" I was just sharing my experience. I talked to bill on the phone just now and he pulled out a mount and was looking at it. He said "to be honest I'm not sure they hit the dimensions just right." So from my understanding this isn't a issue on every ball bearing mount but it might be a issue with this run of mounts. He said he'll look into it and fix the issue.

A+ guy!

 

So, first here's a pic of my pile of stuff that I'm starting to install . I just got the shocks all assembled and ready to go in. There's a new Gendron bar with ball bearing mounts, Nick's old Penskes with Fox Canisters, Hypercoil springs and helpers (800 lb/in front, 700 rear to start), and Genesis aluminum helper spring guides all around and spring spacers in the front. Not shown is the J's S2 camber joints.



I haven't sanded anything on the bar yet, that's how it came. Josh, was yours powdercoated all the way to the ends?

I haven't looked under the car yet to see how far apart the sway bar mounts are compared to the powdercoating on the bar, but I did notice that the bearings fit over the sanded part just fine but do not fit over the powder coated part. It sounds like I'll have to sand it a little further, but most of what Josh is talking about is already done, is that right?

 

looks very nice! Like I said and see in your picture he all ready pre-sanded your bar. My bar was the "old" one and had power coat all the way down the bar. the bar will stick out from the mounts 3.25" on each side. So as long as your mount is sanded 4" or so on each side you shouldn't have a issue at all. Although if you ordered your mounts in the past 2 months they might be part of the ones that could have the issue with the bolt like mine. to check for this issue take out one of your current OEM swaybar bolts (1/2 drive, extention, and 17mm socket will do) and check the fitment of that bolt in the bolt hole closes to the steering rack. it should go in fine but mine and possibly a couple other sets wouldn't go in without going in crooked. If yours goes in crooked you can take that bolt to a hardware store and get one that doesn't have a built in washer. That would fix the problem. Also if you have a thin wall 17mm you might want to use it. Once I got the bolt in and got the socket off I couldn't get a socket back on.

Good luck with your install!

hope I helped,
Josh

 

My set of parts fit very well. The bearings slid on firmly (what machinists call a light press fit, as it should be), and the brackets bolted on with no problem. I have been vey happy with the performance of the bar. I received this set last fall.

John

 

Thanks for the help. So it sounds like you're saying the washer is what doesn't fit on yours and made it so you had to put it in crooked? I'll try it tonight when I get home from work. I got the mount a week ago so we'll see. Luckily I have an extensive hardware collection for just this kind of thing so I should be OK regardless.

Johnx: So in your experience the pre-sanded part was long enough? Good stuff.

 

once you get a bolt that doesn't have a built in washer it will go in just fine. Also if yours isn't once with the issue like mine it will go in fine. Just in my case it went in crooked and reqired grinding the washer off the bolt or getting a new bolt.

heres a pic of a bolt with a built in washer..
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...=1&FORM=IDFRIR

 

It's actually called a flange bolt, I know what it looks like. My question was trying to figure out what was wrong with the mount exactly. There are three reasons a bolt might have to go in crooked - 1) the holes don't line up, 2) the threads are tapped crooked or 3) the bolt head or integrated washer in this case interferes with something. I knew it wasn't 2 since we're either using a nut or OEM threads but it wasn't clear which of the other two it was. Anyway since you say a normal bolt works that must mean it's the washer interfering with the mount.

 

you answered your own question