Differences in Pan Hard Bar Bushings Width - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Scorpner · 09-30-2009, 12:09 AM

Is there a way to get thinner bushings? Or is there some other way to get this to fit correctly?

I've read comments every once in a while and have also been told that the space where the bar mounts to just needs to be widened. This isn't even possible with a Moser 9" due to the thickness of the metal and the way its constructed. I've searched for answers on this issue and haven't found anything conclusive. And my call to one company about this went nowhere.

So here's the deal. Below are measurements from three pan hard bars. I also had a fourth that was the same width as the Lakewood I currently have, so it's not a fluke.

Stock. Fits perfectly.

UMI. Fits snug, but acceptable.

Lakewood. Way too wide even if I spread the mounts. I noticed that a Hotchkiss pan hard bar I had was also the same width as this. both of these were previously installed in other cars. So is pounding out the mounts the only answer to this, and is my Moser on the narrow side even though the stock bar and UMI fit just fine?

Any help is appreciated.

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rybread11 · 09-30-2009, 12:33 AM

Have you mesured just the width of the tubing, with out the bushing? I would mesure the metal, then mesure bushings, and see if it would fit if you use the bushings out of one on the other. The black bushings look like they might be thinner then the yellow ones. Otherwise, that 10th of an inch wouldnt bother me...I would recomend, if you decide to do some pounding, just pound the bar in with some grease on the bushing face, rather then trying to spread the mounting on the moser. My bar is an edelbrock and thats how I put mine in. Although it was snug, it wasnt bad or anything. I have the original rear however.

Scorpner · 09-30-2009, 01:23 AM

Thanks for your reply.
I had thought the same thing about the thinner bushings, but the diameter of the tube they fit into is different.

I can't even get the bar started without bending the metal on the Moser. If I line one side up, the other side lines up with the edge of the metal. So it would theoretically slice the bushing off. And even if I do get it started, the other side is welded which creates a wedged shaped space for the bushing.

If it weren't for the UMI bar I would have thought that there was something wrong with the Moser. (I technically have the rod end attached to the Moser, but both ends of the UMI are the same width.)