someone972

iTrader: (2)

So the track/panhard bar on my 1991 Firebird is bent pretty badly causing the axle to shift over to one side. I've already ordered a stock replacement (I know, I know. I should have gotten an upgraded bar if I'm going to replace it, but I just want to drop it in without any fiddling). It should arrive on Thursday, so I'd like to be ready to install it when it gets here.

The main questions I have are:

1. What is the torque spec on the bolts?
2. What kind of grease should I use, if any? I have some silicon faucet grease from Home Depot, would this work?
3. What is the procedure for replacing the bar? Do I have to worry about the springs flinging the car to the side if I just remove the bar while on the ground or jacked up in the air? I do have a floor jack and four jack stands.
4. I've read about the nut backing off on some posts here, should I put some sort of thread-locker like locktite on the threads when I'm done?

EDIT: I should probably mention that I have read over some of the stickies and would just like some more in-depth descriptions of the procedure since I've never done work like this before.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

1. Torque on those, like everything else, goes with the hardware size. That size hardware gets around 90 ft-lbs; about the same as your lug nuts. Exact value not particularly critical.

2. None, if the replacement is stock. Might want to put some anti-seize on the bolts though; both on the threads, and on the shaft where they go through the sleeves.

3. Rotate all hardware fully counterclockwise and remove. Installation is the reverse of removal.

There's no tension or force on it at all, no need to worry about that. Best way to do it is to jack the car up good and high, and support the chassis immediately in front of where the lower control arms meet the "frame"; let the rear down all the way until it's hanging free, then jack it back up about an inch and put jack stands under it too. Then just go to town on it.

4. No Loctite on anything anywhere anytime EVER. Don't let that stuff anywhere near any part of your car, there is not one single place on it that needs that. Never heard of that hardware backing off.

Hal87

iTrader: (1)

Torque specs from the GM Pontiac Service Manual: Upper bolt - 58 Ft. Lb., Lower bolt - 93 Ft. Lb. Don't know why the difference, that's what they have. Watch the direction of the bolts when you remove them, they are opposite.

Everything else as Sofaking said

someone972

iTrader: (2)

I forgot to mention that I got it replaced a few hours ago, but it's good to hear that the torques I used are approximately right. I used 59 for the upper and 77 for the lower. I based this off a online firebird manual I found, which had some sort of recall-type change in the torque specs from the higher 93 ft lp to 77. It was pretty badly bent, after replacing it my car doesn't pull to the right as much and the axle isn't offset anymore .