Where can I get replacement 36mm sway bar mounting brackets? Not the end links, the U shaped mount bracket. One of mine cracked in half.

A part number and/or a link would do fine.

 

You might pick them up from TDS. Or hit the boneyards. I don't think there's a specific bracket. My stock 34 mm was the same as the 36 mm.

JamesC

 

bracket is the same no mater the bar. The bushing inside it would be different.

 

Order TDS p/n 200170, select option "NB" if you want the brackets without the greasable sway bar bushings.

Lon

 

Thanks for the great information. I don't know why I didn't check our sponsers, I assumed that the brackets would be a dealer item.

 

They very well still could be, I've never checked. I can tell you that GM doesn't zinc plate them.

Lon

 

They very well still could be, I've never checked. I can tell you that GM doesn't zinc plate them.

Lon

 

Energy Suspension 9-5168R or from summit ens-9-5168r. What they don't tell you though there is really no 36mm swaybar bushings made they are all 35mm. Don't believe what anybody says, they all sell the same energy suspension part for a huge markup.

 

You are correct that ES doesn't make a 36mm poly bushing. While you're at it you could also mention that their greasable front bushing brackets are a "universal-fit" having a slotted pattern to the mount brackets with the holes in-line. These brackets won't fit 1983-92 F-Bodies which use a bracket with an offset bolt pattern (as you can see in the picture I posted previously).

This part of your post is incorrect. There are two sources for a 36mm greasable front sway bar bracket kit (and they both happen to be sponsors of this web site).

I (TDS) use Guldstrand Motorsports bushings (which are a true 36mm bushing). I modify their bushings to be greasable. My kits also include GM F-Body bushing retainer brackets which have been modified to be greasable and zinc plated.

The second source is Steve Spohn. He uses ES bushings which he reams out to 36mm. He also cuts off one leg of the bracket and welds on a piece of metal so it will work with the offset bolt pattern used on these cars.

BTW, 1982 F-Bodies use the straight bolt pattern.

Huge markup? Also incorrect. As I've written previously I use Guldstrand polyurethane and poly-graphite bushings. These are roughly twice as expensive as Energy Suspension bushings. I also have the cost of modifying them and sending the brackets out for zinc plating.

I can't comment on Steve Spohn's markup, but I'm sure you can understand there is a cost associated with reaming out the ES 35mm bushings and modifying the ES brackets.

I just wanted to clear up a few things. The post was originally inquiring about brackets. I hope I've answered any questions.

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

 

If I don't care so much about the bracket, can I just buy a 35mm bushing and that will work on my 36mm bar? Its like a 3% difference...anyone know for sure?

 

No you can't just use a 35mm bushing on a 36mm sway bar. You don't want the bushing to bind. It will break the bracket as the sway bar tries to rotate under load. Instead I'd recommend ordering 36mm bushings from Guldstrand Motorsports 818-558-1499 ask for Bobby.

Lon

 

Sorry...I disagree. The bracket is NOT going to break...unless it's made out of Pot Metal or 200,000 miles old. Binding is NOT an issue.

1: The bushing is lubricated with either a Silicone or Moly based grease. A new factory Rubber bushing has more rotational ( Torque ) resistance than even an "undersized" Poly bushing....as long as you remember to apply the grease. If you don't....the bracket still will not break....you'll just wear out the Poly.

2: Poly-Propelene bushings are a RELATIVELY soft material ( Compared to Delrin or Nylon ). They will " Cold Flow" and conform to slight variations in thickness. 200 miles down the road and your 34mm or 35mm Poly bushings will have molded themselves quite nicely to a 36mm bar.

The " Cold Flow" of Poly is also a reason why they are not the best material for suspension bushings such as A-Arms. Del-A-Lum or Mono ***** are much better. Check out Global West and Ground Control for more indfo if you wish.

I've used 34MM Poly Bushings ( ES greasable ), for a 36mm bar, on my Autocross\Hillclimb\Road Race car for years with absolutely zero problems and so have lots of other people who Autocross locally. And we have a VERY competive field up here.

I actually prefer the 34mm bushings ( On a 36mm bar ), as the compression effect uses up most of the " Cold Flow" ability of the Poly...resulting in less " slop" down the road.

 

The bracket will break, my are broke that's why I posted this thread in the first place. If GM made them out of pot metal then that's what I had. Don't say things will not break because yours never did. I run the 36mm with an undersized bushing which contributed to the broke bracket.

 

John...re-read my post. It's not just me. It's five or six other guys all running 3rd Gen F-Bodies and all running 34mm Poly bushings ( with 36mm bars ) on RACE cars. And we've NEVER broken brackets. Look at my car in my signature. Those are 315\35x17 Kumho V700 race tires on 17x10" rims. That generates a TON of grip...and place a huge amount of load on the sway bar brackets. I've been racing for 30 years now and know just a little about suspension design. That's also a 200ft cliff on my right hand side so I'm mighty frikkin' carefull how I build my car. Not disrepecting your viewpoint ( Heck, you could be older than me )...just pointing out that I'm damned carefull how I build my Race Cars. I like them STRONG and Reliable.

You also chose to ignore everything posted relating to " Cold Flow" and the Rotational force of the rubber bushings.

You bracket broke because it either had a defect, was fatigued because of age or was of poor design.....not because of some insignificant " Binding" that you think occurred. The ES brackets are much thicker than GM's design and much stronger. GM factory brackets are known to be weak and some of the aftermarket copies are even worse. Some of the aftermarket brackets are made off shore. Typical Taiwanese " Pot Metal "garbage.

I drive for a major Tour Coach Company. The Coach Manufacturer ( MCI ) had a design problem with poorly designed sway bar brackets. They were breaking all the time. They now recommend Energy Suspension Poly Bushings with an Energy Suspension bracket. The new ES brackets are almost twice as thick as the factory piece. And the Poly bushings? Guess what? They're undersized....and have to be compressed when installed. And a lot more than 1 or 2mm undersized to boot!!

My point about our Tour Coaches is: Sway bar brackets break because they are underdesigned ( IE: GM original when used for racing and some aftermarket designs), they are defective or have fatigued. They will NOT break because of insignificant " binding" that you think occurred. 1mm or 2mm undersize is insignificant whn talking about Poly Sway bar bushings. Unless of course you forgot to grease them......

Now if you want to be happy...sure get the 36 mm size. It was not available when I ( and others ) modified my car. But a 34 mm or 35mm bushing should not be a problem when you buy a quality bracket....and I do not consider the GM bracket a quality design. It is borderline when you place greater than factory loads on it.

Edit: And the Guldstrand units are made for Factory GM brackets which are weak in the First place.

EDIT. Just to repeat. Do NOT buy any Poly bushings that utilise the Stock GM bracket. The factory pieces are not strong enough. Have a look at some of the Energy Suspension Designs. It is self evident the increase in design strength.

Actually maybe it's not so self evident. The critical spot is the bolt area and the radius on the curved spot where the bushing sits. The stock GM bracket is designed for a rubber bushings and this bushing is quite thick. This means that you have a tight clearance between the bolt and the bracket curved part. You have a very sharp radius there. This sharp radius is the weak area and is where the GM brackets will always fail.

Now look at an Energy Suspension design with ES supplied bracket. You will find that the bushing is much thinner. This not only increases the efficiency of the bushing but it also allows ES to design a bracket whith a much larger radius at the critical mounting point. That is a major increase in strength. The ES brackets are also thicker than factory GM brackets and made of a better material.

Hope this clears up some of the confusion over broken brackets. It's not the bushings fault....it's a bracket fault. As always.....IMHO.

 

FWIW i'm gonna run the 35mm ES bushing i posted on my 36mm bar. Infact i'm gonna put it on tomorrow.

Binding, sminding!

 

.

 

spohn and tds are both great places to get stuff from .

 

$40 is kinda steep though. For the product they produce, its worth it. I just wish there was a cheaper non-greasable 36mm bushing combination that used a better bracket. I'll probably end up using the ES 34mm mounts.

 

Chickenman35-

I stand corrected, my GM bracket probably broke because it was old and I re-used it with poly bushings and then drove it hard.
I never roadraced before, only drag raced the car.
My suspension is not stock so it does handle pretty good and most likely stressed out the GM sway bar brackets like you mentioned. I had no idea they were a poor design. Thanks for correcting me!

 

If you want some Factory Sway Bay Brackets, I still have the Factory ones that came off my car. If it matters any, my sway bar is the 36mm from the factory.

E-mail me if you are interested and want some Pics.


wheels350@msn.com

 

To add more fire to this subject, back when I replace the sway bar bushings, I to was searching for 36mm bushings. All I could find was 35mm (1 3/8) per Energy Suspension. I called Hotchkis, Summit, ES, Performance Suspension and Jegs about 36mm bushings. All said the 36mm in inches is 1 7/16. Actually if you calculate it out, it is about 1/64 smaller than 1 7/16. I finally found the 1 7/16 bushings at Jegs. And they are made by Energy Suspension.