[pontiacstogo]

I'm going through a few items on my car - I've removed the front swaybar to replace the bushings and end links. The end links are Energy Suspension (part of a whole body kit I purchased) but the bushings are AC Delco that I got from Rockauto. Seems like they are going to need to compress a helluva lot for the brackets to sit flush. Does this look correct, or do I have the wrong bushings?

[dataway]

Not sure what is going on but I ran into that problem, and many other people have too. There is pretty much no way to compress it enough to work properly ... they will ooze out the sides of the bracket, totally distort on the bar.

"Installed" mine a couple years ago (car still going through work) by cutting them down some, left the mounts loose waiting for a future cure or more information. So I'll be happy if someone comes up with the solution.

I thought it was my repop brackets, but appears you have the exact same problem with what appear to be OEM brackets.

[HWYSTR455]

Yup, no way to make the OE brackets work, unless you find OE bushings. For the aftermarket bushings, you need to run the associated aftermarket brackets if you want to use the bushings.

I lightly sanded the aftermarket brackets and shot them with chassis black. Looks better than the gold stuff IMO.

End links are not always correct length either by the way. When the car is sitting on the ground, the end of the bar where the links go need to be parallel to the ground. That's how you know if they are the right length.

.

[pontiacstogo]

Looks like I'll just go with the Energy Suspension bushing and bracket (9.5165G). RockAuto do have it but they don't list it under the parts listing for Pontiac/Firebird because they deem it as a 'universal' part. Live and learn!

I had hoped to use my original brackets. I like the idea of scuffing and painting the Energy Suspension versions black.

[dataway]

Wonder why they are all that way? Been that way for years. I basically just cut off about 1/4" of the base and jammed it in there .... stripped out one of the frame holes trying to install one before I cut it

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by dataway

Wonder why they are all that way? Been that way for years. I basically just cut off about 1/4" of the base and jammed it in there .... stripped out one of the frame holes trying to install one before I cut it

If you look at the state of the original bushings (picture in first post) I think that's the first time they've ever been removed. So I count myself lucky that I had no problems with the cap screws and the captured nuts. Definitely didn't want to push my luck trying to compress the AC Delco bushings in the standard brackets. I've ordered the 1.25 greasable Energy Suspension setup from RockAuto and will go with those instead.

In other news - I installed the complete Energy Suspension rear 7/8 sway bar bushing kit today and that all went very smoothly.

[chrisp]

1 1/4" bar diameter ?

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by chrisp

1 1/4" bar diameter ?

Correct. 1 1/4 front and 7/8 rear.

[chrisp]

Originally Posted by pontiacstogo

Correct. 1 1/4 front and 7/8 rear.

https://www.firebirdcentral.com/1970...p/sus-1000.htm

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by chrisp

https://www.firebirdcentral.com/1970...p/sus-1000.htm

Yep - those are EXACTLY what I ordered from RockAuto (see picture in 1st post). They are too tall and do not fit with the factory sway bar bushing clamps. At least that's the case on my 74 Trans Am.

I've ordered these (from RockAuto)

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/9.5165

[Skip Fix]

I noticed the similar thing when freshening my 78, I think my bushing even came out of a GM box. Used the old one as they were not too bad.

Years ago HO Racing ah urethanes that fit the factory bracket.

['ol Pinion head]

The later GM front swaybar bushings as well as most aftermarket are wrong. I'm betting these later GM bushings were specced for 9C1 Caprices or later Birds, thus the taller dimension. Nothing a careful trip on a bandsaw won't solve.

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

Nothing a careful trip on a bandsaw won't solve.

Not sure why, but all I can think of now is Beavis and Butthead in wood shop class

[Skip Fix]

Or a boxcutter and hope your finger is out of the way!

[pontiacstogo]

Front bushings and mounts arrived. Fits the bar nicely and the holes line up on the frame.

Not a fan of the non-stock mounts, but I'm not going to let it keep me up at night. I will store the original brackets (front and rear) away in case I ever need to switch back.

[Skip Fix]

Good they fit the frame a lot of aftermarket brackets are too wide.