1 5/16" Diameter Front Sway Bars--Which Cars Have Them?

[mikedunbar]

Hello, everyone.

 

I'm re-doing my subrame. I've got it in primer, ready to paint in an hour or two.

 

So I went to put on my new sway bar bushings, for my 1 1/8 in stock sway bar. But underneath the old ones there was so much rust that I've got barely an inch of metal left. I'll get the smaller, one inch diameter bushings for now, but I want to know which cars to look under at the junk yard, to find the big one, the 21/16 diameter. I know it exists, because they make bushings for it. Anybody know where?

[94 olds vert]

FE3 W-body cars should have a ~33mm bar inner and a ~24mm bar outer. Any DOHC powered car would have it.

 

Are you doing the poly sway bar bushings?

[mikedunbar]

I'm going to wait on the poly bushings until I find the larger sway bar. 1 5/16 is about 33 mm, so that must be the one. Thanks. I wonder why I have the 1 1/8 (28mm) bar? My vin decoder tells me I have FE3 suspension...(

FE3 SUSPENSION SYSTEM,SPORT SPORT SUSP(FE3)

). Maybe someone has switched subframes and engines on me. I'll have to check the engine number and make sure it matches the VIN.

[jman093]

I'm going to wait on the poly bushings until I find the larger sway bar. 1 5/16 is about 33 mm, so that must be the one. Thanks. I wonder why I have the 1 1/8 (28mm) bar? My vin decoder tells me I have FE3 suspension...(

FE3 SUSPENSION SYSTEM,SPORT SPORT SUSP(FE3)

). Maybe someone has switched subframes and engines on me. I'll have to check the engine number and make sure it matches the VIN.

 

I'm guessing Buicks are likely a little softer, even in FE3 trim. Even though that will be dead simple to find in a salvage yard, I'm not sure I'd waste the time. It will change essentially nothing, and may not help at all even if it did. The rear is where these cars need roll stiffness. Get an addco rear sway bar.

[GnatGoSplat]

I thought only DOHC cars have the 34mm bar. My 2.8L Cutlass was FE3 as well and had the smaller one.

[pshojo]

I might have one. Do you know where the measurement should be taken from? It looks like the bar changes diameter all over the place.

[jman093]

I thought only DOHC cars have the 34mm bar. My 2.8L Cutlass was FE3 as well and had the smaller one.

 

I don't know which got the big bar, but I know it was more than LQ1's. My brother's 3100 GP SE coupe has the same big bar as my LQ1. I just put some poly bushings on it. I reordered the same ES part number as when I did my GTP.

 

I might have one. Do you know where the measurement should be taken from? It looks like the bar changes diameter all over the place.

 

Yeah, it necks down out over the control arm. It's measured there in the main part of the bar where it's thickest.

[mikedunbar]

Wow, you guys are great. I really would like to have the biggest one that will fit. And on further study of the bushings available, it seems like there is a 1 7/16 (36.5mm) bar out there somewhere. I definitely will add the rear sway bar, and the rear tower brace too. Meanwhile, I heated up the rusted part of the bar, just a little, and melted the smaller bushings, the one inch, to fit snugly right to it. All the subframe bushings were just delivered, so the Buick should ride again tomorrow!

 

Thanks for your replies, you're all most helpful. PM me if you have one of the bigger bars you want to sell, or swap...

 

[pshojo]

Ok, did some measuring both my cutlass Dohc has 36mm bars. I do have spare, but it measures 33mm . I'm going to start taking my caliper in junk yard. There is one in Dohc cutlass there ,

[mikedunbar]

Friday night Connecticut--

 

I've got the Buick all together again, and the ride seems more assured, crisper, with the new bushings. I'm still on the lookout for the 36.5 mm front sway bar, buying measuring calipers soon at HF. And I have already about a half-inch rear sway bar (16mm?) The aftermarket ones are not much larger. Maybe I'll just take it apart, new rubber bits and some paint, and some tubular arms that are so cheap, and see how it goes?

 

What do you think? Is it worth finding an even bigger rear sway bar, too?

 

probably yes, why not.

[GOT2B GM]

All LQ1 cars got the 34mm FE3 bar

All 94+ B4U cars also got the 34mm FE3 bar

[RobertISaar]

if you want a larger rear sway bar, the 1.5 cars are the place to go. the 95-96 Z34 is the top bar IIRC.

[pshojo]

I have two rear sway bars. Both from monte, I would offer one of mine, been sandblasted and painted. Don't know if you'd be able to find I e cheaper in your area?

[mikedunbar]

I have two rear sway bars. Both from monte, I would offer one of mine, been sandblasted and painted. Don't know if you'd be able to find I e cheaper in your area?

 

That's very generous, pshojo. They are hard to find around here, but I can't imagine it being cheap enough to ship to the east coast for less than the forty bucks I'd pay around here. Thanks, though.

 

the stock Buick ration between the diameter of the front and rear sway bar is a simple two to one, so if I can find a 36.5 mm front bar, I'll need also to find an 18.25 rear bar. These are I think measured in inches, so it's 1 5/16 front and 21/32 rear. or more probably 11/16. And I wouldn't mind tryiing one a trifle larger on the rear, just to make it more interesting.

 

Next project is to fix the left rear subframe bolt hole. I am afraid I stripped it trying to torque it all the way to 103. I'm hoping I can get a long drill bit and helicoil into the hole. I don't feel like dropping the whole subframe again, although at least now it's inside and dry.

 

 

 

And then to replace the filler tube and gas tank, as well as the rear end bushings and some rust removal and hiding.

 

Not tonight, though.