swaybar install question, "don't lift the car" why?

[Keith]

I saw on the instructions for the whiteline bar and it says NOT to lift the car when you install the bar. I was wondering why not, what happens if you do. I think my installer might have lifted the car, and I want to know if there any bad effect that this can cause. Thanks
Keith

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[STi Sev]

I dont understand that?
we lifted my car on sway bar install a long long time ago

[Tarmac RS]

I think the only reason would be at one of the settings you will have a hard time getting the bolt into one of the sets of holes on the adjustable bar if the suspension is hanging all the way down.

You wouldnt have hurt anything by raising the car.

[ColinL]

The swaybar resists the independant operation of the suspension, in fact on Aphex's car with the SPO 21mm bar (comes with metal links) we couldn't reassemble the suspension until we unbolted the swaybar.

If the car is off the ground, the swaybar will be harder to install, trust me.

[8Complex]

If you lift the car, the angle of the suspension arms change and the fork where the endlink fits into is at a different angle then as when it is just sitting there. When you try bolting it up after lifting it, you will notice that one of the bolts is a real pain to get in because the angle has changed too much for a straight shot through. You can, however, lift the car up on one of the platform lifts they use for oil changes so your car is still sitting on it's wheels the whole time.

As a side note, I lifted mine up to install it (cause I was oblivious to the fact at the time) and now my sway bar seems to be preloaded upwards (pushing against the springs) so it was tought to switch endlinks from the MRT ones to the OEM ones (I was borrowing te MRT ones) since the MRT ones were a good 1/4 to 1/2" longer from hole to hole.

I have installed three of four sway bars, all with the car on jackstands. I had NO trouble of any kind lining anything up. It was easy. Even My 21mm SPO bar was easy. Everything lined up great.

josh

[Aphex]

Colin is right, you should have seen the rear suspension DROP after we unbolted the sway bar from the link, you can attatch the sway bar to the frame while in the air, but in order to attatch the sway bar to the end links, it needs to be on the ground.

the best way to do it is to back up on ramps, it's up in the air, but the suspension is up like it's on the ground. (that's how I did my 21mm bar w/ solid end links.)

[boxerman]

I have been told that swaybars are to be installed with absolutely no preload. If you install when the car is in the air, then when you put it back on the ground you probrably will have preloaded one or the other side, because the L/R weight differences.

When this happens the bar has an unequal left and right rate and will act differently when you turn left or right. This differrence may be small, but it is something you do not want. I got this advice from track guys who will drive right up to the edge where slight differences like this might matter.

Tim

Tim

[Dan00RS]

I have seen sway bars installed at the factory (Ford Ohio Truck plant on the Villagers), and when they install them the car is on the carrier and off the ground. I don't understand why the wouldn't have you lift the car. You don't want any preload.

[Keith]

Thanks for the info guys I just wanted to make sure that mine wasnt installed incorrectly..I wouldnt be to happy if that was the case
Keith