DIY SwayBar Fitment to VX LS1 - Possible?

[galahs]

On my VX Series 2 SS I was considering different suspension upgrades, but as I'm getting older I no longer want a bone jarring ride. however I would like the SS not to 'boat' around corners as much.

Therefor i was considering upgrading the front and rear swaybars to Whiteline 30mm front and 18mm rear.

However jumping under my car I realised that the front swaybar replacement isn't going to be an easy task.
Seems I will need to remove or lower the cars k-frame.

I am one to avoid going to mechanics at all costs so I was thinking...


- jack the car up,

- support the engine oil sump on jack stands

- unbolt the k-frame

- lower the car a enough to gain access to remove/replace the swaybar,

- then jack the car back up and bolt back on the k-frame


Thoughts ???


I assume then I would need a wheel alignment.

 

[Killswitch]

You're pretty much correct. I just put a VZ one in my VX to allow for VZ Links.

You can do it with the engine mounts connected, but its a b*tch.

Jack the car up nice and high, put it on stands, take the wieght of the engine with a wooden block under the sump, and another stand. Undo the engine mounts, steering coupling, support K Frame with jack and remove the 4 Kframe bolts. Lower it down just enough to remove sway bar, then put it all back together.

Its not a fun job but is doable.

No need for wheel alignment if you just lower the K Frame.

 

[galahs]

You're pretty much correct. I just put a VZ one in my VX to allow for VZ Links.

You can do it with the engine mounts connected, but its a b*tch.

Jack the car up nice and high, put it on stands, take the wieght of the engine with a wooden block under the sump, and another stand. Undo the engine mounts, steering coupling, support K Frame with jack and remove the 4 Kframe bolts. Lower it down just enough to remove sway bar, then put it all back together.

Its not a fun job but is doable.

No need for wheel alignment if you just lower the K Frame.

Thanks for the reply.

Any other tips that you found made it easier?

How much better was the handing with the VZ setup?

 

[galahs]

Just read this on HSVFORUM. That would be handy if you only have to remove the front of the K-Frame.

I recently fitted a new Whiteline adjustable front 30mm swaybar to my VZ senator and thought this might help those people thinking of doing it them selves but thought it too hard.

Its not too difficult and I did it by myself with one trolley jack and 3 stands.
With 2 people would be a lot easier.
The whole K frame needs to be dropped down as the bar sits on top and also I believe is only needed for the VZ bar as the swing arm on the VZ swaybar has a large droop in it as can be seen in the pic.
The VX/VY bar has an almost flat swingarm and can be manouvred out by only dropping the front of the K frame.
I found it easier to put the front on stands under the chassis behind the front wheels.
Chock the sump with an extra stand and wooden block, I found the screw type stand perfect for this as I was able to adjust the stand until it was taking the weight of the engine.
Remove the nuts holding the engine mounts to the frame.
Undo all the power steer brackets from the front of K frame.
Remove the front castor bush and radius rod from lower control arm.
then remove the swaybar D bracket bolts but leave the upright links conncted to take weight off the K frame.
Disconnect steering gear from shaft
Then undo all 4 K frame bolts and lower the K frame as far as you can ( with 2 people you can easily handle this without a jack).
The frame will only drop as far as the still connected steering rods and lower control arm will allow.
Undo the swaybar to strut links and manouvre the old bar out taking note of where the Power steer line sit in relation to the swaybar.
Instal is basically the reverse just guide the engine mount bolts thru the K frame and make sure when all back together and lined up go back and remove each K fame bolt one at a time use some threadlocker and lots of torque on each bolt.
start with the fronts as they actually locate the frame square to the chassis.
The rears sit in a larger hole and don't locate the frame but help hold it up.
As you can see it also a good time to replace the front castor bush and the rear bush if you so wish as taking the radius rod out makes it a lot easier to drop the K frame.
check everything like engine bay bolts, steering gear connection, pwr steer brackets etc.
Took me about 4hrs taking it slowly so as not to injure myself or break something.

 

[Killswitch]

Thanks for the reply.

Any other tips that you found made it easier?

How much better was the handing with the VZ setup?

Haven't driven it yet but I just wanted the VZ links. Mines only a 6 banga so don't care to much about handling.

I did it with leaving the rear Kframe bolts in but super loose. It can but done but if I did it again I would just drop it out. It takes heaps of pissing around to get it back in. Plus you jam ya fingers heaps lol

 

[chargedvx6]

It's important when re fastening the 4 k frame bolts to hang the 2 rears and fasten the fronts then the 2 rear bolts. This is how it's done from factory and must be done as evenly as possible. Any error in allignment here sets the whole chassis up wron at the front. Will 200% need an allignment after this job. Allignment involves rear wheels also lmao

 

[galahs]

Please kill me!

This has become the hardest , most frustrating job I have ever done.

I started at 3pm and it is now 2am. I am frrezing cold, covered in filth, with bleeding knuckles and feeling defeated.

It took me 4 hours to remove the stock 27mm swaybar, and i still havent been able to get the 30mm whiteline bar in.

I just cant get it to fit between the lowered K-Frame and the chassis rail. Ive been using a prybar but it is still too tight a fit.

Any tips would be gladly appreciated.

 

[Husky]

Please kill me!

This has become the hardest , most frustrating job I have ever done.

I started at 3pm and it is now 2am. I am frrezing cold, covered in filth, with bleeding knuckles and feeling defeated.

It took me 4 hours to remove the stock 27mm swaybar, and i still havent been able to get the 30mm whiteline bar in.

I just cant get it to fit between the lowered K-Frame and the chassis rail. Ive been using a prybar but it is still too tight a fit.

Any tips would be gladly appreciated.

My mechanic charged $100 to fit mine, probably worth while.

 

[Freedon]

engine brace bar helps greatly with these.

 

[dawnbeaver]

Just did it myself on my series 1 VX with ls1 and auto with 30mm Whiteline bar. 6 hours later, wasn't too bad. Tried having the rear bolts loose and the fronts out but was not enough room for me to remove the old bar. Gave up on this, removed one rear bolt and lowered K frame at an angle with the other rear bolt loosely in place, this gave plenty of room. Pay special attention to how the power steering lines run in relation to the bar as if you get it wrong on reassembly you will have to backtrack. I reckon 4 hours if I had to do it again now I know how much the K frame needs to be lowered and how it's important to run the steering lines correctly when manoeuvring the new bar in place. I had just done the rear sway bar with a Whiteline to start with and that gave the car excessive oversteer. Now the front is done as well it feels far, far better than stock even with both front and rear set on minimum. Springs are standard height but 30% stiffer than stock, shocks are Monroe GT. Looking forward to playing with the settings but will get wheel alignment first.