My new 1" Addco front sway bar is having clearance issues with drivers side shock. It touches and rubs. The passenger side clears, but only by about 1/8" . I am using oem end links.
So I’m wondering if the bar just isn’t centered perfectly…do i need to loosen poly mounts? (Ugh, subframe is back) Plus I’m thinking of rounding the hard corners at end links, which would also help clear shock.
I have the Addco bar with stock links, and no clearance issues. Take a picture of the issue and post it. Get both the attachment points on the chassis and the links in the picture if you can.
Edit: well I partially take that back. I have evidence of a very slight rub on the drivers side shock. While the sway bar appears to be centered in the brackets, on the passenger side, the link is tilted slightly toward the outside of the car, and the drivers side link is tilted slightly inboard. I see two possible solutions: slide the bar slightly in its mounts towards the drivers side, and/or slot the mounting brackets so the bar can move slightly forward in its mount. I can get to the bolts with the subframe in place, and it appears I can get the brackets off.
I should be able to slide the bar in its polyurethane bushings twards the drivers side if I disconnect the links. Keeping it there might require a clamp or collar around the bar at the mount bushings.
Interesting that you and I have similar issue. I am going to take a look today and see what I can do. I was using the OEM links, are you?
Yes, OEM links. I’m going to see if I can get the bar moved to the drivers side a bit, and retain it with collars on the inboard side of the mounts to the body with collars like these.
I loosened up mounting brackets, was able to slide bar forward a tad, and centered bar.
There still is a rub on the shock on driver’s side.
Oem bar is rounded at ends, I wish Addco did the same. I am going to try and round the edges with bar in car. Will take shocks out for more work room. I hope a little mobile grinder attachment will do the trick, thats some heavy steel.
Another solution, the bracket is hitting the frame where subframe bushings go. I ‘may’ have more forward movement if I trim corner off brackets, but I’ll need to remove for that.
This is the one issue with aftermarket, they never fit perfectly. ;(
I will be borrowing a small angle grinder from friend next week, simply taking 1/8" corner off should work. Anyone who buys Addco, I would do this before installing!
I may also try end links supplied by Addco, they’re actually a bit shorter, so may add even more clearance.
Those rubber bushings with the tapered ends are probably better, regardless which end links you use them with.
Thanks Greg for posting this, as I have a bar due to go on soon.
I’ll round the ends. You saved me lots of aggrevation!
Rob
Also clip outer/front corner of bushing brackets, I’m also going to do that. I may be able to move bar forward 1/8" more. My brackets have elongated holes, but the corners butt up against frame, so can’t move forward enough.
I elongated the holes in my drivers side bracket today and moved the drivers side forward after also trimming some of the bracket corner. I gained clearance, but I still have a lot more clearance on the passengers side than the drivers. I don’t know why. I may still trim the corner of the sway bar to gain a little more.
I also have more clearance on passenger side. Don’t know if this is Jaguar suspension, or imprecision by Addco. (I would assume the latter)
I will be taking mini angle grinder to mine…let the sparks fly.
I also emailed Addco…“please round off the edges”
I managed to remove left bracket and trim the corner a bit so it didn’t hit frame, but all it gained me was probably 1mm moving bar forward. My bolts are as far in the slots as they can, and there’s no room to bore out more.
I will have to round edges of sway bar.
I should also point out, I’m running Gaz shocks which tend to be a little fatter. The Gaz diameter is 5mm more than Bilsteins.
Wow GAZ spared no expense Greg. Is your plan to play with the ride height. Are you still running the standard size wheel , tire combination?
I am still running my 15" starfish wheels, but went down from 70 to 60 series tires. Because of the extra wheel well gap, I put in Eibach springs which are supposed to lower car by 1". I still used two spacers at top of springs like OEMs. It appears to have lowered car about 1/2", but as we know it takes a bit of driving to settle. If it settles 1/2" more, then it will be exactly where I want. Still some gap above tire, but not a lot. If for some reason it stays where it’s at now, I can always remove one spacer in the future.
FWIW, Bilsteins DO change height of car. The rear actually went down 1/2". And the front went up 1/2". I have since removed front Bilsteins, but left them in the rear. That’s why I don’t have to also lower rear end right now.
What I like about the GAZ shocks, at their lowest setting, I still get a nice ride (not as soft as stock Boge, but close enough) I ride at about only 3 clicks +. Anything more is a bit harsh, but at least I have that if I ever decide to race? 
I can see if I put in Bilstein or Boge shocks, I wouldn’t have these clearance issues with the sway bar, but it would still be too close for comfort, imo. Everybody, round off those edges!
That’s where I have mine set as well.
I’m probably late to this post, but did you also add a
Sway bar (anti roll ) to the rear? Apparently can affect
Understeer/ oversteer handling of the car. Can’t remember which one?
Thinking of adding a bar to my car as well…
Te he ! Now you’re talking! When’s the bar open Bob?
Good opportunity to scope out that 5-Speed install, see
If that installer guy really knew what he was doing!
No, I probably won’t be adding a rear bar for a while, as I need to either weld connection onto rear subframe bushing brackets, or buy older model brackets that already have a connection and swap the bushings. Either way, a big process.
With an increased front sway bar, overall the car will understeer more. It will at least help reduce body roll in the front, which we all know is quite bad on the heavy XJ-S. I’ll probably put a smaller rear sway bar on, only because I’d rather have a bit more understeer than oversteer on a rear wheel drive car. (Especially living in the NW, where we get a lot of wet roads!)
Only reason I went ahead was because subframe was off, and so it was dead easy to swap. Of course, the clearance issue is making it a bit more difficult.
You’ve done a lot of front end work. I’m curious to hear your thoughts about how it drives. I’m always nervous about some
Improvements as I don’t want to screw up the famous Jaguar
Ride. I don’t want it to ride like a buckboard but I think you
Are on the right path for all you’re upgrades.
I’ll probably just stick with the sportpak sway-bar and KYB’s
Dampers, which should be somewhat of an improvement
Over the original Boges.
