Well the past couple months I've been building up Lab-14 inventory preparing to open an online store. I'm currently working on the part of business I dislike the most because I'm working on a computer for days writing instructions, setting up website with online store, accounting, etc. Today I'm writing instructions. I hate getting products without instructions or crappy ones that at best only give a general clue how something is installed. Can't tell you how many times I've called tech lines with simple questions that should have been answered in the instructions like "whats the torque recommendation for this or that particular fastener?"
So if you guys wouldn't mind, please read the instructions below that are for front sway bar mounting plates that get welded to 2nd gen F body sub frames. I'm trying to make the parts, installation hardware kits, and installation instructions simple and straightforward so that the average DIY guy can feel confident to buy the parts just go ahead and do the job. Any criticism appreciated! If these seem good I'll write the instructions for all the other parts in a similar fashion. I know there's no pic at the end showing the part welded in. I'm going to make installation videos also and will take a pic of a plate after welding during the video and then a pic after paint and sway bar install showing finish hardware etc..
Sway bar bracket install: Figure an evening to do this with minimal equipment, take your time and don't rush. Although I have fancier tools I only used basic cheap tools to do the job in the pics shown below. Other than a welder, the tools are what most DIY guys probably have or should. The step bit, wire wheel, and C clamp are all just Harbor freight stuff and can be purchased cheap.
Tools:
Something to make right angle location marks, square, triangle, piece of paper, whatever
Marker of some type you can see on whatever color your frame is, grease pencil, black marker, chalk, crayon, whatever
3/8" variable speed drill
Step drill bit that can drill hole 1-1/8" or bigger
Wire wheel
Cutting oil, WD-40, or whatever to make drill bit last longer and cut better but you could do this using a dry bit
Metal 6" clamp of almost any type, C clamp, bar clamp or whatever, just no plastic or rubber that welder would melt
Welder, MIG,TIG, Stick, your choice
Before starting, if the frame is out of the car get it up off the floor and weighted down to hold it stable to make the job go smoother and easier. In keeping with the DIY concept I just put the frame used for the demo pics up on crates and 4 X 4's with a couple bags of mulch on it to dampen drilling vibration and keep it from moving around while drilling, welding, etc. Be creative! If you're doing this on a sub frame still in the car, I'm glad I'm not you. I hate welding overhead!
1. Mark the locations of the rivnuts or original threaded holes in the frame in two directions before removing the old rivnuts. Be sure the marks are far enough out of the way so they won't get scuffed off when cleaning the frame for welding. You can use any type of right angle 90 degrees from the inside straight edge of the frame rail to mark the locations. If you don't have a tool for a square, even a piece of paper will work. See pics
2. Drill out the original holes/rivnuts with a step bit. They work well and you won't need to grind, just run the drill slow, use a cutting oil or some type of lube, and don't let the bit get too hot. Drill out the forward hole large enough so it's almost flush with the edge of the frame. Be careful not to hurt your wrist as the drill bit catches a bit each time it get to the end of a "step".
3. Clean (wire wheel, right angle tool with sanding disc, or whatever) areas to be welded to shiny bare metal, including the edge of the plate.
4. Install the threaded studs (included in the plate kit) into the threaded holes of one plate to act as a heat sink and keep weld splatter from getting in the threaded holes while welding. They only need to be threaded in far enough to just go through the nut and will leave over an inch sticking out. Thread a nut on each stud about half way on. see pic with C clamp
5. Clamp the plate in place on frame with C clamp using the marks you made in the beginning as a guide. HINT: If you move the plates (both sides) so the new forward holes are slightly forward of where the original ones (going by the marks you already made) were you'll get a little extra clearance for the gap between the sway bar and Idler arm. That gap gets very tight when using the fatter modern Afco idler arms with fat sway bars. Moving the plates so that the forward holes are 1/8" - 3/16" forward of where the original holes were won't affect performance of the sway bar.
Because the Lab-14 plates have the holes slightly farther apart than the originals were to make modern fat sway bar installation easier the rear hole may be even or slightly rearward of the original rear hole even with the plates pushed forward to move the front hole forward. This is fine, the sway bar bushing brackets all use slotted holes and when the sway bar is installed during final assembly push it forward so you have the most sway bar to idler arm clearance.
Plate should be set up with studs & nuts as shown in the pic below before welding.
6. Weld plate to frame, remove clamp, plug weld the middle hole if you have later 2nd gen F body frame. No plug weld hole on the early style 2nd gen frame sway bar plates.
7. When cool remove threaded studs. You may need to use the two nuts provided to lock together for stud removal if a little too much heat warped the nuts welded to the back of the plate slightly. Proceed to other frame horn and repeat.
8. TEST FIT & MOCK UP: Thread in Allen socket head cap screws for peace of mind and If you want to you can mock up the clamps for the sway bar bushings and use the clipped washers to check fit. Once you're happy with the mock up put the Allen head bolts and clipped washers in the zip lock bag and tape them to one of your sway bar brackets so you don't loose them before final assembly.
9. When the sway bar is installed during final assembly push the sway bar forward before snugging up the bolts then torque the Allen head bolts to 30 lb. ft.