PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: Rob3865 on March 15, 2017, 12:35:31 PM
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Does anyone have a source for rear sway bar links for the Bobcat/Pinto? I have easily found the mount bushings and brackets new, but the rear link kits elude me. I can get the front links new and may try to use those, but they are different and I wanted to use the correct parts. Thanks.
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Try http://www.mustangii.net/forums/default.asp It would really help if we knew what brand the rear sway bar is. Can't tell who the actors are without a program. If its a Mustang II bar, those links that go from the bar to the sub frame, haven't been around for 10 years or more. You can try http://www.mustangiitech.net has a tech on how to build them, BUT that site is down right now.
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It's a Ford Mustang II factory part. I have the old ones, so I may simply rebuild those with new bushings, or I am sure I can make the front ones work. They are very close.
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I had planned on taking pics and doing a how to on the link rebuild, but there seems to be a lack of interest.
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Very few people I know of use the Mustang II rear bar. When someone puts a rear bar on a Pinto, its to make the car handle better for road racing / autocross. ADCO rear bars are a better choice for a canyon carver. In this case, its really lipstick on a pig due to the fact a V-8 Pinto will never be a car that handles except in a straight line. A rear bar will usually make a Pinto tail happy and that's the one thing a V-8 Pinto doesn't need. Most people I have talked to don't run any bars on the front or rear of a V-8 Pinto and drive them with an egg on the gas peddle.
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Then I will build my pig myself, my way and share nothing here.
Thanks and adios.
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Your the one that ask for our help. Sorry you didn't like the answer. Lipstick on a pig is a saying old as time and is only used here to state that this mod is a waist of time and will only make your car handle worse. My answer is only just that, my answer. It doesn't reflect the membership or the web site's feeling on this mod. It is just what I alone think on this matter. The sway bar link mfg has been shown several times on the various Mustang II sites. I told you that on my first post and I though that was enough. Sorry it wasn't enough info for you. Please do not leave our site because of one old mans rambling on the subject.
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I too thought the departure was a bit abrupt. Especially since other Pinto's (with better weight balance) might benefit from a sway bar link improvement.
Wanted to say it seems the Mustang II site is back up. So anything to be gained on this subject over there is now accessible. The link is listed on these pages near the top in the left side bar.
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Hang in there Dick. You're a great guy with a lifetime's collection of FREE information and help. Hopefully, Rob will realize that you weren't trying to diss him and rejoin the herd.
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Jack! I guess he didn't like pig and V-8 Pinto in the same sentence . I think after 100+ tech tips with out a complaint, I'll get over this one. Back to Mustang II sway bars, back in the 70"s, the export front bar sold in Canada and available at US of A Ford dealers is a nice 1 inch bar and the only one I've seen that's formed to clear the V-8 Pinto oil pan. There may be others but I've never seen them. The rear bar is a different story though. Although nicely formed and mounted, it is really small in diameter at about 9/16". Will work so-so on a street Pinto. Better yet is the ADCO rear bar in either 3/4" dia for street or 7/8" dia for road racing or autocross. Only problem with the ADCO bar is it's upper mount is to the floor board under the rear seat. Little week there, but easily fixed with a steel plate of 8"square or so and 1/8"thick. This will give the upper mount a little more support in this area. I never cracked the floor board on my 80 Pinto racer but I did on my 72 Pinto racer. I'm sure it was because the 72 was on slicks which gave it more speed through the turns which placed more load on the floor boards. Easy fix. And remember that this is what I would do. What you do is up to you and only you. And Jack, thank you for the nice words.
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Jack! I guess he didn't like pig and V-8 Pinto in the same sentence . I think after 100+ tech tips with out a complaint, I'll get over this one. Back to Mustang II sway bars, back in the 70"s, the export front bar sold in Canada and available at US of A Ford dealers is a nice 1 inch bar and the only one I've seen that's formed to clear the V-8 Pinto oil pan. There may be others but I've never seen them. The rear bar is a different story though. Although nicely formed and mounted, it is really small in diameter at about 9/16". Will work so-so on a street Pinto. Better yet is the ADCO rear bar in either 3/4" dia for street or 7/8" dia for road racing or autocross. Only problem with the ADCO bar is it's upper mount is to the floor board under the rear seat. Little week there, but easily fixed with a steel plate of 8"square or so and 1/8"thick. This will give the upper mount a little more support in this area. I never cracked the floor board on my 80 Pinto racer but I did on my 72 Pinto racer. I'm sure it was because the 72 was on slicks which gave it more speed through the turns which placed more load on the floor boards. Easy fix. And remember that this is what I would do. What you do is up to you and only you. And Jack, thank you for the nice words.
Dick, No worries mate! Back in the 80's we had a creative guy that had really great fab support, and built a Datsun 510 with a 215 GM aluminum v8 for Street/solo2 use. The car was a serious $$ expenditure, and even with the engine under the cowling, it was too much motor in a short wheelbase. Box fenders and 15X10 tire/wheel on all 4 ends couldn't help that ride stay on apex, so there is a limit to this wondercar.
Pintosopher, Dermally infused with extra collagen in the Ego, Botox couldn't help these wrinkles ;)
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I remember the car very well. Wonder where it is today? I'm on the Ratsun (Datsun) web site ever day and not a word about it. With todays tech and tires it might work now. There is some outstanding well built 510's on that site. More Datsun people in the land of fruit and nuts than Pinto people in the entire US of A. 3 full pages every day of new post. Pictures of cars, trucks, planes, bikes, engines, rv's, etc,etc. A real treasure trove. The pictures are worth belonging to the site. Don't need a Datsun to enjoy the pictures.
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No problem Dick, much deserved.
For anyone interested, I put the Addco 345 (rear 7/8") and Addco 184 ( front 1") on my 75 Pinto. The 184 is no longer offered on Summit, they have the 875 for the front now. Both kits were a real hassle to get to fit. In back the chassis mount brackets didn't fit, and new had to be fabbed. I also did the chassis 1/8", 4"x4" steel reinforcement chassis plate you recommended Dick. Every bracket in the front kit didn't fit and the end links were basically twice as long as they should have been. New steel angles had to be purchased and fabbed. The 875 kit Summit now offers is just the same front bar, with only bushings and bushing brackets. The Addco 184 kit used to come up on Summit under 1975 Ford Pinto, chassis and suspension, Addco, prompts, with the 345 kit. In the end, the bars themselves fit well and have done a great job of improving the cars handling.
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Strange! My 1" front bar fit like it was custom made for me. I used heim joints for the front links because the stock inverted T links tend to break. Never tighten the bolt that passes through the T link. Snug it up and double nut it so the bolt doesn't put the T link in a bind, If its over tighten, it will break sooner or later. I plan on using heim joints on the rear bar too. Have you though about a panhard bar in the rear? Racer Walsh used to sell one in the early 70's. Real easy to make one yourself with scrap material (old Vega's) and a couple heim joints. BTW Addco says the use of polly bushings on the frame mount and the end links will add 10% stiffness to the bar.