just a tip (whiteline and ptp)

[rip]

I just got my whiteline sway bar, and i'm mostly happy with the purchase, except for one thing, the mounts.

For those that know these kits come with a u bolt and some plates. This can be seen in the gallery and in one of the articles. With these plates it has been advised for users to somtimes weld the u bolt to the bottom bar, i really didn't like this idea.

I don't like this idea for the reason that what if you strip the u bolt, it will be a pain to replace. Also if you get another beam you'll have to replace these parts. Not too mention for those without a welder at home it my not be practical.

Instead I've come up with the idea to use a bracket, a VW stock part with some modifications. I took the plate/bracket that hold the steering box to the beam and used it to center and provide a solid surface for the plates to rest on.

I was able to pick up the steering box brackets up at a junk yard. This is the piece that looks C with two bolts that ride through it, into the steering box itself.

I then cut/grinded down the back face of it so it is flat, this was not the curved peice that fits against the beam, that would defeat the purpose. Rather it is the side that has a slight contour.

Using this now flat side you can drill out the holes in the bracket slightly larger as they are not large enough for the u bolt to fit through. I think I used a 1/2" drill bit. Now you can assemble the mounts but now use this peice between the beam and the first plate. This gives you a larger surface of contact, the plates just touched the beam at one point, but these intermidiate brackets will have contact along that curved piece side. And the flat plates will have the full support of the bracket as you have just grinded it flat.

Now because of the larger surface against the beam the thing won't move. I wish I could take a few pics to help illustrate this better. But I think you'll get it.

Made be i'll barrow the camera at work

[rip]

so the arrow points to the piece i'm talking about and the line is where it needs to be flat.

[rip]

or easier yet use a muffler clamp

jeez summit sells these for a few bucks and they're stainless, don't know about the fit or anything but same idea, and less work.