ATR rear bar install tips needed

[tim87tr]

OK, I've put one on my other car and it fit without too much hammering it in with stock boxed lowers. My GN apparently has less width between the rear lowers and I'm not able to get the big bar installed. Any special tips or tricks? I'd read once about grinding the bar ears down, but don't really want to do that.

I'm also thinking that aftermarket lowers would work better with the install because of not being quite as thick, giving more width for the ATR bar. My stock boxed arms aren't the best and don't have the anti-crush sleeve inside them either, but then again the aftermarket bars are additional cost.

 

[MaxVO2]

My ATR bar was a pretty tight fit as well. I have stock, but boxed lower control arms and steel spacer reinforcements in the arms themselves.

What I did was hold one side of the bar up with the bolt and nut, and connected it really loose on one arm, then I lifted the other side up to the other arm and slid it in place - it didn't go in from the bottom due to the ledge on the lower arm, so I put it in from the back, and slid it over that ledge on the bottom of the arm. Definitely was not a drop in. I didn't have to grind anything, but it was very tight. Put another longer than stock bolt from Home Depot in to hold it on the other side, and cranked on it a bit so everything lined up better.

I bought all new bolts and washers as the one's that came with the bar weren't the best length for my car. They seemed too short.

I used beer to help get the courage to just push the thing in place. It DID take a lot of beer, and it finally all came together. It was harder than it needed to be.

Hope this helps

Billy
Montgomery Village, MD

 

[tim87tr]

Mission accomplished

Half hour, correct 45 degree angle for ATR bar install, big crowbar and knowing how to use leverage....priceless. Thanks for the motivation. It seems posting does help in times of TR crisis I didn't have any beer but would've drank one now if I did.

 

[turbolc2]

ATR Bar

Anyone have problems installing an ATR rr sway bar with South Side lower control arms?

 

[aminga]

Max,

How long were the bolts you bought.

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

your all binding your suspension up

to make it fit right you'll need a big grinder and shims (fender shims work)

it should just fit between the arms with no prying and no gap

grind it down where its too wide and shim it where its too narrow

last one I did .., which they seem to get worse fitting everytime I install one...I had to grind it down over a 1/4" toward the back of the drivers side and still had to shim the front because their angle on that side was nowhere near close

a little grinding on the pass end but not bad

 

[V6POWER]

I agree with Red's Hot Air. If you force the bar in you will bind your suspension. I had to grind some off my ATR bar to get it to fit correctly.

 

[fullahotair]

i had no issues with putting the atr bar on with southside machine bars. it was pretty simple really.


Nathyn

 

[buickfreak]

Mines fitted right in tight on both Cars, no problems at all on the installation with Hotchkiss and Metco lower arms.