Rear Swaybar Problem

[Lorenz]

Hey guys,

Been fitting my newly acquired Neuspeed rear swaybar and after alot of cursing and swearing, I have managed to get most of it all fitted up.

I have come across a slight problem though, I cant get the right hand side lower strut bolt through as it is longer than the original one and the fuel tank is in the way. The new one (supplied) is longer as it has to allow the sway bar link (figure of 8 part) to bolt onto it aswell. The pics will explain slightly better.

This is how the left side came out once done:


This is on the right side and as you can see it is a PITA to get in straight past the fuel tank


Can anyone suggest any thing I can do to get it in, without pulling the tank out? Have tried a hammer but alas no luck

Lorenz

[DUB 20V]

you need to take to other side bolt out and put the fuel tank bolt in first, cause you will be able to pull the rear cross member down.

[Lorenz]

I did think of that, and the cross member will come down, but the shock (coilover) wont come down any further. I guess another option would be to remove the strut, bolt the lower section in then do the top up last?

[Peter Jones]

Undo the shock TOP mounts and the whole lot will drop down.

Pete

[Lorenz]

Thanks Pete, I was thinking that when I posted the last post, guess its the only other way!

The instructions supplied suck ass and I couldnt find a single DIY on Vortex (but plenty of threads asking for one!). Will get it done tonight/tomorrow

[Mrk_Mickey]

Good luck man, I wanna hear how much difference it makes when you're done!

[Tim]

Your fuel tank is made of plastic. Put a jack under it and squish it up a bit just whilst youre putting the bolt in. So long as you dont touch it with a sharp edge there is virtually no chance of damaging the tank. Dont ask my how I know it works that doing it that way
Alternatively there isnt a whole lot holding the tank on either. you could always drop it

[Lorenz]

Might have a go at pushing the tank in a bit first, but not dropping it, too much of a head fcuk. Alternatively I will under the strut top and drop the strut down.

[Lorenz]

Thanks for the help guys, all fixed up and working now Ended up dropping the strut and pulling the cross member down and attaching it that way, much easier

Man what a huge improvement it has made, got it set on medium right now, might drop it down to the soft setting till I take it out on track, car can get a bit oversteery in some corners and last thing I wanna do it spin out around the hills in the wet!!

[Dub_Star_V6]

What size is that bar Lorenz, as I've been talking to Ian from Rennenhaus about a handling package for the Bora(t).

[Lorenz]

Its a 25mm sway bar and after a few days of drivng around it is bloody awsome. Reduced soo much body roll and tightened up the rear end heaps. Best sus mod so far

[h100vw]

Lucky we live in the driest state etc. Stiff roll bars make a car real twitchy in the damp. My MK1 GTI was slower in the wet because of it. No weight transfer onto the outside wheels so no increase in grip.

Awesome in the dry though.

Gavin

[Dub_Star_V6]

Is the OEM bar 17 or 18mm?

Just trying to work out if upgrading to 22mm will be enough, as 17>22mm is already 180% stiffer than stock.

25mm is almost 400%!

[rayray086]

Stock Mk3s don't have any rear sway bar at all, just the front.

I don't know if you can count the beam as a sway bar...

[Dub_Star_V6]

Oops...

Perhaps I should have specified I was talking about a MkIV Golf/Bora.

Nonetheless, it's all about body control and weight transfer. So I can only assume that going from no bar to 25mm would be an even more marked difference than upgrading from a smaller OEM bar.