46 Ford Sway bar advise needed

[46kustom]

Attachment 181512Hi All,
I'm looking for a little advise on my 46 Ford, I have noticed that the front sway bar dog-bone links are touching and have dented my shocks, it has tube shocks fitted that mount off the perch, as does the lower link of the dog bone (the top of the perch has 2 eyelets) has anyone else had this problem, and how did you get over it?
Many thanks
Dean

[46kustom]

Pics added...any ideas guys?

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by 46kustom

Pics added...any ideas guys?

I have attached photos of the 1940 Ford sway bar. Notice the bottom shock mount is positioned behind and offset inward away from the sway bar for clearance. I realize your 46 set up is not the same design, but perhaps this might generate some ideas.

If you fabricated another eyelet and welded it to and behind the current shock mount eyelet, the shock would then be moved towards the rear of the car.
Is there a limit to the maximum movement of the sway bar?


Here's a better idea. Remove both the shock and the shock mounting stud /bolt that passes through the second eyelet. Replace the original shock mount stud with one that is longer and thereby allows the shock bottom to be relocated inward towards the inner fender panel. A hollow steel sleeve, spacer or washers would keep the shock bottom from moving on the new shock bolt. The new longer shock bolt could be made from a grade 8 or grade 5 bolt on a lathe quite easily. The spacer could also be made of nylon, Delrin or even an old skateboard wheel.

[Old Henry]

Your shock is attached in the wrong place on the bottom end. You have it attached to the connection for the old style lever shock. The tube shock is attached at the end of the axle thus:

[19Fordy]

Old Henry. Well done.

[johnny]

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There are many different after market conversons for tube shocks the first examples are the after market type where the lower end of the shock fastens to the axle bolt . .The front axles were not punched with the shock hole in the axle to some time in 47 ,Old Henry you have the axle with the hole to mount the shock but your upper bracket appears to be non Ford .Notice also that your inner panel has a large inward dish in it to make room for the upper end of the shock.cars before the tube shocks had a different inner panel and double horn mounted to the inner side of the inner panel you also likely have a different horn setup.of separate horns in front of the rad. When the axle is not punched to take the shock it was common to fasten the lower end of the shock to the axle bolt as was shown. more important to all the designs in my view is the excesive angle of the mounts .when both wheels move up or down at the same time how can the shocks possible also move smoothly in and out with out binding. all for now Johnny.

[Old Henry]

Here's the diagram from the green bible of the shock mounts. The front one looks to me like the one on my car.

[Teich]

Now this is after two trips to the shop to look! First 46kustom your sway bar links should be pointing down, my car 1948 they point down, car came with lever shocks, I changed to the Ford style that Henry has (had to add mounting pin to the axle). The shock kit on 46kustoms car is an after market set and mounts properly just has to change sway bar around. The shocks mounted at the angle front or rear help with sway or side ways rocking of the car. Laurie

[Old Henry]

I think Teich may well be correct. As I look at 46kustom's upper shock mount, it looks like it's higher than mine such that, if the bottom of the shock was attached to the axle like mine is, it may not even reach much less work right. So, the solution may well be to change the mounting of the sway bar to hang below the mount rather than be above it as Teich suggests. (Certainly would be easier if it works.)

I'll be interested to see what the true solution turns out to be.

Keep us posted.

[46kustom]

Thanks alot for your input fellas, much appreciated. I found a picture of the sway bar mounted below as Teich suggests and this may be the solution, however with the current dog-bone links, I dont think there's enough clearance unless very short dog-bone links are available?....my other thought was to cut, and shorten the sway bar (is that a viable idea??)
Thanks again guys

[Old Henry]

In your first picture I see a bolt head on your axle near the king pins that looks to be in about the position the bottom end of my shock is connected. Is that a bolt that goes clear through the axle where you could mount the bottom end of the shock?

[19Fordy]

Not sure what type of steel is used to make that sway bar. If it's mild steel, you could cut and "V" butt weld it. Then weld a sleeve over the joint.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

In your first picture I see a bolt head on your axle near the king pins that looks to be in about the position the bottom end of my shock is connected. Is that a bolt that goes clear through the axle where you could mount the bottom end of the shock?

That's the king pin lock-bolt, which could be more-easily seen on your axle if not covered in grimy yuk. DD

[Cecil/WV]

This is what's on my '40 pickup. I took it off a '40 Merc.

[Mart]

Hi Deano.

Would it be possible to bolt a short piece of fairly substantial steel to the existing two holes and just move the bottom of the shock back a couple of inches?

Maybe 1/4 angle, trimmed to shape and countersunk to allow the sway bar link to still be attached.

Just thinking out loud.

Mart.

[19Fordy]

Mart, that's a great idea.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by 46kustom

Thanks alot for your input fellas, much appreciated. I found a picture of the sway bar mounted below as Teich suggests and this may be the solution, however with the current dog-bone links, I dont think there's enough clearance unless very short dog-bone links are available?....my other thought was to cut, and shorten the sway bar (is that a viable idea??)
Thanks again guys

I just measured the distance between the center of the bolts that the dog attaches to (2¼") and the room for such below if you just flipped over the dog bone and, as far as I can tell and calculate, it would fit and work just fine. No cutting, no drilling, no welding, no fabricating anything. Certainly worth a try before doing something more drastic.

[46kustom]

Hi Mart, that sounds like an interesting idea...you dont think it could over-stress the holes in the perch? (just thinkin'..I'm no engineer)

Thanks for taking the time Old Henry, my dog bone links measure 2.5" between the bolts, perhaps if I get some shorter links, flipping the bar below could be the answer.

Many thanks again to all for giving your thoughts, time and ideas

[flathead48]

I have a 48 with the same bracket as yours, my sway bar hangs down under the mount and everything works great. Good luck

[Automotive Stud]

I just took a look under my car and it's the same setup as 46kustom's. I never noticed my driver's side shock has the paint just worn off of it from touching, but no dent that I can feel. Passenger side didn't even have that. My car has been on the road 10 years now, and I think the front's were converted to tube shocks before that.