Bigger sway bars.

[quattro@rogerswave.ca]

I know many of you have asked the question of where to get a thicker 
sway bar for your 4kq.
The stock size is around 24mm and from experience (see the picture on 
my web page) I was not happy with it.  Even adding a rear 20mm sway 
bar did not help things (gave me lovley power slides though).
I took the stock sway bar to the local junkyard to see if there is a 
car with a simularly dimentioned bar only thicker.
Guess what?  The closest design to the quattros was the front sway bar 
on a 1982-91 Camaro/Firebird.  For a fee of only $25 I was able to 
take it home complete with bushings/brackets and bushings/links.
I had a subframe with control arms that I keep just for emergiencies 
so it was easy to see how things are going to fit without spending 
any time under the car.  The bar is 35mm in diameter and it is 
hollow.
I had to remove a 2" piece from each end of the bar as close to the 
link mounting as possible to reduce the stress and reweld.
I used the stock control arm bushing but with the Camaro link and 
Camaro sway bar link bushing.  The Camaro bar brackets and bushings 
bolted up (after redrilling) to the 1986 4k subframe (with the two 
instead of single bolt bracket).
Since the 4kq is still in the paint shop I installed the subframe 
(the 4kq has a different subframe with the two tranny mounts) in 
the '82 Coupe just to see how it works.
I must say I should find something to install for the back sway bar 
'couse the front end  pushes wide now.  Does not sway though, 
not even a bit.
I don't worry about the 4kq becouse I can install another one at the 
back (might even try to go bigger this was not the performance 
packege suspension bar). 
I know lots of you will not approve of a GM part on your Audi, than 
again the price of an aftermarket sway bar may change your mind. 
Martin Pajak
quattro@rogerswave.ca
www.geocities.com/MotorCity/5939

1982 Coupe (438,000 km)
1984 4000s quattro (320,000 km under the wrench)
1970 Porsche 911E Targa (also under the wrench)

Who put my tools in the dishwasher?