MGA An Alternate Sway Bar Link for the MGA with MGB Sway Bar [ a repost]

[blueosprey90]

(I posted this elsewhere last summer, but since I have litttle useful to offer, I though I would repost here just in in case someone wants an easy winter project. I hope the links to the photos work. Jeff)



An alternate Sway Bar Link

My car came with an MGB style ¾ inch sway bar, with the MGB 8 inch sway bar links. The sway bar was mounted below the frame extensions and extended rearward in an upward direction and over the steering tie rods. The sway bar was tied to the A-arm pans with the standard 8” MGB links.

I always felt binding as the steering turned towards full lock, but could not identify the source of the problem until I noticed wear in my sway bar link ends.

Bill Spohn has a solution which involves cutting out a piece of the sway bar link and welding the two ends back together, resulting in a short sway bar link about 4 ½ inches long. This shortened link permits the sway bar to sit under the tie rod ends. See Bill’s description on Barney Gaylord’s web site at https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/suspensn/fs103a.htm.


Unfortunately, I do not weld. I could cut the links as Bill suggested and take them in for welding, but I was concerned that the clevis and ball ends of the tie rod are not aligned at 90 degrees. I didn’t know how the alignment might be affected with shortened links. Bill states: “Once length and angle of the clevis has been accurately set up, the joining tube can be MIG welded to the ends …” So the angle of the clevis was a concern.

The rod on the stock 8 inch link has a ½ inch diameter.

I became aware of Heim joints and decided that sway bar links with Heim joints might offer me a solution. But I didn’t want to sacrifice my existing links for this experiment. New links are available through British Victoria at about $25 each. But since I was planning to cut them up, I decided to try to find some used links. I wanted the upper clevis joint end to be in good condition. The ball joints on the bottom would be discarded.

I decided that I wanted female threaded joints for the bottom connector. These are widely available. But as I researched the parts, I decided that a ball joint type rod connector (technically a “spherical rod end with bolt”) would suit the application better.

I ordered two Female Spherical Rod Ends with Nylon Race from Midwest Control Products, www.midwestcontrol.com. These are perhaps not the best rod ends on the market, but they were only $8.22 each. I could have gotten similar rod ends for as much as $35.00 each. Given that this was a bit of an experiment, I went with the cheaper product. If the ball joint loosens up and starts to slap around, I can easily replace with a higher grade rod end.

Although there are many, many sizes available, I decided on female rod ends with a ½”-20 thread. The ball joint type rod end that I purchased also has a bolt with the same ½”-20 thread. This is the same thread pattern on the stock sway bar links.

I then needed to determine if I could find a cutting die to match the tread pattern. I believe there are two kinds of dies, one for cutting new threads and one for rethreading. Make sure you get the type for cutting new threads. In my case, I ordered the die from DrillsandCutters.com.

I ordered a hex shaped die so that I could use a socket wrench to turn it to cut the threads.


I cut the sway bar links with just my Makita sabre saw using a “heavy metal” cutting blade. I was careful to cut all the way through with gentle pressure at the end so as not the bend the rod. I ground the end slightly to remove any burrs and to round off the tip.

For the cutting die, I used my ½ inch ratchet wrench with a ¾” socket. The sway bar link rod steel was pretty soft and was surprisingly easy to cut. I cut about 1 3/8 inches worth of thread so that I had room for the jam nut and so that I could thread the rod end all the way down onto the rod.

I used Bill Spohn’s measurements as a guide. Initially, my links were about 4 ¾ inches long, but they had a slight bind from below with the tie rod end at full steering lock. I reduced the length to 3 7/8 inches measured from center of stud to center of clevis holes. This had 1/2 inch clearance from the steering with the car on the ground.

This is a test fitting.

The fabrication of both links took about 2 hours, but then another hour or so for test fitting. I had to remove the sway bar from the front end extensions and then reinstall in order to get the sway bar ends to line up below the tie rods. I took that opportunity to replace the sway bar bushings on the extensions.


The hardest part about this modification was to muscle the links into place because of tension in the alignment. The tips of the sway bar are wider than the distance between the holes in the pan for the bolts. My pan is reinforced where the links connect.

Between practice, qualifying and races, I’ve run 12 sprints with these shortened links. Although I’ve made sure to check the nuts for tightness, the links have worked great! I noticed no change in how the car rode through the corners. But the steering was much lighter. So I must have had more binding than I realized.


The shortened links were pretty simple to fabricate, so I think this mod is something just about everybody can do with just a few basic tools. I’ve made sure to retighten the bolts. If I ever need to replace the rod ends, I will opt for the more expensive Teflon or PTFE lined joints.

Parts:

Part DWTHSHEX1220 - ½”-20 HSS Hex Die, from DrillsandCutters.com @$17.93, with shipping $25.92.

Part MPF-8S, Female Spherical Rod Ends with Nylon Race from Midwest Control Products, www.midwestcontrol.com @ 8.22 each, total $16.44, not including shipping. These had a ½”-20 female thread in the rod end and a ½”-20 bolt, so it was like a ball joint.

two ½”-20 jam nuts from local auto supply store @ 0.62 each.

two sacrificial MGB style sway bar links. Purchased through the MG Experience buy-sell forum for about $17.00 shipped.


***

Other suppliers of the rod ends: Aurora Bearing Co.; FK Rod Ends; QA1 (www.QA1.net); Radial Bearing Corp; and Viking Performance. They are also available through Pegassus racing.

 

[billspohn]

The alternative way that I did it (see https://www.rhodo.citymax.com/f/Fitting_an_MGB_sway_bar_to_an_MGA.pdf ) has one advantage and one disadvantage over your method, so I'd say it is a draw.

The best way to weld the links is to tack the joining tube (I slide a piece of seamless tubing over the two cut ends and plug weld it through drilled holes as well as around the tubing)to one side, and then fit it alltogether on the car, using a hose clamp as a stop on the unwelded side. You then run the suspension through its travel with no spring in place and ensure that there is no fouling, then tack the other end of the tube to the link at the right angle as fitted, and remove it to do the final weld and grind.

That is a lot of work, and if you don't happen to own a welder, then not within the ability of a home mechanic. I prefer it because there are variations between cars that mean that a set made up for one car may not be a perfect swap to another.

The advantage to your method is that you can do it without all that fitting in much less time. The disadvantage is that you introduce a joint that requires maintenance and is subject to wear. One suggestion I have if you do this is to use the more expensive Teflon lined bearings that have very good service life without routine lubrication.

PS - his are shinier than mine!