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6/06/2018 7:18 PM  #1


Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

1967 coupe, small block engine.  So  installing a fat front sway bar - ST suspensions 50040 to be precise.  Don't fit - the bar itself interferes with the struts and the tab at the end bolt to the links at like a 45 degree angle.   Images attached if you're curious, but that's not the main question I'm wondering about.  (in the pictures the car is under weight, but the springs are most likely not fully loaded since the sway bar is probably taking some of the vehicle load directly to the frame)

So contacting ST Suspension, they are starting to imply that I may actually need the 1965-65 sway bar based on WHEN DURING 1967 my car was made.  Did Ford make any changes here during that production year?  And if so, were they significant enough to put things this far out of whack?  I'm not aware of any, but that's not saying a whole lot, I suppose.  I'm trying to get some expert opinion on it so I can call BS on them (if appropriate) early on to save a potential shipment and return cycle if they send me the '66 and it doesn't fit. Cuz, you know, it's not a 66.  To me it just seems they either sent the straight-up wrong part or the part somehow had a missed bend at the bar ends.  







 

6/06/2018 8:25 PM  #2


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

Don't quote me, but the 67 has a wider track width than a 66.   So, while the overall design of the bar might be similar, I think the 67 bar would be wider than the 66 by a couple of inches.

It looks to me that your bar should be bent a little inward from where is now is.  Mine (66) looks just like yours, but has plenty of clearance.


Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
 

6/06/2018 8:29 PM  #3


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

Can't tell from the pictures but do you have it installed correctly left to right?  Does the picture show it at ride height or fully extended.  It is not only the close proximity to the strut rods but the angle at the link is way off.  It appears that if you swapped it left to right it might sort it out.  Either that or they simply supplied the wrong bar.

 

6/06/2018 8:32 PM  #4


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

Don't quote me, but the 67 has a wider track width than a 66.   So, while the overall design of the bar might be similar, I think the 67 bar would be wider than the 66 by a couple of inches.

It looks to me that your bar should be bent a little inward from where is now is.  Mine (66) looks just like yours, but has plenty of clearance.


Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
 

6/06/2018 8:41 PM  #5


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

The early '67 had the long shaft steering box with 1" sector shaft just like the '65/'66. I don't know if that would mean anything else in regards to your problem though.

 

6/06/2018 8:51 PM  #6


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

According to a handy parts catalog, the 66 models have a different part number than the 67's.

Have you tried turning it over? See how it's running flat or slightly down hill toward the control arm. Once it's turned over, that same section will be on an incline toward the control arm and should level out for the end link.
My first thought on how mine should have been installed was wrong. Once I turned it over, everything lined up nicely.


John  -- 67 Mustang Coupe 390 5 speed
 

6/07/2018 4:38 AM  #7


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

This issue I've never heard of, but '67 was a changeover year.  Many parts on '67s are referred to as either "early" or "late".  The pitman arm for example changed from 1" to 1-1/8" shaft.  The fuel lines changed from 1 piece to 2 piece.  So anything's possible.

From what I was able to find the '67 is over 2" wider in track width than the '65-'66 cars.  BUT, I'm not sure how that change was made.  Much of the underlying sheetmetal is the same.  It could be that the control arms were lengthened, or it could have easily been accomplished in the spindles, OR knowing how kooky Ford is; it could have been both at different times.

If they are willing to exchange the bar for the earlier one I'd give that a try and see if it works. 
 

 

6/07/2018 7:39 AM  #8


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

Full disclosure:  long story short, I'm not doing the install on this one.  Not worth getting into the why, it is what it is.  When I saw this and the shop supervisor did, we both asked if it was upside-down.  The tech said they tried it the other way around and the fit didn't work at all due to interference in the middle. In additon, ST suspensiopn has all these images plus a few more showing the overall install and they havn't mentioned that.  Good thought to double check the obvious first, though.  Unlike the time I swapped out a "bad" starter on an Accord only to find the connection between the positive battery cable was shot.  

Thanks all for the insights and confirmation.  I knew the '67 was wider so they could shoe-horn in a larger engine, but that confirms the '66 is suspect for fitting.  I don't see how the 2" difference would work in this.  That's quite a bit.  Sounds like there were some change overs mid year, but they are relatively minor tweaks like you would expect on most any manufacturing line as you start getting more data on the design.  I'd be surprised if they did a retooling that would result in this big of a difference.

As for trying out the '66 if they'll send it:  Honestly, I don;t want to waste my time on it.   The time spent replacing the old one, sending it back, and installing the '66 only to see it not fit and then have to send that back as well... adds up to costing me a lot of hours out of my day as a result of their poor understanding.  Not to mention the calendar time, too.  So if with a little help I can get some background information to prevent one return-test fit-return cycle, I'm all for using it.  

Last edited by Big Tag (6/07/2018 7:49 AM)

     Thread Starter
 

6/07/2018 4:40 PM  #9


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

I've got an Addco on the front of my '67.  Fit like a glove.  Think I'd just send this one back and buy an Addco. 

 

6/07/2018 5:59 PM  #10


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

Did try you lay the new one up against the old one for a comparison? That should tell you volumes.


Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
 

6/11/2018 6:13 PM  #11


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

Ok, so this has now been resolved. An thought you all may want to know the heads up result:   

The short of it :  DO NOT buy ST Suspension!!!  

Their customer service was very nice and tried to be helpful, but at the end of the day their part comes no where close to fitting.  And there is nothing "special" about my set-up that would make a part designed for stock no longer fit.  

I went back to the garage and specifically pulled it out myself and tried it the other way around just to make sure  (in case they just botched it) and they were right - it came no where close the even being able to make the connections at all.  The part measurements they sent me to verify I had the right part all checked out.  So I had the right part.  Putting the new bar next to the old stock one showed the significant differences between the two.  I have no idea how they have "been selling this part for 20 years with no issues" (as they claim).  

Now off to try and see if I can get some kind of extra anything for my lost $ installing it and lost hours sorting it out along with the return.
 

     Thread Starter
 

6/22/2018 6:40 PM  #12


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

The 65-66 bar won’t work. They are full of it.

It looks upside down. Of course it will interfere in the center if the suspension is hanging down. There is a small block bar and a big block bar, only difference being in the middle where it needs to clear the balancer.

Find a different shop. As you said, it is what it is, and it “ain’t right”.


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

6/24/2018 8:52 AM  #13


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

It sure as hell does look upside-down.  But I assure you it is not. Last time I was at the shop I even took it out myself and tried to fit it in both ways to make sure.  The other way around, the mid-points on the arms hit the frame when you try and rotate the ends up.  Come no where close to reaching the links.  Like 8" away.  

The be clear - the issue isn't the shop, the issue is the MANUFACTURER.  ST Suspensions and Bell Tech.  Not only are they the ones who tried to pitch the '65-'66 sway bar to me, but they also tried to use the VIN decode method that started in the '80s to figure out "when" my car was built during 1967!  They also gave me instructions that the installation needed to be done with the suspension under full car load, whereas their written directions with the part said do it with the suspension not under load.  Just a real sh*t show over there. 

See the image for the side-by-side of the stock bar to their bar. You can see the middle geometry is similar.  But once you get past the bushings, things start to change,  You can see immediately why it would interfere with the struts and have that ridiculous angle at the linkages,  





Stay away from ST Suspensions and their parent company Bell Tech (all the people I worked with on this were from Bell Tech)!  
 

Last edited by Big Tag (6/27/2018 8:24 AM)

     Thread Starter
 

6/24/2018 9:21 PM  #14


Re: Suspension design changed DURING YEAR 1967?

That sounds like a legitimate warning with pictures to back it up.  No way that thing will fit!


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

Board footera


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