Bent sway bar??

[andyd]

Hi guys,

A posting from the other side of the atlantic. Forgive me if the terminology is a bit wrong in places! I have owned VIN 814 for about 6 weeks and have done 1000 miles before looking into the terrible handling, tyre (tire?!) scrubbing, and steering judder under braking.

I have stipped out the front suspension to replace wheel bearings and lower ball joints. All ok there now.

But I noticed that on full left steering lock the RH tie rod end contacts the sway bar just before lock is reached. On full right lock, the LH tie rod end has about 5mm clearance.

I think the sway bar may be bent. Eyeballing it, it looks like the RH side is slightly bent. Have any of you guys ever encountered this??

I know it has had a front end impact at some point, and it has a later bonnet fitted. All rubbers appear good (nearly new), and it has had the usual upgrades. Mileage is 77,000, imported from your side of the water about a year ago.

Thanks all, best wishes,

Andy

[WelmoedJ]

As you mention your car had a collision, it may well be a bad repair.
Since you're in England, you may want to contact Martin at delorean.co.uk.
He did a write up on checking the correct alignments for your car.

If the frame, front extension or suspension mounts is bent, the measurement from front right suspension to rear left suspension could be different from that from left front suspension to right rear suspension (globally measuring alike positions like the ball joint - front - and lower shock mount -rear).
That should give you a rough idea.

[andyd]

Thanks

Will look at getting the dimensions to check... Do you know, are they on here??

Best

andy

[WelmoedJ]

Thanks

Will look at getting the dimensions to check... Do you know, are they on here??

Best

andy

Not sure, they have been at the "old" DMCTalk in some thread.
I have inserted the documents and pics I have:
One is about wheel alignment (PDF), the others are about rear wheel thrust line.

Hope this is helpful, even if you decide to go for it by yourself first.
Success.


336533663367

[andyd]

OK, thanks for that.

Any other input much appreciated

Andy

[Dangermouse]

Thanks

Will look at getting the dimensions to check... Do you know, are they on here??

Best

andy

Martin G.:

http://dmctalk.org/member.php?98-DCUK-Martin

[andyd]

thanks!

a

[Nicholas R]

Any way you can post a picture of the bent bar?

[David T]

Get out your Delorean Workshop Manual and go to R:02:02-:03 for frame dimensions. Since you mentioned an accident and subsequent repair, did the car ever drive right afterwards? If not then you can assume the repair was not exactly done well. If the car was OK and these symptoms appeared later it can be from worn parts. The sway bar should be symmetrical, ie, both sides should have the same bends. If not you can try straightening it but you should probably be replacing it. If the sway bar is bent you should make sure the lower control arms are not bent.
David Teitelbaum

[andyd]

Any way you can post a picture of the bent bar?

Hi,

I think these should work....?!

(repeated in my post on DCUK forum. Apologies for cross-posting)

ARB is visibly bent, but not that easy to see in pics... so I have crudely annotated them.

This is looking at the passenger side, as fitted. It would make the ARB sit lower when fitted. Red curves sort- of show the bend. I believe this part should follow a straight line.Also next post for a different view of the same part.

[andyd]

3390

And more... (sorry, one inline, one as an attachment)

You can see from these 2 images that rather than lie flat on the (flat) floor, the bar has a "rocking" movement.

So this will be throwing out my camber and castor....

I know the bar itself may not originally have been precision engineered, but it was probably better than this!

andy

[andyd]

Get out your Delorean Workshop Manual and go to R:02:02-:03 for frame dimensions. Since you mentioned an accident and subsequent repair, did the car ever drive right afterwards? If not then you can assume the repair was not exactly done well. If the car was OK and these symptoms appeared later it can be from worn parts. The sway bar should be symmetrical, ie, both sides should have the same bends. If not you can try straightening it but you should probably be replacing it. If the sway bar is bent you should make sure the lower control arms are not bent.
David Teitelbaum

Hi David,

Thanks for the advice, I will check the dimensions as you suggest.

>>Since you mentioned an accident and subsequent repair, did the car ever drive right afterwards?

I have only had the car 6 weeks. I surmised a previous repair due to a later bonnet fitted and evidence of slight creases in the crumple extension. I now know that the latter may not actually be caused by a frontal impact in all cases...

>>...it can be from worn parts...

Agreed. On dismantling, all rubbers look rather new, certainly very servicable. Ball joints and wheel bearings were absolutely shot, so replaced. Lower UJ had play, so was replaced. Tie rod ends and rack had no detectible play.

>>If the sway bar is bent you should make sure the lower control arms are not bent

Thanks, they appear to check out.

Advice is very much appreciated, best wishes,

andy