Front Sway Bar Alternative

Finally got around to examining whether any of the Volvo sway bars I have around would fit the X. After numerous attempts to figure out a way to mount a bar in a similar fashion to the ones I've seen on here, I decided to try fitting one in the 'normal' Volvo fashion - I.E., behind the suspension instead of in front of it. The only detractor is loss of ground clearance, but I don't see it really being of any concern.

This bar is from a '92 960, 23mm. All 700/900 Volvos from 86-93 use the same design bar, just varying thicknesses.

I wired it to the water pipes to see if the spacing would work...



ends sit above the control arm, so using end links from the rear sway bar of a Volvo V70 XC...



...with a Volvo V70 XC front control arm bolt shaved flat to fit under the plate on the X's control arm..



mounting bushings & housing sit in the same place on the bar as they would on a Volvo install..



..drilled through the double wall frame section, which has a convenient access cover...





It was dark when I finished up, and I haven't had the opportunity to test drive it yet.


..but I'm happy with the fit, and it clears everything quite well, no possible steering interference, which was my first concern.

EDIT 2020: Revised with angle-iron based brackets to allow the use of right-angle balljoint end links (rear, Volvo P1, Mazda3, Ford Focus)



adapters for the oversize loops

You are truly a mad scientist!:jedi:

Looks Great....

But are the lights bad? Can't you drive at night? Waiting for a test review.

The mounting brackets look like you could make them an inch tighter to the body if needed. I bet this bar is a little stiffer than the ADDCO bar. I like it! Any other details we should know in order to source one of these babies?

Bob T.

wicked!

when are you going to replace your Fiat badges with Volvo ones? hehe

Hussein... I would haveta disagree on one point...

And that is ground clearance.

I also think if you cut down the springs 1 coil that the added stiffness would probably equal the torsion bar addition performance-wise, with less weight.

With the lowering... as with my car... the torsion bar positioned as yours is... for me... would probably be ripped off on a typical speed bump.

A standard height X1/9 would probably clear MOST of the time... but its that time it doesn't that might get you in serious trouble.

I'd have no problem with this configuration as is on an Autocross course... but not for street use. I don't believe anything should hang below the pan like that. Looks almost like a catch-wire on an aircraft carrier!

Well done otherwise... hope I'm wrong.

ground clearance

ground clearance looks ok but ok can turn into a nightmare pretty fast. i live in good old minnesota and i can tell you i would avoid our roads in the spring mg: i don't even take mine out until the potholes are filled. but for normal driving you should be fine. if the bars are with the wheels right if you go over a speed bump the bar will rise with the car so no worries there

rturchan said:

But are the lights bad? Can't you drive at night? Waiting for a test review.

The mounting brackets look like you could make them an inch tighter to the body if needed. I bet this bar is a little stiffer than the ADDCO bar. I like it! Any other details we should know in order to source one of these babies?

Bob T.

Click to expand...

No, lights are good, just had to go for a walk with the Mrs after she got off work - so the X had to wait. Drove it through town this morning over half a dozen speed bumps (we have plenty of those), without issue. I'll be off to work shortly, so I'll get to see how it handles on the highway.

Now I know it works OK, I can look at refinements, such as lowering those mounting spacers to tuck it closer to the body - I may also angle the stud retaining the end link, as it's being pushed forward somewhat by the bar right now.

All you need is the 22mm sway bar & mount brackets from any 86-92 700 turbo or 92-93 960 (straight 6) Non-turbo's & V6's use a smaller OD bar.

Endlinks from the rear of any 98-00 (haven't checked the later (01-) design to see if it uses the same endlink) V70 AWD sway bar, and some high grade mounting hardware.

I can get Volvo part numbers for all the parts & add them to the thread.

Sway bar is probably $20-30 in a JY :grin:

Black-Tooth said:

And that is ground clearance.
I also think if you cut down the springs 1 coil that the added stiffness would probably equal the torsion bar addition performance-wise, with less weight.
Well done otherwise... hope I'm wrong.

Click to expand...

Hi Tony

I have already cut the front springs :grin:

Hi Hussein... Like I said... hope I'm wrong...

... and as Bill said below...

"... ground clearance looks ok, but ok can turn into a nightmare pretty fast."

Black-Tooth said:

... and as Bill said below...

"... ground clearance looks ok, but ok can turn into a nightmare pretty fast."

Click to expand...

OK, after driving around all day, I can say the front end definitely feels tighter :grin:

Ground clearance is fine.

I still haven't pushed it really hard in the corners because I have a 'squirrelly' condition with the rear, where it feels like it's shunting sideways...

Great Modification

I have never liked the way anti sway bars have been applied to the X. The old PBS racing X modification book detailed a bar through the front trunk but acting on the back side of the front suspension, like this mod.

The only thing I don't care for on the install is the clamped bolt attaching the end link to the lower arm. I believe a new plate with an integral mounting projecting out to the end link or a weldment with a coupler nut or sleeve to run the bolt into would be preferable.

I have been wondering about using a Fiat 850 bar in this same way as the 850 mounts the bar to the rear of the front suspension as well.

I am not too bothered by the loss of height, I am pretty sure the jacking points and some other items hang lower under the car than this bar does. A speed bump isn't too worrisome, a man hole cover sticking up on a road that is being ground down is much more of a problem.

This is a really cool and nicely thought through modification which I think strongly out classes the ADDCO approach (which is just bizarre).

Looking forward to seeing how you like it and how it does. I wonder if you will want to add a doubler plate inside the body to keep the loads from pulling out the fasteners through the body panel.

Great job and good luck!

Yes, welding the bolt to the upper plate would be the next step. It can't pull out as it is, but it could conceivably shift under the plate over time.

No need to add a doubler plate; that area is double-wall already, and since it's close to the outer lip seam, there's little room for flex in that section.

I just have to figure out why I have the wiggle in the rear -

kmead said:

The only thing I don't care for on the install is the clamped bolt attaching the end link to the lower arm. I believe a new plate with an integral mounting projecting out to the end link or a weldment with a coupler nut or sleeve to run the bolt into would be preferable.

Looking forward to seeing how you like it and how it does. I wonder if you will want to add a doubler plate inside the body to keep the loads from pulling out the fasteners through the body panel.

Great job and good luck!

Click to expand...

Bad ball joint in a rear A-arm?

lookforjoe said:

I still haven't pushed it really hard in the corners because I have a 'squirrelly' condition with the rear, where it feels like it's shunting sideways...

Click to expand...

Bad ball joint in a rear A-arm?

EricH said:

Bad ball joint in a rear A-arm?

Click to expand...

Balljoints feel tight, no evidence of play in the suspension. I'll have to actually check the toe adjustment. The camber is clearly on the negative side, but I've never felt that to be an issue in corners.

Loose handling..

My car was a little loose in the rear and this is what I found:

Rear tires were toe'd out. Fixed this and she drives nice now.
Bob.

rturchan said:

Rear tires were toe'd out. Fixed this and she drives nice now.
Bob.

Click to expand...

I'll check that out when I get back from Florida. What settings did you use for rear toe?

I believe the manual calls for...

lookforjoe said:

I'll check that out when I get back from Florida. What settings did you use for rear toe?

Click to expand...

2-4mm total toe, measured at the rim. That's from memory tho, so best to double check that.

As I recall, I once calculated that one complete turn of the "tie rod end" on the rear (I suppose the fronts also, it's probably the same thread pattern) yields 1mm of toe change.

Pete

Factory spec

The Factory manual specifies the following:
Rear toe is 5.0 to 8.5 mm
Front toe 2.5 to 6.0 mm

Toe-out will cause it to have a "wander"
Bob.

Wow I was way off...

rturchan said:

The Factory manual specifies the following:
Rear toe is 5.0 to 8.5 mm
Front toe 2.5 to 6.0 mm

Toe-out will cause it to have a "wander"
Bob.

Click to expand...

8.5mm of toe is an enormous amount! That's a third of an inch - most cars don't run anywhere near that - 1/8 to 3/16 is more the norm I think.

Pete

Pete Whitstone said:

8.5mm of toe is an enormous amount! That's a third of an inch - most cars don't run anywhere near that - 1/8 to 3/16 is more the norm I think.

Pete

Click to expand...

I'll check it & see what's actually there. I'll shoot for about an 1/8" toe-in. Whatever it is now, is not enough to scrub the tires, in or out, so it can't be too far out of whack...

EDIT: Problem was worn L/R Balljoint. Replaced arm w/unit from MWB.