canbaufo

I have an older KTRE 12-bolt and we've struck out 3 times on the pinion seal. First the one in the master install kit was way off and couldn't even be used. Then we've tried the same NAPA seal twice and it leaks slowly. Anyone happen to know a correct PN to use?

Thanks in advance

PS. I'm also needing a sway bar that will work with it.

Injuneer

After KTRE had all the problems and accusations with their screwed up group purchase back in the late 90's, Mark Williams started selling KTRE rear axle assemblies. They still list them on their website. Might be worth checking with Mark Williams.

Mark Williams Enterprises - Detail

I'm sure that just about any sway bar will work. Check with Spohn - he has sway bar mounts for the axles that will fit just about anything.

canbaufo

Fred, thanks for the information!

canbaufo

The sway bar mount kit looks nice at $79:

Camaro Sway Bar Installation Kit | F-Body Sway Bar Installation Kit

...or for less $$$'s I could use exhaust hangers and use the extended end links (would want to go with stainless exh hangers and some kind of spacers...so maybe it wouldn't be much cheaper in the end):

Polyurethane Sway Bar End Links - Aftermaket Rear End Installation Kit

I know it would be easier to just buy the whole kit. But if I could save $40 or so by using exh. clamps and the extended end links, if it's safe and effective maybe I should go that route. Honestly I just want to buy the kit but when I saw the price difference between kit and end links only I started thinking ...

...also this had me thinking:

https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sus...6/#post6931546

I think the complete kit is reasonable and will be safer than me cobbling something up (I like the grooves in the drop brackets that bite into the axle tubes). Agree that the kit's worth it or am I wasting my money? Thanks

Injuneer

When I had the stock sway bar, it would catch on the bottom edge of the LPW cast aluminum cover on my Strange 12-bolt. All I had to do to make additional clearance was rotate the bottom of the stock U-bolt clamps backwards to move the sway bar backwards. There is a strip of metal on the axle tube and a groove in the clamp that locks over the strip of metal to locate/hold the lower part of the clamp on the bottom of the axle tube. I just increased the size of the notch in the clamp to allow the clamp to be rotated. Problem solved.

The Spohn clamps are included with the Spohn Race Version rear sway bar. Steve did the prototype install on my Formula to make sure everything fit. Fit fine, but we realized we had to rotate the bottom of the QA1 shocks 180-degrees to allow more clearance for the adjuster ****. The **** had been facing inwards, we rotated to place it facing outwards.

When he installed the sway bar clamps, even with the teeth into the axle tube, he put a small tack weld from the top of the u-bolt to the axle tube to insure it couldn't move.

BEFORE - Stock bar, clamps rotated slightly toward the rear to move the sway bar back, away from the diff cover.



AFTER

canbaufo

Thanks for the info. My mechanic friend still has my stock sway bar at his shop. Since there's no reason for me to be in a hurry, I think I'll just bring it home and try to mock it up and decide what to do before I just order that $80 kit. Glad to know it's a clean and safe option if I decide not to cobble. Looks like I could simply space the bushing bracket down from the clamps. Maybe end links could still reach if the bar is rotated upward a little, if not ...maybe I'll just get the extended end links from Steve Spohn.

btw I can hardly tell I don't have a sway bar back there right now, the car still handles great. Haven't pushed it seriously though.

canbaufo

Well I was just peeking under the car and noticed the old sway bar mounts are WELDED very solidly on the axle tubes. Seems like I should just space everything down somehow (ideally with some rectangular steel spacers and long enough U's). I don't know if I should try that with the extended end links, or just buy the kit. My concern about the kit is I'll either have to cut/grind off the old sway bar mounts to ideally locate the Spohn mounts in that location, or simply locate the Spohn mounts just to the inside or outside of the old mounts. Don't want to do all that cutting and grinding, not sure how to best space the bar and bushing mounts down from the old mounts, and I'm concerned that placing the Spohn mounts either to the inside or outside of the old welded mounts will adversely affect the performance of the sway bar (example, it might be less rigid the further inside the mounts are placed). Maybe that wouldn't be much of an issue.

Argghh....this should be so simple but it's "winter" still and I'm just hardly even under the car this time of year. Pretty soon though.

canbaufo

Well I put off fixing it for a year, so back from the dead here I am. Wound up fixing it for free with misc hardware in the garage! Spaced the rear sway bar down about .5" and the angle seems perfect since the car has been lowered. The old U-bolts from my 10-bolt only needed to be bent outward a little bit and they fit through the holes in the mounting brackets that are welded onto my 12-bolt. Just found some hard rubber and large washers and was able to space the bar down enough, the end links bolted up great with a straighter angle than before when the bar was on my 10-bolt (more squared up).

Nice free fix! Forgot how good the car can handle ...yikes!