Sway Bars Install Options

[Bruce Allert]

I've read posts describing the sway bars installation and the mention of using the 911 sways. Is there a peticular year of 911 to get the sway bars from or is there a wide range in years that are available?
I'd like to do an install. From the various posts it sounds like they really add to the 914's drivability.
bruce

[Dave_Darling]

The rear bar, as far as I can tell, is a total no-go. Not without enough work that buying the 914 sway bar is actually the less expensive option.

There are two types of 911 front bars that I know of: Through-body and under-body. The early 911s (not sure of the years) used a through-body sway bar. This went through the front fender wells, and is pretty much the same thing as the 914 front sway bar. Later cars (SC and later, definitely, not sure about how early the changeover was) used the under-body sway bar. This mounts to brackets on the crossmember (914 Xmembers don't have the brackets) and the ends slip directly into the bushings on the A-arm "U-tabs". This version uses U-tabs that are on the bottom.

To fit them onto a 914, you'll have to find a way to fake the U-tab bit, fake the mounting brackets, and then get the bar and slide it all together. Not a job I'd want to do... Or you could use the 911 Xmember and 911 A-arms, as well as the 911 bar and bushings. Getting that one out of Olav's car was nasty enough work that I really don't want to think about how you actually get the thing together again!!

The under-body style is cheaper and easier to manufacture. It has less parts, which leads to the above. But the geometry of the through-body one is better, and it evidently works better. Having an adjustment mechanism is somewhat easier when you have drop-links, as opposed to having the bar slide directly into the U-tabs.

To sum it up, I wouldn't bother with the 911 one. I'd get the 914 one.

--DD

[SirAndy]

the 911 "under body" came with my 911 front-suspension (86 carrera) and was a direct bolt-in. no big hassle. improved handling quite a bit over the 914 suspension without a sway bar. downside is that it is NOT adjustable. that's why i'm going for a "through-body" aftermarket bar now ...

[Bruce Allert]

Thanks guys. I want to go with the easy & best way to do this. I mis read the posts & sway bar article thinking the 911 & 914 sways were one & the same.
bruce

[Dave_Darling]

The old ones are. Which means it doesn't make a difference which one you use...

--DD

[Ira Ramin]

“The old ones”, meaning that 1973 and older 911’s use the through the body front swaybar design and will work on a 914.

Ira