19 mm or 21mm sway bar links

Bassyaks · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 8:53 am Post subject: 19 mm or 21mm sway bar links

I just came back from my first road test with a 86 Syncro and started looking for the "Clunk" I hear, it seems that both sway bar links snapped, they were fine when I was working on the van earlier. I did go off road but nothing serious, unless these things are that fragile . Anyway I started looking for links and noticed that there were two sizes 19 and 22 mm my bar measures 21.3mm which do I use?
also the links are straight, are those correct?
Who makes the strongest ? Burley?
Thanks

trevrev97 · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 10:27 am Post subject:

I have a 86 syncro and mine has a 21mm, I used Burly with Proflex upper bushings. contact him about Samba pricing for these, good guy to deal with and fast shipping.

Bassyaks · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 5:45 pm Post subject:

Can the sway bar be removed without disassembling the front end?
( Yes, I had removed the spare tire clamshell previously, it was quite easy)

ragnarhairybreeks · Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 6:56 pm Post subject:

Yes, tray down easier, but it's just a matter of wiggling and fussing with the drop links that hang up on the undercarriage.

Alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
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insyncro · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 7:36 am Post subject:

Both breaking at the same time speaks highly of the wrong parts being used and or installer error.

Plenty of information on the subject if you search.

Lets see some pictures Exclamation

All of these posts with issues and no pictures.

Bassyaks · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:59 am Post subject:

Like I said before I bought this 86 Syncro Weekender out of Tampa and got FKD!!! the guy lied thru his teeth and he's a minster. I've put about 10K into it in repairs, that I wasn't planning on doing. It getting a Bostig conversion over the winter, so I want everything else reliable, but it seems one thing after another, and I'm starting to have second thoughts , I didn't plan on doing a rebuild of the whole van which it's looking like so far.
The links were OEM parts and looking at the parts they had been broken for some time ( rusted where they snapped).

I did a search and read 2 pages of posts and nothing on either subject I asked ( the search is too vague)

So on my test ride I was driving without the aid of the front sway bar , which explains why the over steer.

Any way, that wasn't the clunk I was looking for, How much noise (slop) does the driveshaft ( NO VC / Straight Shaft with a de coupler) make during change of gears or running in the wrong gear ( say 3rd at 2500 rpm). When I check the driveshaft play I get about 1/2" of movement when twisting it by hand.
The noise I'm chasing sounds like very worn control arm bushings, or maybe a bad motor mount, I checked them and they all seem tight. The noise (clunk or heavy rattle) seems to come from the mid rear in the center of the van. If I step on the throttle than quickly lift and than step back on it , theres a clunk like a broken motor mount, If I ride around in a high gear at a low rpm I'll get a heavy rattle and the clunk.
The Syncro seems to have a wider ratio gearbox than my other vanagons and I find myself shifting too early putting the van in a higher gear than necessary.
Tonight with the help of my son we're going to put it on the lift and will try to duplicate the noise.
Is there any known areas that are prone to these problems.

insyncro · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:18 am Post subject:

If all of the bearings in the front diff and transmission are original, the bushing in the driveshaft original, all transmission and diff mounts original......or swapped used....you are staring at a pretty penny to bring all that up to snuff, before putting a finger on where any noise is coming from.

If both swaybar links snapped on the first testdrive, I would be inspecting the dropouts...all of them, very carefully, they will be degraded similarly.
Yeah, I know, they are all bomber Wink

If all of the fasteners are seized, well even more strain has been put on all the points of attachment.

FCK'd or not, it is now your responsibility to make this vehicle safe for the road, if you plan to drive it.

As stated in other threads, by the sound of your written description of this van and its parts...the solid shaft is a dead give away...Yup, you got the solid shaft and all that it offers to the driveline of the Vanagon $yncro.

I hope others pay attention when they think they need similar parts on a street driven van...decoupler or not Exclamation


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