New ADDCO sway bars. Oh, Yeah!

Today i modyfied the front one. I cut both holes to reduce the leg lenght and drilled a new one. Interference with spring now no longer a issue. Oké i lost the adjustability but i do not really care for that at the front. The rear is still adjustable to adjust balance.

I do need longer bolts to make up for the shortage of overall lenght but this is feasible. I considder using the original connecting struts

 

Bought the longer bolts this morning and finished the job. I Will post some pictures.
I was curious if any of the other buyers finished the install?

 

I honestly can't believe how long this is taking.

 

Totally agree. This is actually the reason i modded mine. Gives me the oppertunity to drive the car again..... The ADDCO modded bars Will probably take another few months...

 

1980 GTS Euro: I installed my bars yesterday. The rear bar fits fine and looks good. The front bar is not so fine. After an hour of fiddleing and trying different combinations, I cut the outside adjustment holes off. Now it clears the springs but will require a 7/8" spacer between the bar and the link to keep the link from binding or contacting the lower a-arm. I am considering heating and straightening the last bend on the outside. That would put mine in good alignment for the link and allow connection without the 7/8" spacer. BTW, mine presently has stock shocks but I am going to QA1's in the very near future.

 

So what's the latest with all of this?
Is it similar to the past and Saner?
It was looking so good but now maybe not?

Steve

 

+1. Has anyone spoken with the guys at Addco recently? Do they know what needs to be done to make the front bar work, and do they have an idea when the next (and hopefully final) version will be ready for trial-fit?

--Woody

 

Not to beat a dead horse but what's the latest with these? All that was sent to me so far was one rear bar at 44-3/8" wide. No front. Are both bars being redesigned or just the front? Any idea when the fronts will be done?

 

I'm similarly frustrated. I wanted these and have been an advocate, having had larger sway bars on a number of cars over the years. I've been willing to wait, but like you, I can't tell if anything is happening. I've even contemplated sending the one rear bar back and calling it quits, but as I said, I really *DO* want the set.

--Woody

 

Glad to hear I'm not alone. I put in a call to ADDCO earlier this morning but have not heard anything back yet.

 

I was told that ADDCO was a respected company. Only that was the reason, despite the possible hassle with shipping, that i decided to give it a go.

The only plus: i have both front and rear( although i had to cut BOTH holes and drilled new ones). Apparently some guys only have a rear one. That realy sucks.

Addco surely proved I was wrong, they are only worth forgetting asap.
Bummer!

 

St@ven, I can't fault your conclusion, but I still hope this turns out differently. I've had Addco bars in the past and have been well pleased. I also had one that broke after many years service, and they sent me a replacement free of charge. An earlier post on one of these threads suggested that the already-shipped front bars would be replaced when the design was finalized. It is still my hope that we're all pleased when this is said and done.


--Woody

 

I agree. Maybe I am naive but I still haven't given up hope!

 

I think you guys should give up and get your money back.

 

Yeah, it's been ~ a year. That's just crazy.
I got some bigger bars from Mike T and it took his guy ~3 weeks to make them and get them to me! Granted they aren't adjustable, but they are stiff.

 

I hope so, but I have time.

 

All,

I just spoke with John Wright at ADDCO. He said he had receive the information that some had to cut off the ends of the bar. His response to those individuals was that the bar end-links could not be connected with the suspension at full droop or extension, but that there would be sufficient clearance with the weight of the car on the wheels. Since then, he has received no further information or feedback. He's assuming all is good, and I think it is a safe assumption from our conversation that there are no further changes to the front bar design is in the works (as of now).

He also said that they were sitting on the current set of front bars waiting on feedback, but that he was now going to tell his team to get them to powder coat and shipped to those of us still waiting.

If anyone has any newer information on fitment, please get it to Addco and let us all know what develops. I don't mind waiting for a bar that fits, but this project seems to have stalled somewhere along the line.

--Woody

 

I have been following this thread for a while now. There has been a lot of back and forth with this company. Fit, return, fit, return, etc. It seems like nobody ponied up and let them use a development car. I can imagine this would have saved tons of time, and developed a better product. I know it is a PITA handing over your car and I definitely don't know who on the buy list is closest. I know I would not ever have a product made that was not developed on the car and tested with involvement from the manufacturer.

I'm on the other side of the country and I have a gt4 so as much as I want in on the group buy, my requirements do not quite fit. Addco product seems to have a good reputation. but I would either drive or ship my car to have something made, fitted and tested.

I don't mean to stir the pot or rile anybody up. I bet it would take the some frustration on Addco's part of trying to get this done with out a test mule.

Is there not somebody within a couple hundred miles that could donate a car - winter is coming.

 

I spoke with John a couple of months ago and discussed what needed to be done to make the bars a simple bolt-on and he was receptive to my input. He asked me to send him pics and specs which I did moments after the phone call. I followed up with 3 phone calls between then and now leaving messages. Zero. Since Im out of time and need the car delivered I altered the front bar and it fits with spacers but lacks adjustability and the rear bar is too wide but fits with spacers. Disappointing Addco experience but the bars are on and functional. The car handles very well with the bars and fast ratio rack with a touch of negative camber. Corners flat but the when I look at the bars its like getting a stick in the eye. Im hoping Addco steps up to the plate and we can replace these bars with correctly made ones.

 

I have no doubt that had addco had access to a car, this would have been quicker & easier for all. I am actually surprised that addco would try it without a car, as I often see posts on forums for other makes where a vendor is looking for a car on which to prototype new parts (and usually offers the part for free to whomever provides the car that is used for trial fitment).

I can only assume that addco (and others) believed that the thicker bar could be made using the factory as a template, and that clearances would not be an issue. This is true for a lot of cars, but must not have been the case on the 308.

I would like to know what happened that this process stopped and left several of us hanging. I cab only conclude at this point that someone dropped the ball.

--Woody

 

Thanks Newman. I didn't know to ask today if the bars John had awaiting shipment were modified based on your input. I wonder what we'll get? (and who will get them?) I had similar trouble reaching John, although to be fair, when we finally did speak it was him return my call from messages I had left.

--Woody

 

It seems that the intention was well meaning but unfortunately the design was for non standard shocks. Perhaps if the design was for a stock setup to begin with we wouldn't be here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

Thanks for the clarification, Doug. As I haven't received *any* front bar yet, I haven't seen or experienced the issues firsthand.

I'm still wondering what the rest of us will receive for a front bar? I assume Matt was coordinating communication to/from John@Addco. Anyone heard from Matt?

--Woody

 

I'm still here, but while I provide feedback to John, John's contact info was posted so that individuals could be in direct contact with him.

I don't have personal experience to share with John at this point, so I haven't been in touch lately. A massive rework of my entire car has delayed my personal experience installing the bars.

My bars should be in place and the car drivable within the next two weeks or so, at which point I had planned to connect with John. I doubt my feedback to John will be as helpful as Doug's though.

Regardless, when I talk with him, I'll relay general concerns. But I still encourage you to connect with him directly should you have a problem with your order.