Mazdaspeed Front Sway Bar Collar Issue
 

Just installed a 23mm Mazdaspeed front sway bar on my NB. The issue I'm running into is that somehow the collars/ stoppers are not in their usual location. Both are further inboard on the bar than they should be. Just curious if anyone can figure out the cause. Shifting from use? Mazda playing around with preload in different revisions? I'm puzzled. Red photo is how I was expecting the bar to fit, and pink photo is the issue I'm dealing with (Yes I painted it from red to pink). I have no problem throwing on a couple of split collars... just can't figure out why I have such a weird bar. Thanks

Is the bar flipped the right way? I was trying to install a rear bar a few weeks ago, and I had it flipped around and it caused the ends not to line up with end links correctly.

I'm not having an issue with end links. The stoppers on the bar are too far inboard from the bushings on both ends.

I know that. I was just thinking out loud, that the stoppers could be in the right place, but the bar could be flipped around. Just something you can check.

Thanks but my problem is isolated on the straight piece of steel tube, and flipping it around would result in the same issue.

Mystery solved. The previous owner had moved them inwards to mount onto his exocet. A sledge easily moved them back out. :-)