Hi,
Im having trouble putting my front suspension back in my Mk1. I tried it a couple of ways, including the way my workshop manual described. everything seems too tight to fit back in. 
My issue is, I spray painted the sway bar, and now not sure if i might have it upside down (which i don't think i do) but i am struggling to get the control arms and sway bar in. 

so could someone please post a pic of a sway bar installed? the pics in my workshop manual is not clear enough to tell. 

Also, can someone post a comparison pic of MK1 and MK2 struts?
 

The bar should dip down towards the control arm. Also it may help getting a ratchet strap and taking some of the tension off.. So strapping it from each side slightly.
Here's a couple pics from the web which may help..
 
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thanks mate. ill have to look next time I'm at the yard working on the car. 
 
do u know much about the difference in MK1 and MK2 struts? 

There were different shock diameters between the models.. What info you after?

They're always difficult to get back in due to the tension the swaybar creates.
Mk1 struts should have bolt on steering arms where as Mk2 is all apart of the cast.
 
Cheers,
Rhys

the main info I'm looking for in regards to the different struts is the diameter of the tie rod ends threads. See i bought some MK1 tie rod ends, and the thread were too small for my tie rods. I have MK2 brakes on the front, and am wondering if the previous owner also fitted a MK2 rack. and because i have MK2 brakes, i was wondering whether it may have MK2 struts.
 
How do u mean "bolt on steering arms"? i think i understand, and if I'm thinking correct then i have MK2 struts. 
 
 
There is a lot i don't know about my car, and there is a lot i am still learning about escorts in general, so your gunna have to bare with me :P 

Hey panko. I jut put my sway bar back in tonight. The front of the car was on stands so the LCA's (lower control arms) were really low and as such the bar was too wide to fit. I got around this by putting a jack ander each LCA, lifting the arms and widening the gap. Then just put one side in, move over to the other side and put some weight on the bar bending back in towards the car. It should be easy to get it back in like this. the manual doesn't go into much detail about fitting the sway bar.
 
Another way would be to put the front of car on ramps. The car is then elevated and LCA's are widened with the weight of engine & car.

Thanks mate.
 
I think the way I'm going to do it is, put the LCAs in, slot the sway bar into the LCAs, but leave it out of the D bushes at the front. Then lower the car onto ramps, hopefully raising the sway bar high enough i can put it into the D bushes at the front. 
 
thats my idea, whether it works or not who knows, but I'm all for trying it.