I recently bought a new upgraded sway bar for my MK2 3.8 from SNG Barratt. I also bought new links and bearings. When I went to assemble the links to the sway bar the link arm was too short to get a nut on. Anyone dealt with this? You have the lower washer and bush that goes on the link first first. Then insert the piece through the sway bar and install the opposing upper bush and washer. Then you should be able to attach the nut. Should be simple but the threaded bar doesn't even pass through the washer. No way to compress it either.
Barratt had no answers and is calling their home office in Manchester.
A mechanic friend said take it to a machine shop and have then thread it down another 1/2 inch. Of course that would cant the angle of the lower bush which he said wouldn't matter. last resort would be to take it to a machine shop and have them make a proper part.

Sway bar link. Note link not passing through bush

 

Have you offered it up to the old one to check if its the same length or is the diameter different?

 

I had the same problem with a Panhard rod years ago and used the old one. Basically, someone specifies the thread and then picks the rubber bushes from a catalogue without checking it all fits together. It leaves us with either re-cutting and extending the thread or finding different bushes (or finding a very special, very strong, and unknown rubber bush compressing tool). Without measuring and judging only from the photo, the section for passing through the roll bar looks far too short.

 

the part in the picture looks like a Rear Center Engine Support, not like a sway bar link. ?