A great big thanks to everyone that posted responses to my "rear sway bar" problem. Just wanted all to know I found the answer. I called Van Steel and talked with one of their installers.

Yes, there was a distance between sway bar end and adaptor plate greater than the link bolt.

THE REASON: the car had been on jack stands while I cleaned the pre-drilled welded nut frame holes and installed the trailing arm adaptor brackets, then when I lowered the car back to the ground, the rear wheels maintained a some-what toed-in attitude. Onced I rolled the car forward, the rear end settled down, took up the space, and the link installation was a snap.

Why is it the easy solutions just simply escape me?

Thanks again,

Albert