installed new sway bar on frt. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BUXMAN66 · 09-24-2002, 11:14 PM

to those out there that have'nt installed one on thier truck yet, do it! this has to be the single best improvement i have done to help my truck's tendency to wander all over the road! seems hard to believe the immediate difference to cornering,which helps in the acceleration after the turn.spent $10 on a set of frame brackets,$30 on a set of polyurethane sway bar bushing from auto-zone,$20 for the sway bar in classified ads. s/s bolts from work(hehe) if you've been thinking of doing it, my $.02 says it's money well spent.

Gene · 09-24-2002, 11:19 PM

Hey buxman66? I have a swaybar and all the brackets but no bushings I have been meaning to re-install on my truck. I looked at the ones at auto-zone but the only ones I could find had a picture of a full size truck and 2 cars on front, but the back said not intended for full-size trucks

They were around 20 bucks also...Are these the ones you used?

BUXMAN66 · 09-25-2002, 12:06 AM

i went to auto-zone and asked them to order me a complete set of sway bar bushings(my bar came out of a 79 chevy 1/2t) the prt.#is 3.5177gx these are colored black.they come in red i believe also. these are by energy suspension.hope i helped ya.just make sure you give them the proper diam. of your bar youre installing .(mine was a 1.062" or 1 1/8th)

BUXMAN66 · 09-25-2002, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BUXMAN66
the prt.#is 3.5177gx these are colored black.

my bad......... the part #is 3.5175gx not3.5177gx

BUXMAN66 · 09-25-2002, 12:14 AM

sorry!..........also the kit comes w/ all the brackets already on the bushings. and the frame, or center bracket bushings come w/ zerk greasable fittings which is nice. all you need to provide is the actual bar and the frame brackets.later,buxman66.

*Shane* · 09-25-2002, 09:11 AM

Quote:

1.062" or 1 1/8th

1.062" = 1 1/16"
1.125" = 1 1/8"

BUXMAN66 · 09-25-2002, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shane

1.062" = 1 1/16"
1.125" = 1 1/8"

yeah,yeah, i know and i'm supposed to be a machinist!lol ,you got me dammit! i have the 1 1/16" bar OR 1.062"...........picky,picky,picky!

**COBALT** · 09-25-2002, 02:07 PM

Hey don't feel so bad. I got a used sway bar off of a '68 that I needed to order bushings for. I pulled out the calipers, and immediately translated 1 1/16" to 1 1/8". Therefore, the bushings I got from Summit were too big, and I had to return them for the right size.

I hate being stupid sometimes.

Drecarious · 09-25-2002, 04:26 PM

will the sway bars from just about any older model Cevy truck fit my '67?...

It needs one badly and didn't have one from the factory
... any ideas will help.. thanks

DR67 · 09-25-2002, 04:52 PM

Good to hear that it makes a difference, I just bought one from a fellow board member, and will be installing it soon.

DR

*Shane* · 09-25-2002, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BUXMAN66
yeah,yeah, i know and i'm supposed to be a machinist!lol ,you got me dammit! i have the 1 1/16" bar OR 1.062"...........picky,picky,picky!

sorry...I didn't mean to come across as picky...

I was thinking someone might measure their bar (1.062") and then order the wrong bushings (1 1/8") ......didn't mean to sound like a "know-it-all"....again, Sorry

BUXMAN66 · 09-25-2002, 06:42 PM

it's all good shane!just kiddin' myself!you're right though, you really need to make sure what dia. bar you have b-4 you order the bushings.as for the question asked by the other board member,i'm not sure about the years proceeding our years of trucks,but any 1/2, 3/4 or 1 ton trucks(2wd only) from 67-87 the anti-sway bars all fit the same.both at the frame points and at the lower control arms. all i needed to do was grind off the factory rivets at the frt. crossmember(on both frame rails), and the bracket straddles this hole and the hole just behind the oval hole on up the frame rail(towards the bumper).like i said b-4 i got mine off a 79 1/2t 2wd.the poly bushings are DEFINITELY the ticket to this installation,though.

Drecarious · 09-25-2002, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the reply... I'm gonna go lookin' for one real soon

BUXMAN66 · 09-25-2002, 07:34 PM

it'll be some of the best money you will spend on youre baby!

JD72 · 09-26-2002, 10:34 PM

Is your truck lowered any and do you have a rear one also. Just wondering sounds like a good idea to me.

BUXMAN66 · 09-27-2002, 02:44 PM

no my truck has not been lowered yet,and no i don't have one on the rear end. don't really see the need to have one at the rear,imo.i've heard that guys have put them on the rear ,but have'nt noticed much of a difference.

**MikeB** · 09-27-2002, 03:55 PM

If you think a front bar makes a difference, you should see what a properly installed rear bar will do -- flatter cornering and quicker steering response.

BUXMAN66 · 09-27-2002, 06:35 PM

hey mike do you have any more info. on your set-up you can share w/us..........stock set-up or not,what other applications will work, .........pics maybe?thanks for the response!buxman66.

frisky68 · 09-27-2002, 11:29 PM

the 1970 part truck i have has a 1.125 (1 1/8) bar thats gonna get swapped onto my 69 stepside....happy to hear how much of a difference it makes...look fwd to getting mine installed

Johngear67 · 09-28-2002, 12:21 AM

yea! you have now made up my mind for me
thanks

basketcase · 09-28-2002, 12:52 AM

I got 2 used bars with my project and the guys at Early Classics said to definately install a front bar. I installed the 1 1/16 bar on Early Classics lowered frame brakets and polygraphite bushings last week. Here's a picture. The springs are 2" lower Early Classics and the rest is a mix of '69 suspension and '72 disc brake stuff. The weight is on the springs in this pic as the jack stands are under the control arms. Front sheetmetal and radiator ect. are off of the truck but it should sit pretty close to what you see here.

Tom

Lippyp · 09-28-2002, 05:22 AM

Hey Basketcase, great picture, I am looking for a front bar for my truck here in the UK and had no real idea where it goes as I don't have anything to compare it to. Did you just paint the bar or did you have it powder-coated?

basketcase · 09-28-2002, 11:36 AM

Phil,

As Buxman66 said all of the holes are there. The rear hole for the frame bracket that is occupied by a rivet that holds the bottom of the front crossmember is behind the pitman arm in my picture.

My bars, since I live in the rust belt of the US, were rather scaley. I used the best of the 2. If it were smooth or new I would have had it powder coated but I painted this one. I wire brushed it clean and then sanded it some. I used emery in the area that the bushings will ride to get to shiney metal. Then I wiped it down a couple times with enamal reducer to clean off all oil and grease residue. I primed it with Rust-O-Leum Rusty Metal Primer and topped it with Rust-O-Leum gloss black.

It come out pretty nice. I have had good results with this paint in the past on chassis parts so I'm confident that it will last a long time.

Tom

09-24-2002, 11:14 PM	#1
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	installed new sway bar on frt. to those out there that have'nt installed one on thier truck yet, do it! this has to be the single best improvement i have done to help my truck's tendency to wander all over the road! seems hard to believe the immediate difference to cornering,which helps in the acceleration after the turn.spent $10 on a set of frame brackets,$30 on a set of polyurethane sway bar bushing from auto-zone,$20 for the sway bar in classified ads. s/s bolts from work(hehe) if you've been thinking of doing it, my $.02 says it's money well spent. __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

09-24-2002, 11:19 PM	#2
Gene Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Posts: 2,914	Hey buxman66? I have a swaybar and all the brackets but no bushings I have been meaning to re-install on my truck. I looked at the ones at auto-zone but the only ones I could find had a picture of a full size truck and 2 cars on front, but the back said not intended for full-size trucks They were around 20 bucks also...Are these the ones you used? __________________ 1971 SWB 4X4 Build BOARD MEMBER #5448 BOOMER SOONER!!!!

09-25-2002, 12:06 AM	#3
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	i went to auto-zone and asked them to order me a complete set of sway bar bushings(my bar came out of a 79 chevy 1/2t) the prt.#is 3.5177gx these are colored black.they come in red i believe also. these are by energy suspension.hope i helped ya.just make sure you give them the proper diam. of your bar youre installing .(mine was a 1.062" or 1 1/8th) __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

09-25-2002, 12:14 AM	#5
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	sorry!..........also the kit comes w/ all the brackets already on the bushings. and the frame, or center bracket bushings come w/ zerk greasable fittings which is nice. all you need to provide is the actual bar and the frame brackets.later,buxman66. __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

09-25-2002, 02:07 PM	#8
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Hey don't feel so bad. I got a used sway bar off of a '68 that I needed to order bushings for. I pulled out the calipers, and immediately translated 1 1/16" to 1 1/8". Therefore, the bushings I got from Summit were too big, and I had to return them for the right size. I hate being stupid sometimes. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

09-25-2002, 04:26 PM	#9
Drecarious Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Arkansas City, Ks Posts: 32	will the sway bars from just about any older model Cevy truck fit my '67?... It needs one badly and didn't have one from the factory ... any ideas will help.. thanks __________________ '67 LWB Fleetside w/ 283 & powerglide Edelbrock intake and 1406 carb K&N filter, Flowmater 40's

09-25-2002, 04:52 PM	#10
DR67 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Knoxville, Tn. USA Posts: 205	Good to hear that it makes a difference, I just bought one from a fellow board member, and will be installing it soon. DR __________________ Dave Knoxville,Tn.

09-25-2002, 06:42 PM	#12
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	it's all good shane!just kiddin' myself!you're right though, you really need to make sure what dia. bar you have b-4 you order the bushings.as for the question asked by the other board member,i'm not sure about the years proceeding our years of trucks,but any 1/2, 3/4 or 1 ton trucks(2wd only) from 67-87 the anti-sway bars all fit the same.both at the frame points and at the lower control arms. all i needed to do was grind off the factory rivets at the frt. crossmember(on both frame rails), and the bracket straddles this hole and the hole just behind the oval hole on up the frame rail(towards the bumper).like i said b-4 i got mine off a 79 1/2t 2wd.the poly bushings are DEFINITELY the ticket to this installation,though. __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

09-25-2002, 07:19 PM	#13
Drecarious Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Arkansas City, Ks Posts: 32	Thanks for the reply... I'm gonna go lookin' for one real soon __________________ '67 LWB Fleetside w/ 283 & powerglide Edelbrock intake and 1406 carb K&N filter, Flowmater 40's

09-25-2002, 07:34 PM	#14
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	it'll be some of the best money you will spend on youre baby! __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

09-26-2002, 10:34 PM	#15
JD72 WTF Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: loganville, Ga. Posts: 118	Is your truck lowered any and do you have a rear one also. Just wondering sounds like a good idea to me. __________________ Some people are wise, some people are otherwise. 72 cheyenne primer factory air lowered rallyes with flat caps flowmasters 12 bolt 3.73 350/350 combo needs rockers . Cowl hood installed. 81 Malibu wagon lowered with 17's bright ass yellow and v-6. 71 225 Electra all original 455/4 81 z28

09-27-2002, 02:44 PM	#16
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	no my truck has not been lowered yet,and no i don't have one on the rear end. don't really see the need to have one at the rear,imo.i've heard that guys have put them on the rear ,but have'nt noticed much of a difference. __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

09-27-2002, 03:55 PM	#17
MikeB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: North Texas Posts: 3,454	If you think a front bar makes a difference, you should see what a properly installed rear bar will do -- flatter cornering and quicker steering response. __________________ Mike 1969 C10 LWB -- owned for 35 years. 350/TH350, 3.08 posi, 1st Gen Vintage Air, AAW wiring harness, 5-lug conversion, 1985 spindles and brakes. 1982 C10 SWB -- sold 1981 C10 Silverado LWB -- sold, but wish I still had it! 1969 C10 (not the current one) that I bought in the early 1980s. Paid $1200; sold for $1500 a few years later. Just a hint at the appreciation that was coming. Retired as a factory automation products salesman. Worked part-time over the years for an engine builder and a classic car repair shop. Member here for 24 years! This is the very first car/truck Internet forum I joined. I still used a dial-up modem back then!

09-27-2002, 06:35 PM	#18
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	hey mike do you have any more info. on your set-up you can share w/us..........stock set-up or not,what other applications will work, .........pics maybe?thanks for the response!buxman66.

09-27-2002, 11:29 PM	#19
frisky68 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Plymouth, IN Posts: 133	the 1970 part truck i have has a 1.125 (1 1/8) bar thats gonna get swapped onto my 69 stepside....happy to hear how much of a difference it makes...look fwd to getting mine installed __________________ 94 K1500 SWB w/ 4" body and suspension lift



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

09-28-2002, 12:21 AM	#20
Johngear67 The Mighty Blue Bottle Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Canada Sk Posts: 134	yea! you have now made up my mind for me thanks __________________ 1967 Chevy C 10 Custom 350 780 cfm 467 lift 278 dur ported&pollished 2400 stall 350TH B&M shifter 175 shot of nitrious

09-28-2002, 12:52 AM	#21
basketcase Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Edgerton OH USA Posts: 627	I got 2 used bars with my project and the guys at Early Classics said to definately install a front bar. I installed the 1 1/16 bar on Early Classics lowered frame brakets and polygraphite bushings last week. Here's a picture. The springs are 2" lower Early Classics and the rest is a mix of '69 suspension and '72 disc brake stuff. The weight is on the springs in this pic as the jack stands are under the control arms. Front sheetmetal and radiator ect. are off of the truck but it should sit pretty close to what you see here. Tom Attached Images __________________ '69 swb stepside in progress. '59 Corvette lifetime project Last edited by basketcase; 09-28-2002 at 01:06 AM.

09-28-2002, 05:22 AM	#22
Lippyp English Chevy Owner Join Date: May 2002 Location: Shropshire, UK/ Lot, France Posts: 1,848	Hey Basketcase, great picture, I am looking for a front bar for my truck here in the UK and had no real idea where it goes as I don't have anything to compare it to. Did you just paint the bar or did you have it powder-coated? __________________ Phil '67 C10 long fleet. 350/TH350, 4 bbl Carter, K&N, Dual exhaust, loads of stuff coming soon 2001 S10 Blazer Daily Driver, bone stock 4 door 4x4 with manual transmission

09-28-2002, 11:36 AM	#23
basketcase Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Edgerton OH USA Posts: 627	Phil, As Buxman66 said all of the holes are there. The rear hole for the frame bracket that is occupied by a rivet that holds the bottom of the front crossmember is behind the pitman arm in my picture. My bars, since I live in the rust belt of the US, were rather scaley. I used the best of the 2. If it were smooth or new I would have had it powder coated but I painted this one. I wire brushed it clean and then sanded it some. I used emery in the area that the bushings will ride to get to shiney metal. Then I wiped it down a couple times with enamal reducer to clean off all oil and grease residue. I primed it with Rust-O-Leum Rusty Metal Primer and topped it with Rust-O-Leum gloss black. It come out pretty nice. I have had good results with this paint in the past on chassis parts so I'm confident that it will last a long time. Tom __________________ '69 swb stepside in progress. '59 Corvette lifetime project

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.