Sway bars for '60-62: I DID IT!! Woo-Hoo!

[par4tom]

Brad,
I want one for my '61. Will you message me as SOON as you get these in. I'd like to order one.

Tom

[lasher78]

will these work on a 66 or do you plan on making a version for the 63-66?
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[Blue Blood]

Any updates?
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[Captainfab]

The factory '63-'87 sway bars bolt right up to your '66 front suspension. The '73-'87 C20 and C30's had an option of a 1.25" sway bar.

Originally Posted by lasher78

will these work on a 66 or do you plan on making a version for the 63-66?
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[GMCNUT]

OK - question. When you add a sway bar to a coil spring truck it makes a huge difference because without the Torsion bars they get bad body roll on cornering - but I own several torsion bar trucks and they handle great around corners already with almost no body roll at all compared to 63-66 trucks, so I guess I am wondering why anyone would need a sway bar on a 60-62? maybe its something you need when you modify one - all mine are stock w/ T-bars adjusted to factory height etc....

[par4tom]

Hi GMC,
You're truck must ride completely different than mine. Like you, I have the torsions bars but the ride can sometimes get a little bit scary.

The truck "wobbles" on some uneven roads where I live. And going around corners, it really can lean to the outside of the turn.

From a mechanical standpoint, I agree with what you are saying. But from my own driving experience, my old '61 really does not handle that well compared to the more modern trucks I have driven.

I had a 1975 1/2 ton stepside with a swaybar for almost 20 years, it's handling (while crude compared to today's more modern trucks) was much more stable than this '61.

I think a swaybar would really help stabilize the "wobbles" and leaning on turns. Also, I have added airshocks to the back of the truck which should help just a bit in those hard corner leans.

Just my opinion...

Best regards,
Tom

[verdell]

Actually, my handling improved slightly when I went from factory height to dropped spindles. But there was a very noticeable improvement when I added the '75 half ton sway bar to my current torsion bar suspension. I only paid $20 for the sway bar and less than $30 for the bushings. I'm very pleased with the way it handles now VS the way it used to roll in curves. This is my 2nd torsion bar pickup too...just my opinion

[par4tom]

Verdell,
How did you attach the sway bars to the lower A arms? Do you have a pic?

T

[verdell]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Verdell,
How did you attach the sway bars to the lower A arms? Do you have a pic?

T

I'll get under there and get a couple of pics. May be a day or two tho because I'll be out of town this weekend. Between working, kids returning to school and family life, I haven't had much time to mess with my pickup lately.

[hop sing]

Man my 61 seems to ride pretty good PO put a 1973 2wd power steering and what looks 73 linkage too,,, left turning radius is better than right side,but as far as handling its pretty good alot better than my stock 63 burb w/manual steering,,, now that thing had body roll ,my 61 has a good stance , has heated rear springs (po) and looks like he turned down bars halfway its got a good stance ,i drive on I-5 everyday doing 75 with no prob,and it goes up to MT Baker just fine in all turns ,,,but i will be definitely be ordering a swaybar to see the improvement ,but i am sold on the T bar set up i have had a lot of trucks and my 61 is my favorite so far just my honest opinion aloha Hop

[jerkmo jody]

I want 1. My truck is bagged with stock high spindles & disc's , manual steer . Plannig a power rack next! Ur sway bar & some killer times in autocross please email me!
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[Brad54]

Originally Posted by GMCNUT

OK - question. When you add a sway bar to a coil spring truck it makes a huge difference because without the Torsion bars they get bad body roll on cornering - but I own several torsion bar trucks and they handle great around corners already with almost no body roll at all compared to 63-66 trucks, so I guess I am wondering why anyone would need a sway bar on a 60-62? maybe its something you need when you modify one - all mine are stock w/ T-bars adjusted to factory height etc....

My Suburban felt like it was going to scrape the door handles on the ground when I went around corners without the sway bar.
Torsion bars vs coil springs don't affect body roll any differently. A torsion bar is simply a straightened coil spring--they do the exact same thing: control the lower control arm.
They do, in my estimation, ride better because of the dynamics involved in compressing a coil versus twisting a torsion bar, but as far as cornering, the outside suspension is still going to compress while the inside suspension extends, giving body roll. That's basic vehicle dynamics, unless you have extremely stiff springs that keep the suspension from compressing through a corner.
A sway bar connects the two sides, and is in effect a torsion spring. As the outside suspension compresses, the sway bar tries to make the inside suspension compress, which minimized body roll.

On my Suburban, brakes and tires are now the limiting factor when I come into corners... which, after 7 years and over 70,000 miles, is taking some getting used to!

-Brad

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by verdell

Actually, my handling improved slightly when I went from factory height to dropped spindles. But there was a very noticeable improvement when I added the '75 half ton sway bar to my current torsion bar suspension. I only paid $20 for the sway bar and less than $30 for the bushings. I'm very pleased with the way it handles now VS the way it used to roll in curves. This is my 2nd torsion bar pickup too...just my opinion

I don't know how guys are running the later bars on their T-bar trucks--we had one up under mine to compare, and it wasn't even close... tire clearance issues. I'm not saying it can't be done, because obviously it has been. I'd like to crawl under a truck with the alter one and look. I'd also like to see how you attached it to the lower control arm.

I've got to sell another 10 bars for '54-'56 Buicks to get the capital to buy the first batch of 50 '60-'62 Chevy/GMC truck sway bars. (So if you have a friend with a Buick, tell him to step up!)

-Brad

[par4tom]

Brad,
Why don't you take pre-orders on these with a $100 deposit from each. That should get you off the ground???

Tom

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Brad,
Why don't you take pre-orders on these with a $100 deposit from each. That should get you off the ground???

Tom

Because I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing I had other men's hard-earned money, without a product to ship to them.
There are ALWAYS things that crop up during the production process... the delivery date of my first batch of Buick bars got pushed back, and pushed back, and pushed back... Then, when they finally shipped, they all had the wrong end link hardware.

For me to deal with that, it's not a big deal... that's business; things don't always go smoothly. You figure out what the fix is, why it happened, how to prevent it from happening again, fix it and more on. It doesn't bother me at all.


I won't take another person's money until I have the parts on the shelf, ready to be shipped out the door. That way, if something goes wrong on my end, someone else doesn't feel cheated or taken advantage of.

I'd rather take longer to bring it to market, and have my customers happy, than have a problem and have them dissatisfied.


-Brad

[Blue Blood]

Any updates ? Almost ready to hit the junkyard for an alternate.

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by Blue Blood

Any updates ? Almost ready to hit the junkyard for an alternate.

I'm doing The Gear Jam Drags on September 28.
Between now and then, or right after the Drags, I will have the money for my order. Plan is to have them in-hand, on the shelf, by November 5, in time for the SEMA show.

-Brad

[par4tom]

Hey Brad,
I want to be first in line when you are ready to go on these...hehe! Keep us posted!

Tom

[par4tom]

Hey Brad,

Any more updates on the sway bars...

Tom

[Brad54]

I just got The Gear Jam behind me this past weekend... it was a vintage drag race, car show and swap meet at the Atlanta Dragway. Being a one-man-band, it was a LOT of work!
My normal monthly NE Georgia Swap Meet is next weekend. This coming week I'm going to sort out all the book work, rebalance all the bank accounts, and will get a quote for quantities from the manufacturer, then will get the order placed in the next month.

-Brad

[par4tom]

Hi Brad,

What's the latest on these?

Let me know.

Tom

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Hi Brad,

What's the latest on these?

Let me know.

Tom

Waiting to hear back from the factory right now on the first order.

-Brad

[Itnkrman]

Bringing this one back....any updates on the sway bars for our t-bar trucks?

[par4tom]

Hi Brad,
Any updates? Timelines?
Tom

[Brad54]

The original prototype rubbed on the inside of the wheels just a little bit, so I am having a second prototype made that should fix that. Ordered the modification a month ago, left a follow-up message last week, and will give another follow-up call this week to see where it's at.
Once I have it in my hand and test-fit it on the truck, I'll order the first batch of 50 bars.

I REALLY want this to move forward!!
-Brad