62 Front SwayBar Installation

[par4tom]

Your truck looks great...be sure and give us the "full report" on the test drive. I bet that thing is going to ride like a dream....
Tom

[Joe Pass]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Your truck looks great...be sure and give us the "full report" on the test drive. I bet that thing is going to ride like a dream....
Tom

Thanks Tom
Its still raining with 50mph gusts..... I'm excited about the improvement and tomorrow is the break in the weather....so they say

[JonnyR]

This is great. Thank you for the information.
Waiting for ride update!!
John

[OldGMJon]

Originally Posted by Joe Pass

Thanks Tom
Its still raining with 50mph gusts..... I'm excited about the improvement and tomorrow is the break in the weather....so they say

Yeah, those gusts have me without power for two days now here on the north coast...all the generators in the neighborhood are running. I have never seen so many trees down in one storm. jon

[Joe Pass]

Well the moment you waited for....Handles Great !...Went 25 miles around the back roads cornering and not letting off the gas in fear of losing any control. Not that I will compete in a autocross, but its definitely a BIG improvement with money/time well spent....Oh and in the 3rd picture I did an evasive maneuver to avoid the puddle with good handling....yeah I know but the wheel wells are still clean.
So here's some action photos....well just proof I did at least drive it... LOL
Joe.

[OldGMJon]

Originally Posted by Joe Pass

Well the moment you waited for....Handles Great !...So here's some action photos....well just proof I did at least drive it... LOL
Joe. Attachment 1361834

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Congrats, were still digging out on the coast. That is one clean truck man!

[slepysal]

I will have to put this on my "To Do" list... thanks again

[Joe Pass]

Originally Posted by slepysal

I will have to put this on my "To Do" list... thanks again

Your welcome.....
I will get out this week to try it out on some bumpy roads at various speeds....but it feels planted to the road compared to before...

[par4tom]

Hey Joe,
Thanks again for this post. I got mine in from Summit for about $179 and it was here in Central California in a couple of days.

Can't wait to get it installed...got to get the engine in this week and then I can start cranking down the torsion bars to adjust the final ride height!

Weathers been nice...you had the truck out at all? Any final thoughts?

Tom

[Joe Pass]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Hey Joe,
Thanks again for this post. I got mine in from Summit for about $179 and it was here in Central California in a couple of days.

Can't wait to get it installed...got to get the engine in this week and then I can start cranking down the torsion bars to adjust the final ride height!

Weathers been nice...you had the truck out at all? Any final thoughts?

Tom

I had the truck out and logged about 75 miles so far...no regrets on the swaybar at all. I now can focus on the detail stuff now that it runs and handles properly

[slepysal]

Hi Joe so how about an update , how has the sway bar held up ?

[Pappyx3!]

Awesome write up, well documented. subscribed for updates. Great job on the truck!

[NVS-C10]

I noticed your front end looks pretty low (looking at the space between bottom a-arm and frame).. did you do anything special or just lower by turning down the torsion bar adjustment bolts?

[Joe Pass]

All is well, The truck handles respectively well and no issues with the installation ...Been thinking of a rear sway bar installation, as most torsion bar owners will agree that there is no direct bolt on available for the rear either. What I thought I could make work is hindered by the exhaust going under the rear end. So since it's not a safety issue I will eventually find the right combo and post about it
As far as the ride height, it's sitting on 225/65/15 front with 2.5" drop spindles and the rear is 255/70/15 with 5" drop springs and 1" lowering blocks.
I cranked the torsion keys until the A-frames were about level to the ground.

[NVS-C10]

Originally Posted by Joe Pass

All is well, The truck handles respectively well and no issues with the installation ...Been thinking of a rear sway bar installation, as most torsion bar owners will agree that there is no direct bolt on available for the rear either. What I thought I could make work is hindered by the exhaust going under the rear end. So since it's not a safety issue I will eventually find the right combo and post about it
As far as the ride height, it's sitting on 225/65/15 front with 2.5" drop spindles and the rear is 255/70/15 with 5" drop springs and 1" lowering blocks.
I cranked the torsion keys until the A-frames were about level to the ground.
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Your truck looks amazing and yeah I noticed your lower a-arm were flat but I didn't see the torsion bar keys hanging down so I was wondering if you did something else.

[Joe Pass]

Originally Posted by NVS-C10

Your truck looks amazing and yeah I noticed your lower a-arm were flat but I didn't see the torsion bar keys hanging down so I was wondering if you did something else.

Well there is one thing I did to gain ground clearance is I eliminated the spacer under the head of the torsion key bolt. That allowed T-bolt to settle almost an inch higher in the torsion key saddles. The only pictures I have are from my build that show it before the removal, but you might get the idea. If you look at the bolt in the pictures there are 2 square blocks under each bolt. I then removed the one directly under the bolt head. The second block has a larger inner hole so I used some thin wall bushing material to reduce the slop and reinstalled it. I turned both bolts gradually until the lower arms were level and since readjusted them up a little bit after it settled. I wish I took some photos but I was at a friends alignment shop and did this a the fly. That area is my lowest point and sits 4.5" above the level ground. So far I scraped twice on the X pipe but the bolts /keys cleared any harm.

[Vincenthdfan]

Oh man, the inspiration your truck is giving me!!

I'm pulling my front clip off right now and pulling my old 283 to put the new crate 350 in.

I'm curious what headers you're running with the torsion bars...looks like they fit pretty well.

[NVS-C10]

Originally Posted by Joe Pass

Well there is one thing I did to gain ground clearance is I eliminated the spacer under the head of the torsion key bolt. That allowed T-bolt to settle almost an inch higher in the torsion key saddles. The only pictures I have are from my build that show it before the removal, but you might get the idea. If you look at the bolt in the pictures there are 2 square blocks under each bolt. I then removed the one directly under the bolt head. The second block has a larger inner hole so I used some thin wall bushing material to reduce the slop and reinstalled it. I turned both bolts gradually until the lower arms were level and since readjusted them up a little bit after it settled. I wish I took some photos but I was at a friends alignment shop and did this a the fly. That area is my lowest point and sits 4.5" above the level ground. So far I scraped twice on the X pipe but the bolts /keys cleared any harm.
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Cool.. I'll try that.. never thought of that.. thanks!

[Joe Pass]

NVS-C10...Your welcome...I'll try to get some better pictures...

[Joe Pass]

Originally Posted by nvs-c10

cool.. I'll try that.. Never thought of that.. Thanks!

Originally Posted by vincenthdfan

oh man, the inspiration your truck is giving me!!

I'm pulling my front clip off right now and pulling my old 283 to put the new crate 350 in.

I'm curious what headers you're running with the torsion bars...looks like they fit pretty well.
I'm running these headers http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pt...model/chevelle

[Joe Pass]

Summit racing is where I got these http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pt...model/chevelleAttachment 1399973

[Chapstr's65]

Wow your undercarriage is cleaner than the outside of my truck

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by Joe Pass

Well there is one thing I did to gain ground clearance is I eliminated the spacer under the head of the torsion key bolt. That allowed T-bolt to settle almost an inch higher in the torsion key saddles. The only pictures I have are from my build that show it before the removal, but you might get the idea. If you look at the bolt in the pictures there are 2 square blocks under each bolt. I then removed the one directly under the bolt head. The second block has a larger inner hole so I used some thin wall bushing material to reduce the slop and reinstalled it. I turned both bolts gradually until the lower arms were level and since readjusted them up a little bit after it settled. I wish I took some photos but I was at a friends alignment shop and did this a the fly. That area is my lowest point and sits 4.5" above the level ground. So far I scraped twice on the X pipe but the bolts /keys cleared any harm.
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Man! I like that idea!
My 65 is on a 62 frame.
What a simple fix to get those keys up a little higher.

[slepysal]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

Man! I like that idea!
My 65 is on a 62 frame.
What a simple fix to get those keys up a little higher.

I agree !!! Thanks Joe

[Joe Pass]

Originally Posted by Chapstr's65

Wow your undercarriage is cleaner than the outside of my truck

Thanks...