Installed a Craigslist rear sway bar

[INSIDIOUS '86]

So I got a rear swaybar off Craigslist for $75 today. Loks to be a hellwig bar and Idk the size. I had no instructions but it was pretty straight forward to install untill I got to the frame brackets wich they are supposedly "bolt on" from what I can tell but the bar is still to narrow which makes the installation a pita for the end links. But I drilled some new holes got the brackets figured out and got her done in two hours.

Driving it I can tell immediately going around corners at even 15mph that it tracked flatter around. Going around larger faster corners the rear stayed planted and firm. Hardly any roll. Just for reference I have a one ton front sway bare with urethane center bushings and rubber outers.
Now I can say the front bar made the biggest difference but the rear help make the whole package complete and corner like a brick of styrofoam instead of a brick of lead.

I would have to say that for the price if this bar new...I wouldn't touch it but. For my craigslist deal it was worth the hours of cursing at it for not being quite as wide as it should I was happy with the end result
http://m.summitracing.com/parts/hel-7549/all
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[DREAMER1]

Can we see some pics of it installed on your truck?
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Yah I will post some pics. Any specific areas you guys wanna see?
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[chevybuilder18]

you have the same idea i was thinking, except i was thinking about buying some brackets or making some and sticking a used front one on my axle.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by chevybuilder18

you have the same idea i was thinking, except i was thinking about buying some brackets or making some and sticking a used front one on my axle.

It need to sill clear the pumpkin on the crossmember. Although is you made a crossmember to mount the bar and the ends were linked to the axle it may work.
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[bikeman59]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

So I got a rear swaybar off Craigslist for $75 today. Loks to be a hellwig bar and Idk the size. I had no instructions but it was pretty straight forward to install untill I got to the frame brackets wich they are supposedly "bolt on" from what I can tell but the bar is still to narrow which makes the installation a pita for the end links. But I drilled some new holes got the brackets figured out and got her done in two hours.

Driving it I can tell immediately going around corners at even 15mph that it tracked flatter around. Going around larger faster corners the rear stayed planted and firm. Hardly any roll. Just for reference I have a one ton front sway bare with urethane center bushings and rubber outers.
Now I can say the front bar made the biggest difference but the rear help make the whole package complete and corner like a brick of styrofoam instead of a brick of lead.

I would have to say that for the price if this bar new...I wouldn't touch it but. For my craigslist deal it was worth the hours of cursing at it for not being quite as wide as it should I was happy with the end result
http://m.summitracing.com/parts/hel-7549/all
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This is good info. I don't have any sway bars, but was thinking about adding both. After reading your story, I'm convinced that I need to do this.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

It's not really as low as it looks in the pics due to the way I took them but its above the scrub line by half an inch if both tires went flat. But stil a little low. This bar is meant to go above the axle on a non lowered truck so the bars are parallel to the ground but as you can see works mounted under as well. I got to say it helps traction on a hairpin corner so that the rear doesn't wash out so easily. But it does act snappy around corners on bumps partly due to the fact that I think the bar is to big especially for the rear. At 1 1/8ths its a little bigger than the front one ton factory bar. The thing about a swaybar is that any upset on a bump on one side of the vehicle will be transferred to the other side obviously bigger bars will increase this sensitivity. But so far positives have outweighed any negatives. I really like it the truck takes corners like a car now nice and straight and the rear feels planted and not so spongy.
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

I'm pretty sure if they hade made better front brackets that were longer they can angle forward and I can mount the bar forward of the rear cover and closer up snug to the diff
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[G8DAN]

The bar looks beefy man....What is the size of the one ton front bar? I thought they were 1 1/4.

[G8DAN]

Also I wonder if you can get a longer stud for the endlink through belltech. The rear bar I have has a longer endlink that would probably help you out with getting the sway to be more forward and closer to the diff.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by G8DAN

The bar looks beefy man....What is the size of the one ton front bar? I thought they were 1 1/4.

Not sure what they were but the front feels like it dips more than the rear now

As for the links longer would dip the bars forward and you would lose sway bar efficiancy over that moving them forward and making the bracket longer so the link mount won't hit the frame (why I had to angle the bracket back anyways) would work.

If they had put just a minute amount not effort in design and fit then I'm sure they would have Prob one of the best bars there are
But the more I drive it the more I like what it's doing for the truck it's made a much bigger difference then I first said and thought. I can't test this suspension fully since I have manual steering on a power box and if I didn't well...I can't keep my ass on my side of the bench seat. A problem we wish we all had huh? It's not a vette but its not a sloppy truck for sure!
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[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

It's not really as low as it looks in the pics due to the way I took them but its above the scrub line by half an inch if both tires went flat. But stil a little low. This bar is meant to go above the axle on a non lowered truck so the bars are parallel to the ground but as you can see works mounted under as well. I got to say it helps traction on a hairpin corner so that the rear doesn't wash out so easily. But it does act snappy around corners on bumps partly due to the fact that I think the bar is to big especially for the rear. At 1 1/8ths its a little bigger than the front one ton factory bar. The thing about a swaybar is that any upset on a bump on one side of the vehicle will be transferred to the other side obviously bigger bars will increase this sensitivity. But so far positives have outweighed any negatives. I really like it the truck takes corners like a car now nice and straight and the rear feels planted and not so spongy.
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looks wicked. i like the bolt on brackets. could make em yourself out of bolt on perchs..... hmmm