Swaybar Install FAQ With Pictures

[Tx Firefighter]

There are lots of members asking about installing a swaybar on the front of their trucks.

First, all swaybars from 73-87 2wd trucks interchange onto earlier trucks. The larger trucks like 3/4 and 1 tons typically had larger bars on them from the factory. The bar shown in this install was given to me by a friend. We pulled it off an 86 3/4 ton 2wd truck. It is the 1 1/4" bar.

Some of our trucks came equiped with factory swaybars. If your's did, you are lucky. You can simply snag a larger unit off a heavy duty truck to improve your handling. For folks like me, who's trucks did not come equipped with a factory unit, the install process is a little more complicated.

The install documented below was performed by myself in about 2 hours.

One factor to consider is if your truck is lowered or will be in the future. The factory swaybar mounts hang very low under the frame and when the truck is lowered, they typically get bent very quickly against a curb. Early Classic Enterprises makes a set of raised mounts intended for lowered trucks. With these mounts, your bar will be high enough to never have to worry about hitting it. I used the raised mounts on my truck, which is lowered 4.5 inches in the front.

First picture is of my Blazer which uses factory GM mounts and is lowered 4.5 inches in the front. As you can see, the bar hangs too low.