I just installed a 1 1/4" swaybar - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Terry'sToy · 11-28-2002, 11:15 AM

I originally had the stock bar with dead bushings. I installed a bar off a 73 3/4 ton camper model with poly bushings from energy suspension. Wholly smokes did this ever make a huge difference. I went for a drive over some twisties and the truck stayed d@mn near dead flat. I'm getting ready to relocate my back shocks to also help with the swaying I get with my camper. I haven't driven the truck with the camper with the new swaybar as I'm waiting to get into the alignment shop. But without the camper it is crazy fun.

guitarman · 11-28-2002, 12:05 PM

That's a great feeling to just bolt something on and get the rush of immediate improvement.

6869704X4 · 12-07-2002, 01:26 PM

Do you have one on the back? It would be a world of difference too.

dazeydog · 12-08-2002, 10:04 AM

Has anyone put a front sway bar onto a four wheel drive ('71 K-10)? Not sure how you could get it clear the drag link etc. I just put 16" six luggers on the above with tall skinny tires and she got knid of rolly on me.

6869704X4 · 12-08-2002, 11:09 AM

The factory did. Not sure which year.

Terry'sToy · 12-09-2002, 01:06 AM

It sure is nice bolting something on and getting immediate improvement.
I don't have one on the back. Do you have one and if so, how is it.

6869704X4 · 12-09-2002, 11:39 PM

Friend of mine put one on his van. Great results.

Terry'sToy · 12-10-2002, 11:23 AM

Cool I'll do some more research on that. Right now I'm looking into air bags for the rear. They are kind of expensive though.

**COBALT** · 12-11-2002, 02:22 PM

Yep, they're amazing aren't they? I just finished rebuilding my front and back suspension, AND added a front sway bar where I didn't have one before at all! Ok, so it's a 1 1/16" bar from a '68 C10, but holy crap! It makes a world of difference from having nothing at all + the new suspension parts and bushings....

Blaze69 · 12-20-2002, 08:22 AM

So they work that well.
I am bolting on a '76 front end for the disc advantage, the donor also came with the front sway bar. Should I make the changes (drill the holes) and bolt the sway bar up also? What are the pros of having it? Will there be any undo stress added to the cross member? Any Cons?

Terry'sToy · 12-20-2002, 11:05 AM

As your truck is a 4x4 I'm not so sure that you will see as great a difference as I did. A couple of my friends have 4x4's and they take the sway bar off for serious bush duty. They say you get better articulation due to the fact that the sway bar isn't there to resist movement. Now if this truck is mostly for street duty then I think I would install it. It's pretty easy to do. I doubt their would be any undo stress on the crossmember.

Terry

srhart71 · 12-20-2002, 08:46 PM

I went with a Dana axle from a 76 under my 71. I also installed the sway bar that was under the donor truck. When I am driving onroad, I have the bar hooked up. For articulation offroad, I undo it and tie it up out of the way.

Blaze69 · 12-20-2002, 09:15 PM

Hey hart71,

Did you have any problems with the new axle bolting up? As you can see (weather permmiting) I'll be doing the job in the A.M. Do you have any tips or advice to make the transition easier? It's not that hard but, any tips would sure help. Did you change over for the same reason (disc)?

srhart71 · 12-20-2002, 09:54 PM

Nope. I just used the plates on top of the springs from the donor truck. They have the boltholes for the swaybar. The front (top) mounts for the bay were a different story. I welded up new bracket holders and installed new bushings. If you kept the spring plates. brackets, and bar from a donor vehicle, it is not hard at all.

The worst part is hooking the swaybar back up after wheeling. The truck has to pretty level to reinsert the bolts.
Shawn

Blaze69 · 12-20-2002, 10:13 PM

Did you run new tubing, master cylinder and prop valve for the new brakes?

11-28-2002, 11:15 AM	#1
Terry'sToy Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Victoria B.C Posts: 109	I just installed a 1 1/4" swaybar I originally had the stock bar with dead bushings. I installed a bar off a 73 3/4 ton camper model with poly bushings from energy suspension. Wholly smokes did this ever make a huge difference. I went for a drive over some twisties and the truck stayed d@mn near dead flat. I'm getting ready to relocate my back shocks to also help with the swaying I get with my camper. I haven't driven the truck with the camper with the new swaybar as I'm waiting to get into the alignment shop. But without the camper it is crazy fun. __________________ 69 GMC 1/2 ton lwb, LS1, headers X-pipe 4L60E Yank 3500 stall 3.73 w/eaton brute force. moroso trick front springs,jeep rear springs, QA1's

11-28-2002, 12:05 PM	#2
guitarman Do it well or don't do it Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Georgia Posts: 457	That's a great feeling to just bolt something on and get the rush of immediate improvement. __________________ Try to be the person your dog thinks you are. Excellent paint and body site: http://www.autobody101.com/ Visit my Web Site http://home.attbi.com/~agfosteriii

12-07-2002, 01:26 PM	#3
6869704X4 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: SE NM Posts: 769	Do you have one on the back? It would be a world of difference too. __________________ The more I learn about women, the more I love my truck.

12-08-2002, 10:04 AM	#4
dazeydog Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Maine Posts: 20	front or rear on those sway bars Has anyone put a front sway bar onto a four wheel drive ('71 K-10)? Not sure how you could get it clear the drag link etc. I just put 16" six luggers on the above with tall skinny tires and she got knid of rolly on me.

12-08-2002, 11:09 AM	#5
6869704X4 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: SE NM Posts: 769	The factory did. Not sure which year. __________________ The more I learn about women, the more I love my truck.

12-09-2002, 01:06 AM	#6
Terry'sToy Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Victoria B.C Posts: 109	It sure is nice bolting something on and getting immediate improvement. I don't have one on the back. Do you have one and if so, how is it. __________________ 69 GMC 1/2 ton lwb, LS1, headers X-pipe 4L60E Yank 3500 stall 3.73 w/eaton brute force. moroso trick front springs,jeep rear springs, QA1's

12-09-2002, 11:39 PM	#7
6869704X4 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: SE NM Posts: 769	Friend of mine put one on his van. Great results. __________________ The more I learn about women, the more I love my truck.

12-10-2002, 11:23 AM	#8
Terry'sToy Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Victoria B.C Posts: 109	Cool I'll do some more research on that. Right now I'm looking into air bags for the rear. They are kind of expensive though. __________________ 69 GMC 1/2 ton lwb, LS1, headers X-pipe 4L60E Yank 3500 stall 3.73 w/eaton brute force. moroso trick front springs,jeep rear springs, QA1's

12-11-2002, 02:22 PM	#9
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Yep, they're amazing aren't they? I just finished rebuilding my front and back suspension, AND added a front sway bar where I didn't have one before at all! Ok, so it's a 1 1/16" bar from a '68 C10, but holy crap! It makes a world of difference from having nothing at all + the new suspension parts and bushings.... __________________ '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.

12-20-2002, 08:22 AM	#10
Blaze69 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arizona Posts: 147	So they work that well. I am bolting on a '76 front end for the disc advantage, the donor also came with the front sway bar. Should I make the changes (drill the holes) and bolt the sway bar up also? What are the pros of having it? Will there be any undo stress added to the cross member? Any Cons? __________________ 1969 Blazer: 350/350, 4X4, HEI, Edlebrock carb/intake, dual flowmasters, np205, 3:07's and the rest is mostly stock. The front end disc swap is finally complete 2002 Z71 Tahoe. CAI, Flowmaster 40, Silverstars in high, low and fogs and a bunch of mods (upgrades) inside and out.

12-20-2002, 11:05 AM	#11
Terry'sToy Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Victoria B.C Posts: 109	As your truck is a 4x4 I'm not so sure that you will see as great a difference as I did. A couple of my friends have 4x4's and they take the sway bar off for serious bush duty. They say you get better articulation due to the fact that the sway bar isn't there to resist movement. Now if this truck is mostly for street duty then I think I would install it. It's pretty easy to do. I doubt their would be any undo stress on the crossmember. Terry __________________ 69 GMC 1/2 ton lwb, LS1, headers X-pipe 4L60E Yank 3500 stall 3.73 w/eaton brute force. moroso trick front springs,jeep rear springs, QA1's

12-20-2002, 08:46 PM	#12
srhart71 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: China Grove, NC Posts: 147	Sway Bars I went with a Dana axle from a 76 under my 71. I also installed the sway bar that was under the donor truck. When I am driving onroad, I have the bar hooked up. For articulation offroad, I undo it and tie it up out of the way.

12-20-2002, 09:15 PM	#13
Blaze69 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arizona Posts: 147	Hey hart71, Did you have any problems with the new axle bolting up? As you can see (weather permmiting) I'll be doing the job in the A.M. Do you have any tips or advice to make the transition easier? It's not that hard but, any tips would sure help. Did you change over for the same reason (disc)? __________________ 1969 Blazer: 350/350, 4X4, HEI, Edlebrock carb/intake, dual flowmasters, np205, 3:07's and the rest is mostly stock. The front end disc swap is finally complete 2002 Z71 Tahoe. CAI, Flowmaster 40, Silverstars in high, low and fogs and a bunch of mods (upgrades) inside and out.

12-20-2002, 09:54 PM	#14
srhart71 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: China Grove, NC Posts: 147	Nope. I just used the plates on top of the springs from the donor truck. They have the boltholes for the swaybar. The front (top) mounts for the bay were a different story. I welded up new bracket holders and installed new bushings. If you kept the spring plates. brackets, and bar from a donor vehicle, it is not hard at all. The worst part is hooking the swaybar back up after wheeling. The truck has to pretty level to reinsert the bolts. Shawn

12-20-2002, 10:13 PM	#15
Blaze69 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arizona Posts: 147	Did you run new tubing, master cylinder and prop valve for the new brakes? __________________ 1969 Blazer: 350/350, 4X4, HEI, Edlebrock carb/intake, dual flowmasters, np205, 3:07's and the rest is mostly stock. The front end disc swap is finally complete 2002 Z71 Tahoe. CAI, Flowmaster 40, Silverstars in high, low and fogs and a bunch of mods (upgrades) inside and out.



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