Need help with sway bars for TF trucks

[Trucknut57]

This has probably been asked more than once, but I'm either stupid or a computer search moron , cause I can't find anything on them. I can find sway bars for 60-66's, 67-72's (go figure), even 73-81's but nothing on the 55-59's.

I'm in need of sway bars for the front and rear for a 55-59.

The front has the stock axle, lowered leaf springs, rack & pinion steering.

The rear has a 1972 Camaro, on top of lowered leaf springs.

The rest of the frame is the stock locations and stuff, shocks, etc... (oh, except the gas tank is on the frame)

I have been looking at Addco's 113, for the front, fits a 65-79 Ford F100. This one looks promising.

I've also been looking at the Addco 695, for the rear, supposed to fit the 55-59's.

My problem is, I'm a visual person. I like to see it on something to see if it will work for me.

Does anyone have any pictures of these on a vehicle? Dang internet is useless on any type of pictures except for porn...

Does anyone have any other suggestions for a sway bar?

Thanks.

[xaircav]

For the front look at Classic Performance Parts CP12030. They don't show a rear bar but since you have a Camaro rear look in the boneyard for a Camaro with a rear bar. I put '76 Camaro rear in my AD truck and found a bar on an '82 Camaro that I adapted using CPP links and bushings.

[Stepside Jim]

"My '59 Apache", is a build thread on page 3 right now.

On page 27 of her build she installed front and rear sway bars. As I recall, they made a huge difference in the handling.

The truck still has the straight axle in front and a similar set up as yours in the rear.

Hope this helps, Jim

[Trucknut57]

xaircav - thanks for the idea. I checked their installation instructions, down side is with the power rack and pinion steering unit I have. It mounts to the front axle also.

[1project2many]

Suburbans and panel trucks were available with a stock bar. It's small, but it may be effective. I found one but haven't installed it yet. I'm planning to use it to replace the '80s K15 Blazer bar that I installed back in the '90s. The bar works well but it's not wide enough to attach outside the frame rails. I have also obtained a bar from a late '60s GMC 2500 van. Van's have a similar axle but the bar attaches differently and it's a larger diameter. I honestly think it will be more effective and it will still look stock.

Here's the last sway bar thread I remember. I posted links to prior threads.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=599150

Edit: One of my links above leads to a thread about trans/xfer case swapping. I have no idea how that happened...?

[Trucknut57]

Thank you for all the help.

I looked at all the CPP stuff, won't work with the type of steering I have and the rear wont work with the TCI rear kit I have also.

Think I have my plan now.

I'm going to look for a front bar from a Ford F100, it looks more adaptable to what I need.

I'm also going to use the Addco 695 bar for the rear. It should fit.

Thank you for all the help and links, it made the process a whole bunch easier.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Before you go Trucknut how about giving us a review on the rack & pinion setup?

Is it the one you can buy from No Limit Engineering? Manual or power? How did the installation go and what do you think of it now that you have it?

[_Ogre]

if your willing to do some fabrication... most any sway bar will fit most any application, within reason
the sway bar transfers load in a vary basic way and it doesn't matter how it's done
you can mount them in front or behind either axle; bar on axle, linked to frame; bar on frame, linked to axle or spring pads
a junk yard sway bar can be heated and bent in or our to meet you link mounts

[Trucknut57]

Dan - No problem.

I have the No Limit, power, rack & pinion. It mounts straight to the front axle.

I've had it on the truck for a few years now. Overall the rack works pretty good. It has no leaks, no weird or unusual noises.

The good - easy to install (read the instructions), steering is light, ratio is pretty quick, setting the toe is very simple.
The bad - if your king pins are worn, this does not help the wondering on the road. Since it is attached to axle, when the axle moves so does you steering shaft that attaches to the column. This makes for a bumpy column feel (depending on your roads). Suggestion, find a boot to put over the shaft and grease the heck out of it.

If you have the original straight axle and you want to keep it, you have four options as I see it.
1) Original steering setup
2) GM power steering box on outside of frame rail (may interfere with turning radius)
3) Toyota power steering box, mounted in original box location (may interfere with engine headers)
4) Rack & Pinion on the axle.

If I had to do it over and keep the straight axle, I would probably use the Rack & Pinion
again.

Hope that helps.



UPDATE to my post from earlier today:

I swear I overthink everything.

Changed my mind on the front sway bar. The Ford mounting locations would interfere with the shock mounting. So I went with the FSBK5559 from Performance Online.

Also changed the rear sway bar. Went with the Addco 396 bar. It is designed to fit truck frames that are 31" wide. Since the TF frame is 34" wide, this bar should mount in the middle of the frame on the bottom.

Guess I will find out next week if they will work.

[Trucknut57]

Got an update for whom ever wants it.

Finally got both front and rear sway bars installed.

I ended up using the POL FSBK5559 for the Front Bar and an Addco 396 Rear sway bar.

Both bars installed without any modifications, the front required 4 holes to be drilled and so did the rear.

I didn't take any picks of the front, during or after the install, sorry

But I did take some of the rear bar after I was done installing it . The rear took 1.5 hrs to install it and some of that time was waiting for the paint on the frame to dry.

I installed it this way so I would be able to used the supplied hardware.


Attachment at the axle


Attachment at the frame,


I should have put these sway bars on YEARS ago , she rides SOOOO much better.

[jeffs56]

Is there a chance you can take some pictures of the way you did the front and how it looks. I'm running the dropped axle and dropped springs. I haven't driven it yet. Trying to make it ride as good as possible lol

[Trucknut57]

Jeffs56
I will try to get some pictures later tonight. I'll have to pull it out and jack it up to get anything worth seeing.

I'm using the TCI rear leaf kit, it dropped the rear about 5" from where it was before and finding a sway bar that fit and didn't require some work was fun. The Addco 396 is actually for a 70'-72' F100 but it fit perfect.

[Rickysnickers]

Wow, very nice job!

[1-ton of fun]

nice! i'm putting that same front bar on my son's truck this weekend

[Trucknut57]

Jeffs56,
Here are a few of the front, it just finished raining and I was trying really hard not to lay on the ground.







And one more of the rear at a different angle

[jeffs56]

Awesome thanks I appreciate it. So it help the ride out alot? Does the bracket it bolt to go between the spring and the front axle. Hard to tell. Thanks.

[Trucknut57]

I should have put sway bars on years ago. There is still some body roll but nothing like without it. The ride is a little stiffer but well worth it.

The bracket for the front sway bar goes in between the shock mount bracket and the axle itself. I had to open the holes a little and round off one of the corners on the bracket but nothing difficult.

[Trucknut57]

Jeffs56

This is what comes in the kit for the front sway bar.

[jeffs56]

Where did you order it from? I was wondering where it bolted because I wasn't sure if it interferes with the shims for the axles

[_Ogre]

with 2 anti-sway bars, truk handles like a go kart compared to the stock configuration

[Trucknut57]

Jeffs56,
Here is the link for where I got it.
https://www.performanceonline.com/19...ormance-Front/

This where I got the rear bar.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ACO-396/

Both bars are 1' diameter.

Orge,

I didn't think the bars would have that much effect on the overall handling and ride but Damn, I like it.

[G&R's57GMC]

That rear bar hangs so low it reminds me of the hook on a jet fighter ready for a carrier landing