Adding 1978 Factory Sway Bar to 1964 K10

[aotte1]

Need help on how you added a factory sway bar to a 63 to 66 K10. Just installed a 1978 Dana 44 front axle in 1964 K10, including the sway bar. Issue is how to attach the front of the bar to the cross member. ( do not want to change out the cross member) My next step is to detached the 1978 front sway bar brackets from that cross member, and see how they fit the 1964 cross member. Possible add/make bushing for correct alignment and strength.

Any info on how other have done this would be very helpful.

First two photos are of the sway bar installed, but not attached to the cross member. Two questions I need to address: 1). what bracket to use/make for attaching it to cross member; and 2). what distance to position the bar from the frame for proper operation while driving. The measurements on the frame are distances from top of bar to bottom of frame.

I was thinking as a starting point, of measuring a '78 from bottom of the frame to top of bar to learn how it was positioned on that truck, thinking a lot of the front end geometry is similar from '63 to '87. Am I correct in this thinking?

Next photo is these brackets still attached to '78 cross member.

Last photo is the sway bar ends attached to the axle spring bracket.

Note: The newer Dana 44 just bolted right in, per the "Captains" and others knowledge.


Les

[argonaut]

Les,
I received your PM. Unfortunately I did not install sway bars onto my pickup nor my suburban. It looks like you are on the right track though. I would cut those brackets off of the 78 crossmember and see how they can be modified or extended to bolt onto your frame and crossmember. I think other members have simply bolted a rectangular tube under the frame, like a crossmember, and then bolted the mounting straps right to that. Might not lool "original" but its easy to do.

[padresag]

check out Jon;s thread
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=448681
ron

['63GENIII]

Not stock looking but not jenky either. Really inexpensive and works great for me.

[aotte1]

Padresag,

Thanks for the reference to Jon's build thread. Looks like Jon, changed out the cross member to a newer one that matches the newer front axle.

Les

[aotte1]

63 GenIII,

Thanks, description and photos for how you did your conversion to new axle with sway bar. Is yours a factory bar from newer truck, sub? Does your set-up show any bind during suspension travel?

My measurements show the distance from the bottom of the top of frame rail to top of bracket holding the sway bar cushion, at about 6 inches. The 6 inches came from how it was installed ( same measurement) on the 1978 K10. Does your set-up have a similar measurement?

Les

['63GENIII]

Hey Les,

I would venture a guess that my frame rail is the same as yours. I haven't noticed binding of any sort. It has worked really well so far. I too had looked at modifying OEM brackets as well but really didn't have the time to source the parts, modify and install everything. I didn't like many of the angle iron ones that I had seen when researching the mount either. The 2X4 tube steel has worked well and also helps the SB closer to parallel with the leafs that Im running (which I hope helps reduce or eliminate binding).

[aotte1]

63GENIII,

Thanks again. Looks good.

Test fit the OEM brackets today, after removing them from 1978 K10 cross member. Plan to play with them some this weekend. Will try some cutting with band saw and see how they fit. Agree that if using OEM brackets, after cutting to make them fit, will also need to add a short metal strap at one location. Maybe about three inches long.

Les

[padresag]

Originally Posted by aotte1

Padresag,

Thanks for the reference to Jon's build thread. Looks like Jon, changed out the cross member to a newer one that matches the newer front axle.

Les

Jon incorporated it with the orig rad crossmember. I put in some pictures of another conversion and he used all of the later stuff
ron

[padresag]

this is what I was talking about and it is in line #65 in Jon's thread

ron

[aotte1]

Ron,

Thanks for additional information on how Jon installed his sway bar front brackets.

Planning to ask Jon in his thread if he finds his front sway bar brackets are located more rearward in the frame, as a result of using newer/ longer spring and conversion from 2 wd to 4 wd. Also thinking he may have a lift.

Will do some more measurements with photos on the '64K10 with '78 Dana 44 axle and steering components, and post. The first two photos above show the SB to be close to frame cross member.

Les

[aotte1]

Did more measurements and the front of the sway bar (SB) is 1/4 inch behind the back of the frame cross member. ( the 2" on the tape in the photo is the zero reference and the 2 1/4 is the back of the frame SB) The SB is positioned in reference to the frame, the same as it was in the '78 K10. ( the 6" measurement mentioned above)
The photos below are of the SB in this position.

[aotte1]

A few more photos of installing the '78 front sway bar brackets to the '64 cross member. Shows fitting brackets, starting to modify them to fit '64 cross member, along with how the bar sits.

[aotte1]

A few more photos of fitting the '78 crossmember brackets being fitted and modified. Tools used.

[aotte1]

A little more progress. Had the brackets attached to the bar, and bar aligned where it will be when installed. Used this method to place the brackets where they will need to be.

[aotte1]

More progress.

[aotte1]

A few pictures of the sway bar installed. Used Moog bushings and will dye them black, the blue is just not me.

Their are several different way to add the front sway to 60 - 66 K trucks, some are mentioned above, other are reported in different threads. I choose this way to kind of look stock, and be easy to go back to original. The springs are original, axle is '79 K10.

[RANDY COX]

Looking Mighty Fine LES Mighty Fine...

[DPowers]

Very nice work.

[aotte1]

Randy and DPowers, thanks for the complements. Will do a report on driveability once on the road, will be a while.

Les