Later Model Sway Bar on 60 Stepper

[wcorbett]

Yesterday I completed my sway bar upgrade on my mostly original 60 step side. I bought the sway bar off CL from a guy with a 67 C-10 who upgraded to a Hotchkiss unit. I knew I could make it work for me, because in the mid 80's, I had another 60 step that the PO (wife's uncle) had already done the mod.

This sway bar is the factory type that just runs the rear end through the large style bushing, and bolts to the A-arm. I don't know if it's application is late 60's or 70's, 'cause those aren't my years of interest. On the 67, the back would've been bolted to the top of the A-arm (i believe), in my case, its bolted to the bottom front of the A-arm. The front uses factory brackets to offset the rise of the frame behind the steering components. The front end of the bracket is 8.5" measured from the factory front bumper, and the hole is bolted through the bottom surface of the frame rail. The rear hole must be drilled and tapped into the frame. The frame is double thick there, so it is plenty strong enough, and there is adequate thickness to tap.

The rear brackets are bolted through the A-arm. The downsides of this for some might be the loss of clearance under the arm, but its pretty far out on the arm, so the tires would provide some "protection" there, and they really aren't any lower than where the ends of the rear axle swing arm mounts.

Additionally, in my case, it seems like the truck may have actually lifted about an inch in the front. I assume this a result of the "spring" properties of the sway bar, and it took some pressure off the 66 year old torsion bars that have undoubtedly sagged. The "rake" is still there, just slightly less.

My truck will live the rest of its life as a sleeper ranch truck (mild suspension and power upgrades focusing on drivability), so that small lift is no issue.

Driving with the sway bar is virtually night and day already, and that's prior to my coming Bilstein shocks I'll put on later this week (still have the 60 year old Allstate shocks on it).

Anyway, a pretty simple mod that makes a world of difference.

[LostMy65]

That's very similar to how I was thinking it would work.
Now I'm thinking of mounting an L-bracket to the front of the arms and then mounting it to those.
Obviously, it doesn't work on top of the arms:

[jasnake65]

I'm watching this, I have a 1960 myself. So your using a sway bar from a 67 and the front brackets also? I bet it does ride a lot of difference

[wcorbett]

Originally Posted by jasnake65

I'm watching this, I have a 1960 myself. So your using a sway bar from a 67 and the front brackets also? I bet it does ride a lot of difference

Yes, mine was taken off a 67, but i believe the applications up into the 80's would also work. Ride is much more solid, and I live in the Sierra foothills where a straight piece of road is hard to find, and the body roll is significantly reduced.

[LostMy65]

Mine is a 62 frame using 73-87 sway bar.
Mine would bolt up to the underside just as wcorbett has done. But my concern was the same as his with the ground clearance, but I think it'll be fine.
I'm going to try and make a L bracket something like this but a little bigger:

[wcorbett]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

That's very similar to how I was thinking it would work.
Now I'm thinking of mounting an L-bracket to the front of the arms and then mounting it to those.
Obviously, it doesn't work on top of the arms:

I had the thought of using an L bracket (angle iron) as well, but where it would have to mount to the face of the A-arm is right where that uneven spot where the shock would mount if the A-arm were reversed is, and I want the end mount to be a solid as possible. I could've built a spacer, but then the front bracket starts to move into a position where its mounting might interfere with the through the frame bolts of the steering components. So for me, having had this exact set up before, this is the best solution.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by wcorbett

I had the thought of using an L bracket (angle iron) as well, but where it would have to mount to the face of the A-arm is right where that uneven spot where the shock would mount if the A-arm were reversed is, and I want the end mount to be a solid as possible. I could've built a spacer, but then the front bracket starts to move into a position where its mounting might interfere with the through the frame bolts of the steering components. So for me, having had this exact set up before, this is the best solution.

Yeah, I may just bolt it to the bottom also.
Mine rides a bit lower than yours, that's why I was thinking I needed to mount mine a little higher.

[murphy98]

Hey wcorbett, just wanted to let you know I just competed this same modification (thanks to your post) to my '62 long stepper this morning. As you said, very simple mod to do (took me about an hour & a half, longest part was taping the two rear bracket bolt holes) Lots of metal there to drill and tap so no worries not having a nut on that bolt. I used a donor sway bar a buddy gave me from an '84 Suburban and & a spare pair of stock height brackets he had (sorry, no part number on those) and the Energy suspension GM greaseable bushing kit part#3.5175G to fit the 1 1/16" sway bar. Some grade 8 nuts, bolts lock washers and I was all set. I just got back from a short test run and as you said, it's a night and day difference! Must have reduced the body roll by at least 80%. I'm now thinking perhaps a rear sway bar would tighten things up a bit more but I'm really happy with the results. I have no clearance issues at all with tires or ground clearance as my torsion bars are cranked up about 3/4" higher than stock as I like my stance to be more on the level side front to back. I still have 7 3/4" of ground clearance under the control arm bushings so no issues there. Thanks again for posting your modification for us 60-62 guys to take advantage of, I highly recommend this one guys!

[RKS0069]

66 years old? Must be a typo.

It looks great! I have all the parts but I don't have my front end in, decided to do the sway bar after I took the truck apart.

What is the chance of getting a photo of where you measured from to the center of the front bracket hole? Hoping to drill holes in the frame before any painting happens.

Thanks for posting this project!!

[murphy98]

I know your question was not directed specifically at me RKS0069, however for my install I found two existing (factory?) holes in my frame which I used for the front bracket bolts. Just had to drill out the holes a bit to accept the 3/8" bolts. Once the front bolts were installed it was easy to locate the rear holes, drill and tap them for the 3/8" bolts. My brackets ended up being about 9 1/2" from the back edge of the front bumper to the front edge of the brackets. wcorbett's brackets are as he stated about 8 1/2" from the bumper edge to the edge of the bracket. Perhaps that that is due to two different model year bars being used? or different length brackets? The existing frame holes worked out perfectly in my case and allowed for enough bar to pass through the bushings mounted to the low section of the control arms. Hope this helps?