ECE Front Sway Bar Fitting Issues 71 C10

[Paul V]

Need some help !

I am having issues fitting the ECE front sway bar to my 1971 C10.

The issue is when i tighten up the brackets on the lower arms the bushes popped out of there clamp.

I have tried the bar both ways and it is still the same, i then put a jack under the lower arm to mimic it being at ride height and the bush stops in the but as soon as you lower the jack it pops right back out as per this video



Here is a photo of the arm without the bush on, it just looks like it is at the wrong angle to the lower arm to me ?



I have been onto ECE and they have gone from you need to tighten them up with the truck on the floor to i have the wrong lower arms and the holes are not in the right place.

For what it is worth they are CPP stock replacement arms but they look the same as the ones i have taken off.

Any suggestions

[656mx]

Are they drop springs in it? Is the sway bar for a lowered truck or stock? I assume theirs not much spring drop there because you have full size bump stops. Maybe you need to run the stock front mounts for the sway bar to correct the angle. The ones for lowered trucks mount the bar higher in the front.

[min]

It looks like the sway bar is on upside down.

[michael bustamante]

Can you post a pic of the bushings and horseshoe clamps?

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by min

It looks like the sway bar is on upside down.

I think this is the problem. I believe the angle at the arms should point upwards.

[Paul V]

Thanks all for taking the time to reply

Originally Posted by 656mx

Are they drop springs in it? Is the sway bar for a lowered truck or stock? I assume theirs not much spring drop there because you have full size bump stops. Maybe you need to run the stock front mounts for the sway bar to correct the angle. The ones for lowered trucks mount the bar higher in the front.

Yes they are drop springs from ECE and drop spindles and the bar is for a lowered truck well that is what i ordered. It is there 4/6 drop kit.

Originally Posted by min

It looks like the sway bar is on upside down.

Tech support @ ECE says it is on the right way

Originally Posted by michael bustamante

Can you post a pic of the bushings and horseshoe clamps?

Will do when i am next down the workshop

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

I think this is the problem. I believe the angle at the arms should point upwards.

That is what i have been saying to ECE over my Emails to them, they say the lower arms are bad as the holes are in the wrong place. I just don't buy that as the holes on the clamps line up perfectly with the holes in the lower arms, you can drop the bolts though with your fingers and get the washers and nuts on, how can they be in the wrong place.

Next time i am down there i will try the bar the other way around and see what it looks like.

[Advanced Design]

Please check post 36 here.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=656258&page=2

It shows which way the bar should go.

[Paul V]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Please check post 36 here.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=656258&page=2

It shows which way the bar should go.

Thanks for that, i have a copy of that photo before i fitted my bar and that is how i fitted it the 1st time and they popped out so i swapped it around and still had the same issue so sent ECE a photo and they said the way i have it now ( opposite to the right way) was correct.

What i did not do 1st time as put the jack under the lower arm and tighten up the clamps, i just pulled the bolts up with the arms hanging free on the lift.

When i am back down the shop i will flip the bar and try it with the jack under the arms.

[lolife99]

My opinion,...
the best way to install a sway bar is with the truck resting on it's wheels.
I use to use a set of metal vehicle ramps to get the truck up in the air, but now I use my stands made from old 2x4"s.
I also loosely attach the bar to the a-arms first,... then use a floor jack to lift the center of the bar to attach the frame mounts.
Some times you have to use longer than normal bolts to pull the bushings and u-straps up tight.
Then I replace them one-by-one with the correct length bolts.

Make a set of these stands.
They work great.
Good thread here:
http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/4...e-Stands/page8

[jjzepplin]

Why not install it on the ground? Set the front a arms on jackstands and remove the wheels. Bolt up the bar! However--- every time you pull a wheelie that bar is coming back out...

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Why not install it on the ground? Set the front a arms on jackstands and remove the wheels. Bolt up the bar! However--- every time you pull a wheelie that bar is coming back out...

My trucks are usually to low when the truck is on the ground. Ha.

[Paul V]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Why not install it on the ground? Set the front a arms on jackstands and remove the wheels. Bolt up the bar! However--- every time you pull a wheelie that bar is coming back out...

That is my issue, every time you jack the truck up it will pop out Or when you put it on the lift it will pop out.

Surely this is not right ? and or even safe.

[Paul V]

Originally Posted by lolife99

My opinion,...
the best way to install a sway bar is with the truck resting on it's wheels.
I use to use a set of metal vehicle ramps to get the truck up in the air, but now I use my stands made from old 2x4"s.
I also loosely attach the bar to the a-arms first,... then use a floor jack to lift the center of the bar to attach the frame mounts.
Some times you have to use longer than normal bolts to pull the bushings and u-straps up tight.
Then I replace them one-by-one with the correct length bolts.

Make a set of these stands.
They work great.
Good thread here:
http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/4...e-Stands/page8

I have left the centre mounts loose and not done up, i have been using a transmission jack to jack the arms up while on the truck so is the same as being on the ground.

My problem is as soon and you release the jack it pops right out again.

I just think the bar is not the bent to the correct shape, i will find out more next time i am in the shop and will report back

[lolife99]

Take some pics of the complete bar.
Something isn't right.
I've never had this happen.

[nlped]

Question... The frame mounts up front, are they the stock ones still or did you use the appropriate shorter stands? And I think the bar is upside down too

[Paul V]

Ok a bit of a update with more photos (Sorry photo heavy)

The arm was on the correct way, here is a photo of the arm on the floor





I put the arm back on but this time with jack stands under the lower A-arms and lowered the lift so the weight was fully on the arms IE ride height. There just shy of 3" between the bump stop does this look right with a 1.5" drop spring.



Here is another photo of it sitting on the jack stands


Ok moving forward, the truck is on its jack stands, so now i tighten up just the clamps on the lower arms both sides. You can see how the sway bar wants to sit, there is around a 8-9" gap from it meeting the centre brackets, i have taken some of the strane up here with a strap.



I used the strap to pull the bar into place so i could get the nuts on the bolts and tighten them up. So now we have the sway bar fitted and still on the jack stands, the of the end of the bar is not parallel to the A-arm and it is stressing the outer / rear of the bush, you can just make out the gap at the bottom on the bush here.



As soon as i lift the truck off the jack stands and the arms move down just an inch the bushes pops right back out.

Here are some more photos of the bushes, clamps and brackets as requested.











So still not sure what the issue is, the sway bar just looks at the wrong angle, either the lower arm has got to go up more or the centre brackets have to come down more for it to work.

OR the sway bay has bee made wrong ? although it looks the same as the photo posted here.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=656258&page=2

[nlped]

Man, that's weird as he77. My static drop truck (4.5"/6") truck doesn't have any issue like that. I'm leaning towards the bar being wrong. But tough to say...

[Advanced Design]

Dumb question...should there be any extenders below the frame for the bar mounting brackets? The ends of the bar are in a stress situation at ride height, as if they are starting to pop out.

Or, are the ends of the bar bent at the correct angle? Could be telling to measure the end of the bar (sitting on the floor) and compare it to another.

[kamikazekyle05]

Just a thought, have you tried swapping the sway bar bracket on the frame for a stock size one. It looks like you have the lowered brackets in the pic. The stock ones are taller, so that may correct your angle issue

[jjzepplin]

Now, I haven't installed mine yet but it is from a 1973 front end. Bought here from Hartrod. It is almost 3" off the ground when laying flat. This was I believe installed on one of his trucks prior to my purchase and it came with all the front end rebuild joints etc that fit fine so I believe it's origin. Did you buy for a 71? Not sure why it would be different but sure looks like you are nowhere near 3". Maybe recheck with them part #'s etc. Don't rule out accidental box switching at ECE either...

[michael bustamante]

when the truck is on the ground, how much of the sway bar pops out the backside of the lca mount bushing? about 3/4" ? if so at least that part is right.
if you have no sway bar peeking out the backside of the lca bushing, your frame mounts might be positioned too far foward. (towards frame horns)
because of the lowered frame mounts the angle of the swaybar changes thus causing the strain on the bushings on the lca mounts.

[Paul V]

Originally Posted by nlped

Man, that's weird as he77. My static drop truck (4.5"/6") truck doesn't have any issue like that. I'm leaning towards the bar being wrong. But tough to say...

I am not sure what is wrong, ECE say it is the lower arms but i am not so sure.

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Dumb question...should there be any extenders below the frame for the bar mounting brackets? The ends of the bar are in a stress situation at ride height, as if they are starting to pop out.

Or, are the ends of the bar bent at the correct angle? Could be telling to measure the end of the bar (sitting on the floor) and compare it to another.

I have fitted all that came in the kit and followed the instructions from ECE, Yes i think if you extend the frame brackets down this would make it better. The bar does look the same as the other ones i have seen photos of but don't have any other physical bars to compare them to.

Originally Posted by kamikazekyle05

Just a thought, have you tried swapping the sway bar bracket on the frame for a stock size one. It looks like you have the lowered brackets in the pic. The stock ones are taller, so that may correct your angle issue

My truck never came with a front sway bar so i don't have the stock one to swap over to.

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Now, I haven't installed mine yet but it is from a 1973 front end. Bought here from Hartrod. It is almost 3" off the ground when laying flat. This was I believe installed on one of his trucks prior to my purchase and it came with all the front end rebuild joints etc that fit fine so I believe it's origin. Did you buy for a 71? Not sure why it would be different but sure looks like you are nowhere near 3". Maybe recheck with them part #'s etc. Don't rule out accidental box switching at ECE either...

It was brought direct from ECE and i brought it to fit a 71, there is no part numbers on anything, it all came in a box with a A4 bit of paper which has the fitting guide. The guide shows the kit laid out and i have all the parts in the photo.

Originally Posted by michael bustamante

when the truck is on the ground, how much of the sway bar pops out the backside of the lca mount bushing? about 3/4" ? if so at least that part is right.
if you have no sway bar peeking out the backside of the lca bushing, your frame mounts might be positioned too far foward. (towards frame horns)
because of the lowered frame mounts the angle of the swaybar changes thus causing the strain on the bushings on the lca mounts.

There is around 3/4 " out the rear on both, both are equal. The brackets bolt onto the frame using 1 existing hole and 1 rivet hole on the front crossmember to frame, you can not really put them in the wrong place, and to add to this everything lines up so easy.

[michael bustamante]

sounds like the frame brakets are in the right place then as thats where i put mine. i wonder what would happen if you used new rubber mounts from o reillys. instead of polyeurothane? i paid 8 dollars a pair

[69gmcc10]

I think you have the bar upside down... That is not how either of my bars are installed. one is an originally stock installed bar on on stock frame mounts that has never been removed and the other has the ECE lowering frame mount 1.24" stock bar with polly mounts on stock height springs. On both trucks, because the lower control arms are lower than the frame, the "arms" of the bar drop down to meet the lower control arm mounts on my trucks.

[Paul V]

Still no further forward with this !

ECE had sent me some photos of their showroom truck with their bar fitted.

Here is the photo of their bar


And a photo of the bar they have sent me fitted to my truck.



Now you can see it is a totally different shape to the one they sent me ! so there i thought was the issue, not so according to ECE they had that bar on there for about 20yrs now. They did change manufactures about 10yrs ago.

They said they were out of bars so could not compare them and would get back to me when they have new stock.

They have now got back to me and say they have fitted one to their truck and have had no issues !!

They are trying to help but can not work out what the issues are, they said if i was closer to them i could return the bar and they would try it on their truck. Well being 2000 odd miles away that is not going to happen.

On the 19th of May i asked them for a photo of the bars they have now and possible the manufacturer's drawing so i can check it against the one i have, so far i have not had a reply, this has now been going on since the 23rd of April so really could do with trying to sort it.