Rear Sway Bar - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

mrh33916 · 03-17-2009, 02:16 PM

Different people are using various junkyard rear bars on our trucks. Does anyone know of any bars that are readily available off any late model vehicles that fit well on a coil spring rear end?

Thanks,

texanidiot25 · 03-17-2009, 02:38 PM

Third gen Camaros and Firebird

mrh33916 · 03-23-2009, 11:21 PM

Thanks for the input. I picked up the rear sway bar complete with brackets and bushings from a junk yard for 25 bucks, new Energy Suspension end links from Advance Auto Parts for 19 bucks, 5 bucks worth of nuts and bolts, and some cleaning and painting for a grand total of "49 DOLLARS". The diameter of the bar is .82". Here are some pictures of the sway bar installed. Name: sway bar 1.jpg
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Name: sway bar 1.jpg
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Name: sway bar 2.jpg
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Andy4639 · 03-24-2009, 05:21 AM

Bar looks cool. Good job. Is it a Camaro bar or something else?

mrh33916 · 03-24-2009, 09:31 AM

Thanks, It's from a Late 80's Camaro,

Lugnut64052 · 03-24-2009, 12:54 PM

Nice job. Good looking install and thanks for the pictures.

Question to you guys who have done the Camaro bar (or any bar for that matter)-- is it important where the bar is mounted? I've seen pictures of ones mounted to the trailing arms like mrh33916 did, as well as setups where they were mounted to the axle.

How do these differing setups effect the ride quality and/or rear stability and/or body lean?

**Already Gone** · 03-24-2009, 02:34 PM

I'm not being a smart a** but I'm wondering why you decided to install a rear sway bar and what you hope to get out of it. Not a lot of guys put these on their trucks and in fact the guys at Early Classic Enterprises dont recommend or sell a rear sway bar for our trucks. With that being said I did install afront sway bar on my truck and noticed a difference in handling and feel in the first 100 feet after I installed it.

monte0185 · 03-24-2009, 02:52 PM

Great looking install!! Couple questions though. Where did the brackets on the side of the frame come from and did you have to drill the holes in the trailing arms or are they already there?

69chevybmx · 03-24-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

I'm not being a smart a** but I'm wondering why you decided to install a rear sway bar and what you hope to get out of it.

A rear bar will further reduce the amount of body roll. The performance increase from a rear bar does not compare to that of a front bar upgrade but there is still a noticeable difference.

Even if there were no performance gain, it still looks good.

Andy4639 · 03-24-2009, 03:11 PM

I couldn't really tell that it helped it any until I drove it through some pretty good curvse at a good speed. That's what it helps with. I for one have a old back road I take to work that has a couple of nice curvse on it and it made the truck feel a lot better in the middle of them than before with out it. Mine is a Camaro bar also.

big_al_71 · 03-24-2009, 03:13 PM

I bought both of mine from CPP and the truck fells 100% better specially during lane changing at highway speeds and turning..

**Already Gone** · 03-24-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_al_71

I bought both of mine from CPP and the truck fells 100% better specially during lane changing at highway speeds and turning..

Is your truck lowered?

67chevemall · 03-24-2009, 03:57 PM

All three are mounted different. Always wondered where the OEM placement is.....

mrh that looks mint...is that OEM bar>?

smoky02 · 03-24-2009, 04:10 PM

Was there an OEM placement?

big_al_71 · 03-24-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Already Gone

Is your truck lowered?

Yes it is.....3 inches in the front 5 in the rear...

**Already Gone** · 03-24-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_al_71

Yes it is.....3 inches in the front 5 in the rear...

Cool looking truck. I am planning a 3 1/2 front and 5 rear drop for my truck and now I know the rear bar works I guess I'll have to get one for my truck.

Lugnut64052 · 03-24-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoky02

Was there an OEM placement?

I've seen Andy state a few times that there was an OE bar for 1-tons, which would be a leaf spring rear. Don't believe there was ever a coil spring rear bar. I'm curious to know how the OE bar laid in there.

67chevemall · 03-25-2009, 11:03 AM

Me too! Andyu to the rescue

Lippyp · 03-25-2009, 01:22 PM

I'm interested in this as 80's camaros are relatively plentiful in American car terms over this side of the atlantic so theres always some around getting broken for parts. Exactly what models would I be looking for and what years? What parts exactly do I need? I'm happy fabricating brackets if I need to. We have lots of what I think you guys call Traffic Circles (we call em roundabouts) here in the UK so anything that will help the handling would be good. I've got the largest stock front bar (came off an 80's camper) with lowered brackets and poly bushes from ECE. Flipping thing is hugely thick and weighed a ton, well it felt like it after I carried it about a mile back to the car when I collected it from a guy at a big car show!

**nightmare** · 03-25-2009, 01:40 PM

phil, a lot of times, the brackets that you need are on the camaro or firebird. just make sure you get everything that would mount it to the truck. you want to look for either an IROC, Z28, or TA, anything from '82 on up. these have the bigger rear sway bar. I've got a '95 TA WS6 bar on mine.

Lippyp · 03-25-2009, 03:18 PM

Thanks for the info, I'll put some feelers out to see what I can find. Would be nice to make it handle a bit better, I know its no racecar but where I live the roads are quite narrow and winding so body roll is a bit of an issue. It left the factory as a real plain jane with a six banger under the hood and no sway bar and going round some of our UK sized traffic circles it was almost scraping the door handles on the ground. The front bar has made a huge difference but a rear one should make it a little better still.

neonlarry · 03-25-2009, 03:51 PM

Phil, here is a link to an old post about using the camero bar. You can also see another way of mounting the bar in my pics
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...hlight=swaybar.

mrh33916 · 03-25-2009, 05:07 PM

I have a C-notch kit installed on mine, that's why I mounted it where i did. As best I can tell there will be no clearance issues regardless of how low the truck ends up when I'ts finished.

rscam · 03-25-2009, 08:51 PM

I put a Nissan Pathfinder sway bar on my 69 GMC. I have leafs and it fits perfect. $15 at Pullapart. Its the perfect width for the frame so you don't have to fab any brackets. Just drill two holes in the frame. Its a 1" bar also. I mounted it to the rear axle with 3" muffler clamps.

rscam · 03-25-2009, 08:54 PM

By the way the Pathfinder bar is on 87-95 models. It should fit coil rears also. I looked and measured one day at Pullapart and it appears it will fit to me.

03-17-2009, 02:16 PM	#1
mrh33916 Project '67 454 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 283	Rear Sway Bar Different people are using various junkyard rear bars on our trucks. Does anyone know of any bars that are readily available off any late model vehicles that fit well on a coil spring rear end? Thanks,

03-17-2009, 02:38 PM	#2
texanidiot25 Eat My Rust Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 3,362	Re: Rear Sway Bar Third gen Camaros and Firebird

03-23-2009, 11:21 PM	#3
mrh33916 Project '67 454 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 283	Re: Rear Sway Bar Thanks for the input. I picked up the rear sway bar complete with brackets and bushings from a junk yard for 25 bucks, new Energy Suspension end links from Advance Auto Parts for 19 bucks, 5 bucks worth of nuts and bolts, and some cleaning and painting for a grand total of "49 DOLLARS". The diameter of the bar is .82". Here are some pictures of the sway bar installed.

03-24-2009, 05:21 AM	#4
Andy4639 Old member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Liberty, & Garden City S.C. , U.S. Posts: 19,945	Re: Rear Sway Bar Bar looks cool. Good job. Is it a Camaro bar or something else? __________________ 1971 LWB Custom, 6.0LS & 4L80E, Speedhut.com GPS speedometer & gauges with A/C. 20" Boss 338's Grey wheels 4 wheel disc brakes. My Driver Seeing the USA in a 71 Upstate SC GM Truck Club 2013,14 and 2016 Hot Rod Pour Tour http://upstategmtrucks.com/ Get out and drive the truck this summer and have some fun! It sucks not being able to hear! LWB trucks rule, if you don't think so measure your SWB! After talking to tech support at Air Lift I have found out that the kit I need is 60811. Per the measurements I gave them. Ride height of truck inside spring and inside diameter of springs.

03-24-2009, 09:31 AM	#5
mrh33916 Project '67 454 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 283	Re: Rear Sway Bar Thanks, It's from a Late 80's Camaro,

03-24-2009, 12:54 PM	#6
Lugnut64052 Middle-aged Curmudgeon Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Independence, MO Posts: 753	Re: Rear Sway Bar Nice job. Good looking install and thanks for the pictures. Question to you guys who have done the Camaro bar (or any bar for that matter)-- is it important where the bar is mounted? I've seen pictures of ones mounted to the trailing arms like mrh33916 did, as well as setups where they were mounted to the axle. How do these differing setups effect the ride quality and/or rear stability and/or body lean? __________________ Bret Check out the site's Truck Tech FAQ. Be a site supporter. My more-or-less pathetic build thread. Board members I've met: ------------------------------ Longhorn Man Dieselwrencher jholley big mike71

03-24-2009, 02:34 PM	#7
Already Gone 70+ ( Old Skool Club ) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ,Canada Posts: 9,146	Re: Rear Sway Bar I'm not being a smart a** but I'm wondering why you decided to install a rear sway bar and what you hope to get out of it. Not a lot of guys put these on their trucks and in fact the guys at Early Classic Enterprises dont recommend or sell a rear sway bar for our trucks. With that being said I did install afront sway bar on my truck and noticed a difference in handling and feel in the first 100 feet after I installed it. __________________ 1972 C10 Custom/Deluxe 613 Highlander 406/700R4 1999 White Tahoe LS 4x2 with Z56 Police Package 1992 K1500 GMC Suburban Members I have personally met: MusicMan70 - HeavyD - ChewyChevy67 - StingRay -71SWB4x4 - 67 Burb - DeadheadNM - too much stuff - bc65 - das601 " Circumsatances Do Not Change Responsibility " " The Sky is not the Limit, Your Mind is." Marilyn Monroe .. RIP Charlie Watts 1941 - 2021

03-24-2009, 02:52 PM	#8
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: Rear Sway Bar Great looking install!! Couple questions though. Where did the brackets on the side of the frame come from and did you have to drill the holes in the trailing arms or are they already there? __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.

03-24-2009, 03:11 PM	#10
Andy4639 Old member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Liberty, & Garden City S.C. , U.S. Posts: 19,945	Re: Rear Sway Bar I couldn't really tell that it helped it any until I drove it through some pretty good curvse at a good speed. That's what it helps with. I for one have a old back road I take to work that has a couple of nice curvse on it and it made the truck feel a lot better in the middle of them than before with out it. Mine is a Camaro bar also. __________________ 1971 LWB Custom, 6.0LS & 4L80E, Speedhut.com GPS speedometer & gauges with A/C. 20" Boss 338's Grey wheels 4 wheel disc brakes. My Driver Seeing the USA in a 71 Upstate SC GM Truck Club 2013,14 and 2016 Hot Rod Pour Tour http://upstategmtrucks.com/ Get out and drive the truck this summer and have some fun! It sucks not being able to hear! LWB trucks rule, if you don't think so measure your SWB! After talking to tech support at Air Lift I have found out that the kit I need is 60811. Per the measurements I gave them. Ride height of truck inside spring and inside diameter of springs.

03-24-2009, 03:13 PM	#11
big_al_71 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 11,375	Re: Rear Sway Bar I bought both of mine from CPP and the truck fells 100% better specially during lane changing at highway speeds and turning.. Attached Images __________________ Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please!!!!!. Sylvester's build thread >>>http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ht=big+rebuild

03-24-2009, 03:57 PM	#13
67chevemall Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NB Posts: 3,367	Re: Rear Sway Bar All three are mounted different. Always wondered where the OEM placement is..... mrh that looks mint...is that OEM bar>? __________________ 1968 Chevy C10 307 3ott fleetside 1967 Chevy C/10 V8, 3spd, fleetside lwb.Sold 1967 Chev C/10 step, 383, M21. SOLD

03-24-2009, 04:10 PM	#14
smoky02 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sunny, Florida, some might call it South Alabama Posts: 834	Re: Rear Sway Bar Was there an OEM placement? __________________ Just sold my C10...sad day... Looking for a 1972 Blazer to hopefully fill the hole in my heart.

03-25-2009, 11:03 AM	#18
67chevemall Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NB Posts: 3,367	Re: Rear Sway Bar Me too! Andyu to the rescue __________________ 1968 Chevy C10 307 3ott fleetside 1967 Chevy C/10 V8, 3spd, fleetside lwb.Sold 1967 Chev C/10 step, 383, M21. SOLD

03-25-2009, 01:22 PM	#19
Lippyp English Chevy Owner Join Date: May 2002 Location: Shropshire, UK/ Lot, France Posts: 1,848	Re: Rear Sway Bar I'm interested in this as 80's camaros are relatively plentiful in American car terms over this side of the atlantic so theres always some around getting broken for parts. Exactly what models would I be looking for and what years? What parts exactly do I need? I'm happy fabricating brackets if I need to. We have lots of what I think you guys call Traffic Circles (we call em roundabouts) here in the UK so anything that will help the handling would be good. I've got the largest stock front bar (came off an 80's camper) with lowered brackets and poly bushes from ECE. Flipping thing is hugely thick and weighed a ton, well it felt like it after I carried it about a mile back to the car when I collected it from a guy at a big car show! __________________ Phil '67 C10 long fleet. 350/TH350, 4 bbl Carter, K&N, Dual exhaust, loads of stuff coming soon 2001 S10 Blazer Daily Driver, bone stock 4 door 4x4 with manual transmission

03-25-2009, 03:18 PM	#21
Lippyp English Chevy Owner Join Date: May 2002 Location: Shropshire, UK/ Lot, France Posts: 1,848	Re: Rear Sway Bar Thanks for the info, I'll put some feelers out to see what I can find. Would be nice to make it handle a bit better, I know its no racecar but where I live the roads are quite narrow and winding so body roll is a bit of an issue. It left the factory as a real plain jane with a six banger under the hood and no sway bar and going round some of our UK sized traffic circles it was almost scraping the door handles on the ground. The front bar has made a huge difference but a rear one should make it a little better still. __________________ Phil '67 C10 long fleet. 350/TH350, 4 bbl Carter, K&N, Dual exhaust, loads of stuff coming soon 2001 S10 Blazer Daily Driver, bone stock 4 door 4x4 with manual transmission



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03-25-2009, 03:51 PM	#22
neonlarry Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Vacaville, CA Posts: 2,745	Re: Rear Sway Bar Phil, here is a link to an old post about using the camero bar. You can also see another way of mounting the bar in my pics http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...hlight=swaybar. __________________ 70 C/10 Light Red 350/TH350, HEI, Duals w/40 series Flows, 91 seat, LED taillights 99 Pontiac S/C GTP, SLP Ram Air hood, GMPP Konis & springs 95 Neon ACR, MP PCM, AFX UDP, 3.0 CAI

03-25-2009, 05:07 PM	#23
mrh33916 Project '67 454 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 283	Re: Rear Sway Bar I have a C-notch kit installed on mine, that's why I mounted it where i did. As best I can tell there will be no clearance issues regardless of how low the truck ends up when I'ts finished.

03-25-2009, 08:51 PM	#24
rscam Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Monroe,Georgia Posts: 313	Re: Rear Sway Bar I put a Nissan Pathfinder sway bar on my 69 GMC. I have leafs and it fits perfect. $15 at Pullapart. Its the perfect width for the frame so you don't have to fab any brackets. Just drill two holes in the frame. Its a 1" bar also. I mounted it to the rear axle with 3" muffler clamps.

03-25-2009, 08:54 PM	#25
rscam Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Monroe,Georgia Posts: 313	Re: Rear Sway Bar By the way the Pathfinder bar is on 87-95 models. It should fit coil rears also. I looked and measured one day at Pullapart and it appears it will fit to me.

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