Revist - "Best" Sway Bar Selections

[KYBlueOval]

I purchased a front sway bar from SW Thunderbirds and partially installed it. I am running the stop and drop spindles and am real concerned about the clearance to the lower control arm. I have only had it on the car on the hoist but I can't see how the clearance problem is going to get anything but worse when the suspension is loaded and the control arms are no longer hanging..I am in the process of tieing up all the loose ends under the car the thanks to this thread reminding me that the sway bar is one of them. within the next day or two I will have to address that and will have good information on any problems encountered and what we plan to do to fix them

Thanks to all for their input. I think I'll wait a while on the sway bars. Especially in light of your concerns. I' m anxious to hear what you have to say after everything is buttoned up.
Thanks
John

[KYBlueOval]

Sorry John, I don't know of any parts cars in this area where I live. The only guy I have seen referenced in other post is Steve Pierce out in Twentynine Palms, he might have some.

Do you have ant contact information for Steve Pierce?
Thanks
John

[hiball3985]

Do you have ant contact information for Steve Pierce?
Thanks
John

Pierce, Steven
     Twenty Nine Palms, Ca.
     310-631-0053

Wisconsin
Conner, Randy
     Wisconsin
     e-mail: RLCPartman@aol.com

[RICH MUISE]

John...don't forget about our listings of supplier contact info...

[KYBlueOval]

Good point Rich.........thanks.

[KYBlueOval]

Pierce, Steven
     Twenty Nine Palms, Ca.
     310-631-0053

Wisconsin
Conner, Randy
     Wisconsin
     e-mail: RLCPartman@aol.com

Highball .........Thank you sir.
I'll get these contacts in my computer ASAP.

[RICH MUISE]

already there
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=2599.0

[suede57ford]

I've tried many sway bars on my cars.

I took the SWT bar off as it really hung down in the front.

My current favorite, but rare, is a '59 Ford wagon/ranchero. It fits our frames, and looks like a modern style bar.   Use modern sway bar brackets(at any parts catalog) and end-links.   You have to put some nuts in the frame to mount the new style brackets.  I cut a slot in the frame and inserted a steel strap with nuts welded to it, and welded the slot in the frame back up.
I use the original '59 brackets and template for the bolt holes off the '59 to figure out where to place it on the frame. Mark the center line of the bar in relation to the frame and then use the modern parts store brackets.
You must have at least one control arm off to get the '59 Bar in the hole, so do this when you rebuild the suspension.

I have bought the Quickor sway bar for a '59 Ford application.  Have not yet installed, but this may be the best looking and functioning bar for '57-59 Fords. You have to mount the brackets to a '57 frame as mentioned above.

The SWT rear sway bar works very well on our cars.  Really helps the stability.  I put mine above the rear end, so it doesn't show.   It gets close to the exhaust pipe so factor that in when installing or getting the exhaust done.  A good bar for most cars.

When I minitubed my car 2 1/2" inches per side, the SWT rear bar was too wide.   I found a '57 Cheby aftermarket sway bar was narrower and could also be mounted above the rear end.  I put a strap with nut welded on in the frame, through a slot on that application as well.  I shortened the endlinks too. I did have some interference with my Bear disc brake emergency brake cables as they hit the endlinks some times on a really low car.

The bars I use are not easy swaps, but with some planning and fabrication you will have bars that don't hang down and actually work.

[57 imposter]

Ok I got my SW Thunderbirds sway bar in this morning. Long story short, I relocated the mounting holes in the lower control arm inward about 3/4 of an inch to get the end links to stand vertical when the suspension is loaded. One thing to note if using this bar, which I didn't, the frame bushing bracket mounting holes are slotted so you want to make sure they are the same on both sides so the sway bar lands in the same spot on both control arms. Mine are off just a bit. won't affect anything but it would have been just as easy to do it right. other than that, I think it fit fairly well and is hell for stout.

[57 imposter]

Quick addition.....The clearance problem I anticipated is a non issue. When I loaded the front suspension, for some reason the clearance between the bar and the control arm actually increased..With any kind of luck i am done messing with front suspension.

[KYBlueOval]

Quick addition.....The clearance problem I anticipated is a non issue. When I loaded the front suspension, for some reason the clearance between the bar and the control arm actually increased..With any kind of luck i am done messing with front suspension.

Thanks for the update.
A question........does the bar hang down a lot , as others here on the Forum have stated. In the photos I've seen of cars with this SWT sway bar installed, it looked like it was hanging low and very noticeable. Now, maybe the only guy that will notice it is hanging low, is the guy you run over, but it does appear to hang lower than most. What is your opinion?
Thanks
John

[hiball3985]

The bar does hang down but it's all a matter of perspective depending on how tall you are or how far away. My Ranchero has Granada spindles so it sets lower in the front and you have to be further back from the car to see it. 99% of the general public wouldn't know the difference and a few of the car guys I know did notice and just commented "that is a nice sway bar and where did you get it"

[RICH MUISE]

IMHO the SWTB sway bar does not hang too low at all. Mine is within a 1/4" of touching the front bracket on the core support where the bolt is, and is only the wall thickness of the rubber bushing away from where it mounts to the frame. How can that be "hanging way down"?? Maybe if you weren't running a front bumper.
I do know the original sway bar that SWTB had used different mounting points, maybe it hung lower than the current version, and that is the example that Pat was using.
Keep in mind my front end is about 4" too high in these pics. That "stuff" on either side of the underside of the car, btw, is plastic bags with wiring still to be connected at the time of the photo.

[hiball3985]

I didn't see where anyone said "too low". John didn't really express his concern as being a visual or clearance problem. Now I'm just assuming clearance may be a concern since he is using 2 1/2" drop spindles. Many people including myself have had issues with clearance that don't live in the flat lands. The bar doesn't hit but the brackets do, both zerk fittings are long gone I should note that I'm still sitting on 14" wheels and tires besides Granada spindles so I'm pretty low in the front.

[RICH MUISE]

Suede57 (Pat)...quote:
"I've tried many sway bars on my cars.

I took the SWT bar off as it really hung down in the front."

KentucyBlueOval (John):
"A question........does the bar hang down a lot , as others here on the Forum have stated. In the photos I've seen of cars with this SWT sway bar installed, it looked like it was hanging low and very noticeable."