Sway Bar Swap.

[blackmamba]

Hello! I'm replacing the Sway Bar on my 1968 Polara Coupe. It has the smaller diameter one, as it had a 318 in it. A 440 is going in now. I don't like the Strut Rod Hangers it has now, both are bent, and would like to go to something a little stronger. Any suggestions.

 

[saylor]

p s t may have something, but it seems like one of our vendors that pop up over there --> have like the HP/ heavy duty swaybars available.

 

[blackmamba]

No luck, they only list a rear one.

 

[saforwardlook]

Someone on this site indicated that Firm Feel makes a HD sway bar for at least a fuselage C body, and maybe it would work for your slabside. Don't know about beefier strut rods though.

 

[blackmamba]

UPDATE: Shop Manual says that if Swaybar Bushings are worn, they are not replaceable! Install new Sway Bar unit as per shop Manual.

 

[blackmamba]

Yeah got email out to them now.

 

[65 500]

UPDATE: Shop Manual says that if Swaybar Bushings are worn, they are not replaceable! Install new Sway Bar unit as per shop Manual.

Some of the sway bars were like that, which is just stupid. I think Moog has sway bar bushings that are split so that you can slide them over the sway bar. Lotsa luck finding an NOS swaybar. They must have given the task of designing the sway bar bushing to the new guy from General Motors. :violent-smiley-100:

 

[Zymurgy]

It's too bad that pst doesn't have one for your 68 they had one for my 66. Feel firm should have one. I search for months for bushings for my original bar. I found nothing new or old.

 

[68plymouth383]

I know from experience that the 66 c body, and 68 c body use the exact same factory front sway bar. I also know from experience that the 68 c body sway bar bushings can be replaced. You can do a couple things. Find some good used sway bar links, and replace your bent ones, or modify the aftermarket ones to work. The factory front sway bar for a small block is no different in diameter than the factory one for a big block.

 

[68plymouth383]

This is one of those cases where the FSM isn't always right.

UPDATE: Shop Manual says that if Swaybar Bushings are worn, they are not replaceable! Install new Sway Bar unit as per shop Manual.

 

[blackmamba]

Yeah this is my first go at a full restoration, so I'm learning as I go along. I'm probably going to have to build new Strut Hangers for it, although I like the look of the ones that bolt to the bottom of the Frame Rails. I found the Split Bushings for it through Moog.

 

[blackmamba]

Thanks for the info! I know I changed the Torsion Bars to the bigger ones over stock, figuring the added weight of the Big Block. So I assumed the Sway bar would follow suit. Thanks! saved me some money lol!

 

[saforwardlook]

For those that need to refurbish the bushings on their sway bars, here is a link to the kit needed to do this. Chrysler used to provide similar kits, but those are long gone, but PST has made repops available:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-73-Chr...970|Make:Chrysler&hash=item1c51657a6a&vxp=mtr

You would also need the bushings for mounting the ends of the sway bar to the strut rods, but I expect PST would have those too..............

Steve

 

[68plymouth383]

Moog has the sway bar link bushing kit, and the end link bushings. I used them on my 68 fury. There quality parts that I highly recommend.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I don't know how much fab work you want to get into but a lot of newer cars have ball joint style sway bar end links. Aftermarket replacements are mostly steel so if you find some long ones off of the front of a 300m you can shorten and clock them any way you want. You will also need to weld tabs with a hole on the sway bar and strut as they attach with a single stud. These will make you sway bar work to the max because there is no rubber to flex. Just some food for thought.

 

[twostick]

Has anyone used the Addco bar?

http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/aco-862/overview/year/1965/make/dodge/model/polara

Kevin

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Has anyone used the Addco bar?

http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/aco-862/overview/year/1965/make/dodge/model/polara

Kevin

Nope I'm using stock front and rear trailblazer bars on my Charger though.

 

[blackmamba]

Hello! Well here's the plan for the Non-Repairable Sway Bar! BALDERDASH I SAY! Nothing is unrepairable! as long as you got a Cutting Torch and a Welding Machine! I found two different Sway Bar Links on this car, which leads me to believe, the one that will accept the split bushings, is an aftermarket, but nonetheless it's a good idea. So I'll fab up a duplicate of the open Clamp and beef up the Rod from 3/8 to 1/2 inch and redrill the Hanger.

 

[blackmamba]

COOL! That'll work!