The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline New to me old sway bar install trouble

I am in the process of installing an original front sway bar on my 1953 1300 pick up, all stock

I was told that it was from a similar truck, so I bought it restored it with all new bushings, etc.

I went to install it yesterday, but found that the front mounting brackets don’t sit right on the cross member. They sit at an angle, on the lower mounting point.

Were there different mounting brackets, for different applications?

If so, where would I find the right ones, or can I grind the existing ones down to fit?

Please review photos attached, and I look forward to your help.

Where did you buy the bushings?

There might be a difference between USA Chevrolet (or, GMC) and your Canadian Chevrolet/GMC?

Maybe someone has a Canadian GM truck Master Parts Catalog?

In the USA, the front stabilizer was standard equipment on 1/2 ton panel-body trucks (Panel, Suburban, and Canopy Express).
No stabilizer was standard equipment on 1-ton Panel/Canopy.

A different/heavier ride-stabilizer was standard equipment on USA 1-ton Forward Control Chassis (step van - also called DUBL-DUTI?) trucks.

Tim,

Thanks for the reply.

The bushings came from Jim Carter Truck parts.

That could be possible.

Does my front cross member look particularly different than a U.S model, if someone could check, I would appreciate that.

My truck is a Chevrolet 1300, 1953.

I bought the sway bar out of the U.S.

Google sway bar 1953 Chev panel and hit images look for the photo from bills truck parts .shows a good picture of a sway bar .

Thank you Kevin,

It looks like my front mounting brackets are different.

I would hate to cut them, then figure out I installed them wrong or something simple like that.

Any other thoughts?

Different or on opposite sides try switching them .

How would the brackets mount to the crossmember? On my 49 3100 each mount has one bolt coming thru the crossmember from the bottom and two from the backside. Where are the mounting holes in your brackets? Or is there just the one in each mount that shows in the picture? Note that my crossmember was pre drilled at the factory.

My brackets that mount to the cross member are the same as yours with the exception that the bolt on the bottom is angled as is the profile as seen in the photo attached.

Thought they were all the same, but wrong again.

Any suggestions On how to deal with this would be appreciated.

Why do the simplest of tasks end of taking the most work

Looking at your pictues it seems that the mounting bracket could be moved to the outside of the bushing. The angle of the bracket seems to follow the bend in the cross member closely. It may be worth a shot if all you need to do is unbolt the bracket and flip it to the outside.. worth a try???

Your anti-roll bar does not look like the one shown in the factory assembly manual; I doubt it is correct for your truck. The aftermarket one from CPP appears similar to the the factory bar. I have one on order - been waiting quite a while for it.

Here are the instructions for the CPP bar: http://www.classicperform.com/Instructions/PDF/CP179.pdf

Try mounting the brackets without the bar to see if you can them to line up. If not you may not have the correct brackets. Your bar looks like mine. My mounts do not have the angled part with the hole shown in your pictures. Can't say if that's a GMC/Chevy thing or not. Could try the parts wanted forum to see if another bolter might have the mounts. Also try the "Panels and Burbs" forum because I understand the sway bars were standard on panels/suburbans.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...53-sway-bar-gmc-vs-chevy.html#Post925071

Bluemeanie posted good picts in this link

Those are GMC mounting brackets on the sway bar you are trying to install.

The GMC front frame X member is different from the Chevy X member & you will never get those brackets to work.


In addition... Although it will easily adapt to fit the 1951-1955.1 trucks.... that sway bar is only correct for 1947-1950 trucks.

Craig, Well, I tried moving the front mounting blocks to the outside, it sat better, however, there is a large rivet in each corner that doesn’t allow the block to sit flush.

Gord, this unit is an original Sway bar from the era used on panel trucks. 1/2 ton trucks never received sway bars.
If you could send me the photo of the sway bar that you found in the factory assembly manual, I would appreciate that.
The link seems to an newer aftermarket sway bar.

I don’t think I will be able to find a pair of original front blocks, so I will have to modify the ones I have by welding up the bottom hole, because it’s currently angled and then build up the bottom of the blocks to be flat, then drill and tap. Can nothing be easy.

Thank you everyone for their input.

"Gord, this unit is an original Sway bar from the era used on panel trucks. 1/2 ton trucks never received sway bars."

Presumably, you are referring to pick-up trucks?
1/2 ton GM (GMC/Chevrolet) panel-body trucks (panel, suburban, and canopy express" had (as standard equipment") a "ride stabilizer" (a "sway-bar", or, ""anti-sway bar" (47-55st).

Ok, The way you have it configured it is nothing but a frame stiffener. The end links must go to the straight axle or it will not have much anti roll ability as far as I see it. Didnt the en links have a bump stop for the top of the spring pack, or are yours suppose to go to the lower shock mounts?

Steve

OK, GM called it a stabilizer bar instead of an anti-roll bar. Here's the page from the manual. If you don't have the manual, I recommend that you get one. It's really useful!

Tried Private messaging you but received no reply.

The rules here state.... No buying & Selling of parts in the forums..... but trading parts with no $ involved should be no problems.

Before you start hacking & drilling & forcing incompatible parts to fit improper applications....I can fix you up with the correct Chevy brackets & will take your GMC brackets in trade..... No financial gain on either side.

Would rather take care of this in Private Messages but it seems I have received no replies & don't even know if the messages are going through.

PM for more info.

That is the info. on '51-'55.1 stabilizer bar only & it is a completely different stabilizer bar & does not apply to the '47-'50 bar that the OP is referring to.

Here is are a few photos of the stabilizer bar that I will be installing, along with a photo of the correct mounting block that I don’t have, very rusty, as well as a photo from the parts manual.

Gord, thanks for the attachment, I’ve never seen that configuration for these trucks, but makes sense.

That is the 1947-1950 factory sway bar with GMC cast brackets on it.

Mother.Trucker, I replied to your PM

What a great forum.

Thanks to Mother.Truck (Joe), who helped me with a pair of correct original Chevrolet cast brackets for my swa bar (stabilizer bar).

Below is a pic. Of them and one of my truck where they will reside.

Very much appreciate all the assistance from all forum members, especially Joe.

Happy Trucking!!!!!!

Dang She's a pretty girl.