The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Sway Bar pro's and con's

My 47 3600 has all the standard running gear. I'm trying to keep it mostly stock, no independent front end, no tube shocks, (the lever shocks seem fine), and I'm definitely NOT lowering it! I rebuilt the 235 that was in it with a few, hopefully, improvements. The steering is in really great shape, it must have been repaired before being parked because the drag link still has a tag on it. The springs still have numbers stenciled on them. This truck was last licensed in 74. I'm toying with the thought of installing a sway bar at least to the front end. I installed a Gear Vendors overdrive unit on the sm420 four speed. I should be able to drive 55-60mph fairly easily. I live in the country so no freeways within 100 miles. I'm use to vehicles that handle well, and I was thinking that a sway bar might help. Has anyone done this to their truck?

I can't speak for the 3600 but a front sway bar will definitely help a 3100...for all the reasons I'm sure you already understand and expect. My only suggestion would be to not be penny wise and pound foolish. A good one will cost more, but go ahead and spend the $ for it. There are cheap ones out there that I think (just my opinion) might not be very effective at all. Look at diameter, etc. When one side of your front axle moves, you want that movement transmitted to the other side with as little loss as possible.


As for the rear sway bar, I know others may have differing opinions, but I wouldn't get one. I'd spend the money I saved on this to get a good one for the front. Good luck!

I agree with Jon, I think they are a worthy investment...our old trucks tend to be top heavy and the sway bar really helps with that.

Mike B

Installed a front "sway" bar on my truck. There was a huge improvement in handling. I used the CPP kit.

https://www.classicperform.com/Store/1947_59_Trucks/CP179.htm

Do these anti-sway bars attach to existing mounting holes? Did Chevrolet offer anti-sway bars as an option?

I installed a front bar on my '37. I used the CPP kit for the later trucks, it made a big difference on mine.

I guess that means the mounting points are on the trucks even though they weren't used. That makes installation a lot easier.

The CPP kit is not a copy of the stock bar. Installation (from the same site linked above):
https://www.classicperform.com/tech_articles/SwayBarChevyTruck/SwayBarChevyTruck.htm

So, Gord , did you guys put a sway bar on the 54 3100?

I have one on my 1954 3100 but it has an Amc Pacer front suspension.

Yes, it's a great add on.

Yup. A local buddy with a panel went with IFS and gave me his OEM one...it mounted like it was meant to be there. Big improvement in handling.

I installed the CPP kit today. I had to drill two rear holes in the cross member. The front holes were there but not the rear ones. I also had to drill the plates that attach to the axle U bolts to 9/16. The kits are for 1/2 tons use 1/2” bolts the 3/4 ton has a 9/16” u bolt. I used an end mill in my Bridgeport because I needed to move one hole just a little to fit the center to center of the u bolts spacing. It is a 1 1/8” bar. I have not driven far, but I believe it helps quite a bit with the body roll around corners.

The bar that is being discussed in this thread is not a sway bay, it is an anti-roll bar and body roll is the symptom that it is designed to control. An independent suspension will benefit more than a solid axle but it probably will help the original front end stay a little more flat on the corners. A sway bar is designed to limit the lateral movement between the axle and frame.

An anti-roll bar (roll bar, anti-sway bar, sway bar, stabilizer bar) is an automobile suspension part that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. Which is the one pictured above in post.

The Panhard rod is a simple device designed to prevent lateral movement. It consists of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body or chassis on the opposite side of the vehicle.
Picture in this post

I put a sway /roll Bar on the front of the 1956 truck and it made a big difference. In the body roll when cornering. Some guys do the rear s well. All my modern trucks and yukons have the sway anti roll bars in them stock from the factory.

we put the panhard in the the lifted jeep it keeps those wheels from rubbing the fenders when we are off roading.

I found out all about swaybars with my 52 panel when it comes to body roll. Especially the rear one. It probably saved my life a couple times on a sudden exit off the interstate running way to fast. Yep. I love them.