The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Sway bar source: '60-62?

Does anyone know if there is are any companies making front sway bars for '60-'62 Trucks (and the price)?

I've got a '62 Suburban, and I swear the thing feels like it's going to tip over when I take a curve in the road.

Brad

Brad54,
You may want to check theoter components of your front end,
I have a 61 truck and had a 60 Suburban both of which have the same torsion bar front end as your burb and when everything is in good repair I have found them to be some of the very best and most stable front ends of all the chevy trucks I have ever driven.
Are you running really small or narrow tires? are the shocks good?
Is the front end adjusted so it sits higher than the rear?
Have you inspected the springs and perches?
I run mine with the front dropped an inch or two lower than the rear and really like the way it drives.
In case you aren't aware, those front ends can be raised or lowered without spending a single penny.

I've dropped the nose two inches, and the rear two inches, so there is a slight rake.
When I had the front end aligned several months ago, they said the front end parts were still tight--there's little to no slop in the steering box, and it all tracks pretty straight and is responsive.
Stock wheels with radials--not super narrow, but not wide treads either.
The stock wheels do sit in a good bit, so it's got a narrow foot print.
When I go around a corner, there is a LOT of body roll. That's what I want to get rid of.
I love the T-bars; Nice comfortable ride.

I ordered new shocks today from the local parts store. I'm not expecting great things from them, but I feel like the ones under it now are probably worn out, so that'll help a little.
I'll probably also swap out the Panhard bushings while I'm under there. The rear springs are new.

Brad

Narrow tires and bad shocks will definitely feel unstable.
I've got 255/60s on the rear and 235/60s on the front of my pickup and it corners very well.
The Suburban had 9.5/16.5s all the way around and also cornered well.

Stock rims and tire sizes roll real nice but radials came along after these trucks were built and have done wonders to improve handling.
I have 215/85 16s for a different truck and they are on 7 inch wide rims compared to the old 4.5s and it makes a world of difference.

How wide are your rims and what size tires are you running

Ray

Truckasaurus is right. I think the wheel width makes a big difference. I share the same torsion bar suspension with you. Also, I had the 15" split rims with skinny tube types. I KNOW what you mean about the lean on the corners. I was also thinking wheels, tires and sway bar would solve the problem. So... At the beginning of the year, I had 16" wheels made from stock centers. I did 6" wheels in the front and 7" in the back. The front wheels had to be reverse offset (the inside of the outer is now the outside) to clear the tie rod ends. So I did the rears the same so they would match - not only in looks but also to run the same outside track as the front. This gives it a more "natural" look IMO. I'm using Continental P23575R16 tires. There is barely any roll on corners any more and I no longer am thinking I need a sway bar. The truck is handling SO much better.
I'll probably get one anyway since I know some suspension guys that will help me. The most I've figured out so far is that later model bars will work but have to be altered by a fabricator with more skills than myself. As usual with with other parts, I haven't been able to find a bar specifically for our 60 thru 62s

Have sway bars front and rear on my 62 and it corners like a sports car. HOWEVER the front end was changed to a 72 and the torsion bars junked.
Will hunt for the receipt to see where I bought them. you might try .classicperform.com I think that is where I got them.

Forgot to add, $125 each.

The tires are 235/75/15, on the original 5.5-inch rims.
Not ideal for performance and handling, I know, but I really dig the look of original, shallow-face steel wheels. I found a set (not easy to do) and had them powder coated 80-percent gloss black. I really don't want to give up those wheels, so I know I'm starting with a handicap. I'd like to improve the rest as much as possible.
I went out and looked today...the outside edges of the front tires are wearing from scrubbing. At least I'm pretty sure it's from scrubbing. I'm gonna check and see about the underpinnings and see how they are.

It's lowered a little bit, and I don't want to go any lower. I'm figuring sway bars front and rear will help a ton, and fresh shocks.

I was very against swapping in a later cross member, because I like the ride of the front suspension. But now I'm thinking that if I needed to rebuild the front end, it'd be cheaper to swap to a coil sprung cross member. Rebuild parts are cheaper, disc brake conversion kits are cheaper, and I can easily buy a sway bar.

Any thoughts?
Brad

My .02, stick with the torsion bars. I have a '68 with the front sway bar, also the same bar in my '82 (Front sway bars were all the same from '63 thru '87. While I've not done the actual install yet, I took a spare bar, and the mounting brackets that attach to the frame, and mocked up an installation with the later stock sway bar. Looks like all that will be necessary (aside from drilling the holes) will be a small bit of trimming on the top edge of the frame to bar brackets. If you can find a later truck with sway bar to park next to yours and compare, you'll see it appears to be a pretty straitforward mod.