The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Front swaybars & Art Decos

There has been a few threads about front swaybars lately. This seems like a good option to have for our old rides. Has anyone put one on their Art Deco truck. I know they are availble for the AD and newer trucks, but what about those of us that have the older ones?

Any Help??
George

I just put one from Classic Parts on my 54 yesterday. It was a complete bolt-on....no drilling or modifying. I think that is why it is year specific. The front bracket mounting holes were already in the front cross member. No Drilling!

If you would like I could get the measurements from control link across to control link....the width at the front where the bar mounts to the front cross member and the distance between the centerline and the link holes to give you an idea of what they offer. The links attach to the front u-bolt that holds the axle to the spring. I'm not familiar with the frame of a 46 but would think that a 216/235 configuration would at least be similar and adaptable.

The improvement in handling will make it worth your effort to make whatever modifications are necessary. Let me know if these measurements would help.

George,

I was thinking about the same thing for my 1940. I was going to give Patrick Dykes a call. Of course mine is a gmc and probably has a different front crossmember than a chevy, so it might take a little more creativity.

John

I installed a Patrick's AD truck front sway bar on my 37 Chevy PU.The springs are the same with the apart as the 48-55 trucks,Art Deco the same too.The bar bolts on ,need to drill a few holes in the front cross members,fidgit around a little,no big deal at all if you're handy at making stuff work..Instead of the sway bar end brackets bolting on the front set of U bolts,use the rear u bolts on the front axle,it lines up ok.
The Patrick's type sway bar is much stiffer than the factory Suburban bar,and I think it's better.
GMC's have a different shaped front crossmember,it angled up,so you need to weld up brackets or build up spacers from aluminum or steel.
I also added a rear Panhard rod,usually not used on leaf spring suspensions.But these old trucks have narrow leaf springs and not the best shackle set up,the bar keeps it from wiggling around in back if you actually drive fast arounfd corners,fast for an old truck anyways.

FYI...referring to the additional pics on pg 13 of my webshots. The distance between the inside of the front springs is 24". The distance between the centerlines of the control links is 22" and the depth of the bar is 12". The distance between the outsides of the mount brackets is 14-1/2". The depth of the bar is 12" from CL of where it mounts to the CL of the control link mount hole. The distance from the front of axle (center of I-beam) to front edge of cross member is 16". The bar is 1-1/8" in diameter.

If the spring to spring measurement is 24" and you have 16" forward of the axle to the front lip of the cross member on the 46, the AD bar should be applicable....you may/will not have the predrilled holes in the frame. However, the benefit gained from controlling body roll would make it worth drilling the four mounting holes.

A call to Patrick might also be a good idea as the measurements are from my 54 AD. Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone. I'll have to make some measurements and perhaps give Patrick's a call. This sure seems like a worthwhile addition.

George

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