Tabs
- Thread starter cuda620
- Start date
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Why not install the bar and see where the end links want to be? Some aftermarket bars come with 90 degree brackets that use the bolt that retains the lower shock mount.
The hellwig aftermarket sway bar comes with metal brackets that come off the shock bolt to bolt a front sway bar on a non factory equipped car... You will have to replace the shock bolts with one step longer...
But will they work with a factory bar?
I believe so... the aftermarket bar can be mounted either with the factory tabs or with the bolt on brackets...
Do you have to have rearward mounted calipers? I have no sway bar yet. Wanting to put one on with out spending big bucks on new if possible. Especially heavy duty for a later planned Bigblock install in a 67 cuda.
The factory sway bars aren’t particularly “heavy duty”. If that’s what you’re after you’ll probably want an aftermarket sway bar.
For the 67-72 cars the aftermarket sway bar mounting tabs on the LCA’s are in different spots than the factory tabs. The hotchkis bar uses a different location than the factory did, I think that Hellwig makes one bar that uses the factory tabs and one that uses a custom location. The factory sway bar design and tab location limits front tire width, so some of the aftermarket bars address that.
Bergman Autocraft also sells a set of weld on tabs, they look pretty good. Just be aware that welding them on in the factory location to use a factory bar may limit your aftermarket sway bar choices later.
For the 67-72 cars the aftermarket sway bar mounting tabs on the LCA’s are in different spots than the factory tabs. The hotchkis bar uses a different location than the factory did, I think that Hellwig makes one bar that uses the factory tabs and one that uses a custom location. The factory sway bar design and tab location limits front tire width, so some of the aftermarket bars address that.
Bergman Autocraft also sells a set of weld on tabs, they look pretty good. Just be aware that welding them on in the factory location to use a factory bar may limit your aftermarket sway bar choices later.
Your after market recommendation?
It really depends. If you're not worried about running really wide front tires you can just use the Hellwig bars that use the stock LCA tab locations. Hellwig 5906 and 5907 use the factory LCA bracket locations, although they also come with hardware to attach them if you don’t have the factory LCA brackets. Hellwig 55917 is the “pro-touring” Hellwig bar, and like the Hotchkis it has different LCA brackets than stock.
I think the Hotchkis bars are probably the nicest, but they also cost a ton. I run Hellwigs on my Duster, they work great. Not as pretty, but very functional. Both come with the hardware to attach them to non-tabbed LCA's, but if you don't like the hardware you could still get tabs from Bergman Autocraft and weld them on. On that note, Peter also sells a 67-72 front sway bar, it also uses the factory tab locations. I don't know anything else about it though, I haven't seen his sway bars in person. Bergman Auto Craft - Home of the Modern Muscle Car I've run both the Hellwig and Hotchkis bars. (Hellwig on my Duster, Hotchkis on my Challenger).
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