1 1/8 Sway Bar Hardware Source

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macdrew77

macdrew77

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I have a 1 1/8” sway bar for my 1970 Dart but I’ve lost all the mounting hardware, bushing and links etc. Does anyone know a source for just the hardware? Called up PST on the phone and the guy said he can’t help me they get them from Addco as a complete kit.
 
Call Addco directly. Do your lower A-arms have the tabs for the factory sway bar?

I have factory tab A-arms and a 1-1/8" addco front bar. I used prothane greaseable bar mounts and larger 3/8" bolt end links. I only reused the K-member angle brackets and backing plate to mount the bar.
 
My LCA don’t have the tabs so I’ll be adding them or mounting to the shock bolts
 
The addco brackets are kinda flimsy, most people upgrade with energy suspension brackets from summit.
 
After some consideration I’m going to order Energy Suspension 55135G brackets and bushings as well as their 2 7/8” end links 98118G. Annoyingly the brackets come with 15/16” bushings so you gotta order an additional set of the proper 1 1/8” bushings 95164G. Rockauto has good prices as least.

Will have to fab up some shock bolt brackets or maybe weld to my LCA, we will see what lines up better with the sway bar on the car.
 
Ha! I just saw a box of those laying around at work so I grabbed 2, we'll see if they work
 
macdrew77 said:
After some consideration I’m going to order Energy Suspension 55135G brackets and bushings=
Click to expand...

I tried that and it didn't work. It lowers the bar and pushes it back into the lower arms. I don't recall if it hit the arm but in now way would line up with my stock tabbed arms. It might work with custom tabs. The upside to the Addco way is the bay sits higher allowing for a bit longer end link and hides the bar a bit better than the stock location.

I still have my shock mounted "L" brackets if you want dimensions to make your own. The originals are angle iron and not the stamped or bent sheet metal McMaster bracket.
 
Kendog 170 said:
The Master ones are quite thick. Not sheet metal.
Click to expand...

I've seen 1/4" sheet. Hell I've seen 1" sheet steel. Either way is a formed bracket (probably stamped) -vs- Angle. Without going into strength of materials I'll take the angle over the stamped or cold bent steel in this application. Start articulating that 1-1/8" bar hard in and out of corners and its going to bend it up. If I were to use that I'd box it on both sides like the factory did, I'd even do that to the angle Addco sends as the ones I have look janky at best.
 
Energy Suspension has all that stuff. I just upgraded mine.
 
dano said:
I tried that and it didn't work. It lowers the bar and pushes it back into the lower arms. I don't recall if it hit the arm but in now way would line up with my stock tabbed arms. It might work with custom tabs. The upside to the Addco way is the bay sits higher allowing for a bit longer end link and hides the bar a bit better than the stock location.

I still have my shock mounted "L" brackets if you want dimensions to make your own. The originals are angle iron and not the stamped or bent sheet metal McMaster bracket.
Click to expand...
Sure, I’d love the dimensions thanks
 
dano said:
That is how mine is, flip the mounts around. Probably going to need to shorten the end links.
Click to expand...

I have some short end links, but they may end up too short.
 
macdrew77 said:
Here’s a thread that shows good pics of an install with Energy Suspension Brackets 55314 if anyone was curious.
Sway Bar Install !!!!
looks pretty good.
Click to expand...

They do work well and look great. They just didn't work with the Addco bar.

Here are is the dims based on the mounts I have. Mind you I left out how distorted, cut at an angle and poorly deburred they were. These were unused, NOS. Probably worth millions.....

upload_2020-12-16_15-39-33.png


upload_2020-12-16_15-45-4.png
 
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Pics of my Addco installed. The only pars from Addco reused were the bar, the angles at the frame that attach the bar and the mount backing plate that gos between the angle mount and the mount/clamp combo. My links could be shorter, but there might not be room. Ideally the bar arms should be parallel to the ground/car.

I think with the end link "L" attached to the shock mount, the end links get inverted and the bar can sit lower. You'll know when you mock it up. Even my drawing of the "L" might need modified when your bar is in place to get things to line up.

PXL_20201216_232515079.jpg


PXL_20201216_232505108.jpg


PXL_20201216_232441636.jpg


PXL_20201216_232411036.jpg
 
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Thanks for the great pics Dano. Think I’ll give the energy suspension brackets a shot with the addco bar. Will fab my own end link brackets depending on what lines up the best. If not I’ll replicate the Addco frame brackeys
 
Anybody have pics of the ‘L’ bracket bolted to the shock bolt ? Interested in where the bar is located
 
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