Front 2WD Sway Bar
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Front 2WD Sway Bar
Guys, I found a truck (~76ish, 2WD F250) in a local junkyard that has a front swaybar installed. I would like to improve the overall handling and have been through the steering system and suspension already. My F100 has no sway bar, but appears to have the holes in the frame ready for a stock style one. My question is this: there's a fair amount of work in order to R&R one of these given I need the brakets that go on the end of the radius arms, is the work worth any kind of pay off? I can get if for cheap and the replacement bushings aren't that expensive - money wise it's a cheap improvement, but next to exhaust work, I really don't like doing suspension work. 
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Front 2WD Sway Bar
Suspension work isn't bad if you have the tools...
Anything that improves Ford wander is probably good. I have no idea whether it will make a noticeable improvement.
Have you been thru the rear suspension and replaced the bushings with poly units also?
Anything that improves Ford wander is probably good. I have no idea whether it will make a noticeable improvement.
Have you been thru the rear suspension and replaced the bushings with poly units also?
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From: Huntersville
Front 2WD Sway Bar
Not the same model but I put an aftermarket Addeco#113 on my 71 F100. One of the best mods I've done to my truck. This truck is flat through the curves now with almost no body roll. A real joy to drive though I'll probably get more tire wear from hitting the curves faster. LOL
Clint
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From: texarkana, tx
Front 2WD Sway Bar
tetraruby ~
I'm going to have to chime in here. I've driven Harrison with and without the 1 1/8" Hellwig swaybars and I have to say without a doubt they are worth the $100+ I paid for them. I have to drive through a twisty - turny road over Lake Allatoona twice a day. With the sway bars I can vaporize at will....without, I have to back off and let the log trucks pass me....
Mine are aftermarket and might be a little fatter than OEM, though.... strictly for high-performance vehicles
I'm going to have to chime in here. I've driven Harrison with and without the 1 1/8" Hellwig swaybars and I have to say without a doubt they are worth the $100+ I paid for them. I have to drive through a twisty - turny road over Lake Allatoona twice a day. With the sway bars I can vaporize at will....without, I have to back off and let the log trucks pass me....
Mine are aftermarket and might be a little fatter than OEM, though.... strictly for high-performance vehicles
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Front 2WD Sway Bar
Thanks for the replies. I haven't started working on the rear yet. My rear spring eye bushings are shot, I know. I've gone through the front and replaced the PS box 2X, put in new links, coil springs, pivot bushings, king pin bushings, and radius arm bushings. I don't think the front suspension is bad, just thought a sway bar may offer some improvement - and for cheap...why not right?
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From: texarkana, tx
Front 2WD Sway Bar
tetraruby ~
Looks like we've both restored the front ends of our rides the same way - the way it "ought" to be done after 30 years.
The main thing about the sway bars (both front and rear on Harrison) is it allows you to ~maintain~ higher speeds through those curves (without leaning), instead of having to "back off" to let that Corvette git away from you..hey...I stay right-in-there-rear-view-mirrors, now....!! Good thing I didn't have this truck 20 years ago - I'd have accumulated a LOT of tickets!!....
Looks like we've both restored the front ends of our rides the same way - the way it "ought" to be done after 30 years.
The main thing about the sway bars (both front and rear on Harrison) is it allows you to ~maintain~ higher speeds through those curves (without leaning), instead of having to "back off" to let that Corvette git away from you..hey...I stay right-in-there-rear-view-mirrors, now....!! Good thing I didn't have this truck 20 years ago - I'd have accumulated a LOT of tickets!!....
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From: SD
Front 2WD Sway Bar
I have a F250 sway bar that I plan to install onto my '73 F100, haven't done it yet, but it looks like it will work great.
One tip, I had to go back to the yard after a small part that is needed... The spring cup, or round cone shaped part that the spring sits on, it's between the sway bar mount and the bottom of the spring - this is a different shape to accomodate the sway bar mount. You have to have it in order for the spring to sit correctly on top of the sway bar mount. So be sure to grab that too...
Let us know how it works out...
Marty
One tip, I had to go back to the yard after a small part that is needed... The spring cup, or round cone shaped part that the spring sits on, it's between the sway bar mount and the bottom of the spring - this is a different shape to accomodate the sway bar mount. You have to have it in order for the spring to sit correctly on top of the sway bar mount. So be sure to grab that too...
Let us know how it works out...
Marty
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From: Princeton WV
Originally Posted by 71swissaqua
Not the same model but I put an aftermarket Addeco#113 on my 71 F100. One of the best mods I've done to my truck. This truck is flat through the curves now with almost no body roll. A real joy to drive though I'll probably get more tire wear from hitting the curves faster. LOL
\\lint
\\lint
With this setup was the connecting links on an angle to the mountings on the axle???
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From: Princeton WV
With one axle behind the other, I was wondering about the angle of the connecting links to the axles, I guess you would divide the distant and have a little angle on both of the links, there is a couple of inches between the axles. I guess this doesn't hurt any thing. I have one of this type to put on is the reason I was asking. Thanks
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Any tips on how to remove the front swaybar brackets from the bolt that joins the I-beams to the radius arms? I believe that bolt is torqued at 250 ft.lb., and unfortunately the junkyards do not allow use of any power tolls, torches or jacks. I retrieved the swaybars from a 2wd F250 (mid 70's), but could not figure out an easy way of getting the brackets before the junkyard closed. Should I take liquid wrench next time plus a big hammer and a break bar?
Any ideas on how to get those brackets without that much pain and suffering?
I am also afraid about working under a junk truck that is dangerously sitting on some bare rims under the chassis (again, no jacks allowed, next time I'll take a set of stands to be on the safe side). Thanks,
Raul
Any ideas on how to get those brackets without that much pain and suffering?
I am also afraid about working under a junk truck that is dangerously sitting on some bare rims under the chassis (again, no jacks allowed, next time I'll take a set of stands to be on the safe side). Thanks,
Raul
Last edited by superbepro; Jul 24, 2004 at 09:12 PM. Reason: spelling
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Originally Posted by bwatkins
With one axle behind the other, I was wondering about the angle of the connecting links to the axles, I guess you would divide the distant and have a little angle on both of the links, there is a couple of inches between the axles. I guess this doesn't hurt any thing. I have one of this type to put on is the reason I was asking. Thanks
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From: Huntersville
The way the I-beams are bent they are pretty close to the same distance from the front of the truck by the time they get out that far. I guess they still have some angle on them but I did'nt even think about it or notice it when I installed my sway bar
Clint
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