looking to install front and rear sway bars on a 79 f150 with a 351m auto 4x4. Dana 44 front and ford 9 rear. Are there factory sway bar still available or are aftermarkets my only choice. Also can I retro rear disc brakes from a fox mustang onto my 9 in rear or do I need brackets from one of the many kits on the market

 

TWO different front sway bars: Is your 1979 F150 4WD a Regular or Super Cab? The Ford sway bars are obsolete, no one has any NOS

There is no F150 2WD or 4WD rear sway bar. There is a 1978/79 Bronco rear sway bar, it's also obsolete.

Besides the bars, you will also need the sway bar end links for the front and rear and associated mounting brackets.

 

Get everything from a 78/79 Bronco donor. make sure obviously that it has both the front and the rear sway bars get everything associated with it and if you can also if your truck doesn't have dual shocks already get the Front C Caps on the radius arm that has the lower mount for the additional shock many of the Broncos had dual shocks and had that set up you will not have to weld on funky tabs to get dual shocks. On my son's build in retrospect I should have bought the entire axle(was in a fire and was not sure of condition 15 yrs prior, the donor vehicle that is), as the mounts are specific to the 78/79 and require modifying or fabrication to make the passenger side work. Other than new bushings this is the best thing you can do to a vehicle that sees a lot of road use. As to the rear you will need either one of the new kits which for the most part uses GM calipers which I am not a big fan of as I really like using all Ford parts when possible. You may be able to Source out the parts off of a V8 powered Ford Explorer that has the rear disc brakes and modify those to work on your 9-inch rear end that is basically what the curry axle setup is for early Broncos with a 9 inch and also for the F-150s those have the emergency brake inside the hat of the rotor again, not a big proponent of that but they seem to work for many people. The way that I did my 75 Bronco was I modified the Lincoln Mark 7 rear disc brakes those cars came with large cast brackets and single piston calipers with emergency brake capability. The problem is that there's a lot of measuring a lot of machine that has to be done both to the axle and other parts for them to work properly I had to do that amongst other things but I do have all Ford parts on mine and the emergency brake does work on them larger tires obviously don't work as good as it's a frictions lever type emergency brake mechanical accuatation not hydraulic the way it's set up on the Rears.

 

Number dummy it's a regular cab long bed
mofoco1 thanks for the info. I'd seen several trucks with dual shocks and sway bars but never knew it was a bronco retrofit to the f series. Is this also true with the dual steering stabilizers? I was trying to source parts while I'm working on brakes interior and the power steering input shaft leak. Though probably never a daily. I would Definately like to get it in shape to be if need be and to take some camping trips in without worrying bout breakdown. Diehard ford fanatic for life

 

Quad shocks and (single) steering stabilizers were available on the 78/79 F150 4x4s...i have that setup on mine!

Somebody makes a kit for dual stabilizer, but my single was factory installed.

 

Just a heads up, I have been lifting and modifying trucks for 30 years and unless you are running bias or oversized tires, cracked frame worn tracbar bushings worn ball joints loose steering box/arm you should never have need for dual stabilizers. If everything else is addressed a single quality dampener should suffice. I liked to use Doetsch myself, but not sure they will be around much longer. Kings, Fox, SwayAway are all good.

 

double post

 

Thanks for clearing that up