sway bars
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 36
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From: Victoria
sway bars
Big question guys. I ve got a '78 f150 2wd and I am looking for sway bars. I found aftermarket ones but they are $300+ up here in canada, and the junk yards are empty around here. I was wondering if I could use a sway bars from an 80s truck. Would it bolt up? 
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 113
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sway bars
I assume your front end is a twin I beam also. If so, how do you even put an anti-sway bar on a twin I beam front end? I have stared at mine and can't figure out how one would attach. If you are thinking about a rear one it would have to be the right length bar to have the link ends bolt up. I think you would need to tape measure the frame width at the back around the rear axle and then find one from something with the same frame width. Its too late tonight but I can measure the frame on my 93 Bronco and tell you tomorrow if its the same as my 79 truck. My Bronco has a front and rear sway bars.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
sway bars
I finally remembered to measure my stuff. The Bronco frame where the rear sway bar is measures right at 37 inches. My 79 F150 looks to be a little wider at around 37 1/2 inches(1/4 inch difference each side). It still looks like the rear anti-sway bar will fit the truck but I'm not totally for sure. It doesn't look like a simple unbolt and bolt job though. There are pads welded(I think) to the axle at an angle and the bar is u-bolted to these. It then has solid round end links that connect the ends of the bars to the frame on each side(outside of the frame). The ends of the sway bar are shorter so the end links make a dogleg out and up to attach to the frame. These might have to be heated and bent a little to compensate for the width difference. You would also have to drill holes for the end links to bolt to your frame(no biggie). Shoot, I may eventually try to find one of these myself for my truck. I hope I have described this well enough. I don't have a digital camera or I would just shoot the thing.
