hey, i have a 67 f-250 and was looking through a catalog and found aftermarket sway bars for my application and they are supposed to inprove handling, do any of you guys run these? i think their only 1/4-1/2 of an inch thicker than stock, is it worth the money for front and rear or just front or neither one? if so is it a big project?? thanks, andy.

 

First off your 1/4" or 1/2" thicker than stock is one hell of a jump in torsional stiffness. Even in 1/16" incremental increases will make a noticable difference. When you hit a certain point it dosen't matter if the front bar is three inches in diameter as you've overloaded the outside front tire and caused understeer unless you have 14" wide tread withy sticky tread. With a BB FE and a light rear you'll understeer big time, thats the laws of physics. Stiff rear bar will only lift the inside rear off the ground. All the above is with a empty truck, heavy camper is another story. Ford's had a U shaped bar mounted inside the radius arms besides a frame mounted bar with links to brackets bolted on the I beam / radius arm bolt. There is a above the rear axle bar with links to the frame from Ford for the rear axle also. I removed all bars before selling the 69 F250, the 68 CS has no bars with 7,300 # front springs and a reworked rear spring pack. It corners flat and will understeer / throttle oversteer. The rear is stiff without a back breaking ride empty. To use bars is a band aid when springs should be addressed first. Those add ons tha tbolt flat bar stock to I beams look like a fatal accident waiting to happen should something slip, bend or break off while under maximum strain deep into a turn at speed. Your life and others is too valuable to F**k around with tinker toy bolt ons and some i've seen should be banned by the NTSB. JMO's
.....o&o>.....

 

Were there bars available for a '68 Highboy? Can I acquire them from anyplace now? The ride in my Highboy is like riding inside a popcorn maker. I'm getting bounced all over the place. New springs all around and big swampers as well.

 

Well Beemer's got it nailed, but simply put; sway bars will make the truck corner flatter. That's all they are saying about improved handling. Sway bars also give you less wheel travel and less articulation. As far as ride quality, as in smooth ride, bigger sway bars will make it harsher.