Do/did all 77 Broncos come with a front stabilizer?

[PearlRiver77]

When going over my 1977 with the gentleman that is working on it for me, he noticed there was no bracket for a front stabilizer bar on the front axle.

I took the Bronco apart myself and I do not recall a stabilizer being on the truck...

 

[duffymahoney]

Mine has it. Maybe the axle was replaced?

 

[77silver ranger]

Was an option . Should be mounting bracket welded to axle whether ordered with sway bar or not if it’s a 76 or 77 axle .

 

[spap]

It was an option but the bracket for the sway is still welded on the front axle
I don’t have one
Yea maybe the axle was replaced

 

[Slowleak]

Do the radius arms have the square holes in them where the stabilizer attaches?

 

[Madgyver]

no i had several 1 or 2 owner 77s not all had them.

 

[Jcormack]

thanks for bringing this up. My 77 has the stock sway bar, but really don't know how well it functions. currently doing a complete off frame restomod with 2 in BL and 1.5 SL. considering adding a front sway bar, but really do not want to if the general consensus is that stock is good enough. any comments are appreciated

 

[PearlRiver77]

Do the radius arms have the square holes in them where the stabilizer attaches?

As far as I know, the axle is stock....

The radius arms do have the square holes

I have the Marti report and it does not mention a sway bar

We looked at the axle and it does not look to be cut off, no grind marks. I do have a May 4, 1977 prodcution date, very near the end of the run, not sure if that makes a difference or not

 

[fordfan]

thanks for bringing this up. My 77 has the stock sway bar, but really don't know how well it functions. currently doing a complete off frame restomod with 2 in BL and 1.5 SL. considering adding a front sway bar, but really do not want to if the general consensus is that stock is good enough. any comments are appreciated

The factory front sway bar was an option available only in '76 and '77 and is evident on the factory disc brake front diff by the sway bar attachment bracket welded on the right side of the D44 axle housing, and as Slowleak mentioned, the hole for the carriage bolts that attach the bracket to the bar and the radius arm.

I have Broncos that have the original sway bar and those that don't, and I really can't tell any difference in the one's with the bar and without. Part of the disfunction with the factory bar is the way that it attaches to the radius arm instead of the frame really multiplies the sway force on the bar and makes if not or barely functional.

The new sway bar that is manufactured by Hellwig is completely another story!!! They work and work awesome!!! If you offroad and flex your rig, get the one with the disconnects...

 

[fordfan]

'77 Ranger with factory sway bar.

 

[fordfan]

Rattler with the new Hellwig that really works..

The sway bar is visible just under the bumper. (The K bar S axle truss underneath the axle is not a sway bar)

 

[PearlRiver77]

The factory front sway bar was an option available only in '76 and '77 and is evident on the factory disc brake front diff by the sway bar attachment bracket welded on the right side of the D44 axle housing, and as Slowleak mentioned, the hole for the carriage bolts that attach the bracket to the bar and the radius arm.

I have Broncos that have the original sway bar and those that don't, and I really can't tell any difference in the one's with the bar and without. Part of the disfunction with the factory bar is the way that it attaches to the radius arm instead of the frame really multiplies the sway force on the bar and makes if not or barely functional.

The new sway bar that is manufactured by Hellwig is completely another story!!! They work and work awesome!!! If you offroad and flex your rig, get the one with the disconnects...

I guess my question is now, I dont have the welded bracket, nothing....The guy I bought the truck from was the second owner, it was a farm truck, he bought it from his neighbor, the original owner, also a farm truck

If the bracket is not there, is there a chance this is not the orginal axle? Or are there Broncos that left the factory without the weleded bracket?

 

[PearlRiver77]

'77 Ranger with factory sway bar.

Those brackets look to be U bolted on, not welded?

 

[Slowleak]

Check for a tag between the left bolts on the dif cover. It will have a date code. Here’s a picture of my ‘77. It is stamped D6TA. “D6” is 1976.

 

[fordfan]

Those brackets look to be U bolted on, not welded?

The bracket is welded on, much like a spring perch on the rear axle. The bracket, bushing and sway bar is held on by the U bolt. See picture #2.

 

[Apogee]

My '77 D44 has the bracket, but no bar...it may have when it was new, but it was far from new when I got it back in the early aughts.

 

[1buckeyefan1]

The bracket is welded on, much like a spring perch on the rear axle. The bracket, bushing and sway bar is held on by the U bolt. See picture #2.

So i've been meaning to ask this and this thread just reminded me..

I've sourced all of the factory sway bar parts to add to my '74.. but some questions:

1.) does the passenger side perch really need to be welded on? I've already painted my axle and the perch. From what i can tell, it's almost like the driver side that simply allows the u-bolt to hold it to the axle tightly? I can't find any reason why I can't simply use the loose perch + u-bolt on the passenger side like the driver side? And why did ford weld one side and not the other?

2.) how important are the square holes on the radius arms to run the connecting bolts through? I didn't realize, but I have a one '77 radius arm (was likely replaced by the PO) and one without. As far as I can tell, the radius arm bracket mounts both above and below the arm, then a bolt through the middle. I've also got my radius arms powdercoated already and debating if I really need to drill a hole through the one in addition to the bolts above and below.

I'm sure both welding and drilling would potentially make the sway bar more 'factory-like' and effective...but the real question is it worth it for me at this point?

 

[gnsteam]

My '77 D44 has the bracket, but no bar...it may have when it was new, but it was far from new when I got it back in the early aughts.

Same here. My 76 has the welded bracket but no other sway bar components. And nothing mentioned on the original Ford window sticker about a sway bar as an option. You can see the bracket on the lower passenger side of the from axle.

 

[Slowleak]

So i've been meaning to ask this and this thread just reminded me..

I've sourced all of the factory sway bar parts to add to my '74.. but some questions:

1.) does the passenger side perch really need to be welded on? I've already painted my axle and the perch. From what i can tell, it's almost like the driver side that simply allows the u-bolt to hold it to the axle tightly? I can't find any reason why I can't simply use the loose perch + u-bolt on the passenger side like the driver side? And why did ford weld one side and not the other?

The driver side bracket is bolted to the differential. The diff housing has a flat spot on the front it with a round hole. The bracket has a tab that fits in the hole. That prevents it from rotating. The passenger side is attached to the round axle housing and is welded to prevent it from rotating.

 

[jckkys]

I got my '77 new and just the way the dealership ordered it. There was no sway bar or pass side bracket. There was a little weld spot so either I knocked it off or it fell off. In my restoration, I bought the stock bar and the pass. bracket from Tom's and added poly bushings. It works well for cornering while allowing the articulation I need. I also have an '80s Hellwig rear bar that's much heavier than the new ones at 1 1/8" diameter. The Ford front bar is 1 1/16". I certainly don't need any more anti-sway. You can't see the rear bar and the front one keeps the stock look. My restoration is just that with minimal "mods" to get things working correctly. If you have a '76 or '77 that's still a Bronco I would recommend it.