Front Sway Bar...worth it?

[greatguy57078]

I have a '77 front disc Dana 44 that I installed on my '68 Bronco. I ditched the inverted "Y" linkage for the "T". I have a Front sway bar that would (I think) bolt right up and still fit. Two questions:

1) WILL it still fit the front axle?

2) Will it be worth the effort as far as function?

This will be used mainly on the street, as this particular truck is going through a "body off" restoration at this time. Any thoughts or comments appreciated. ;D

 

[tasker]

unless you have alot of adjustment i'd say no.....the one i had did not.
sway bar will be a big plus on a street truck

 

[bknbronco]

i vots ditch it. I take all the sway bars off everything i have ever owned except my caddi.

 

[Broncobowsher]

street use you say. I would be putting the sway bar on.
Even if it isn't the stock one I just saw a real nice one from Hellwig specificly for the Bronco while I was at SEMA. It is in the plans for the next (street) bronco I do.

 

[73azbronco]

do they make a nifty jeep like remote disconnect one? Because I only want to get out to lock the hubs, thats it.

 

[Broncobowsher]

do they make a nifty jeep like remote disconnect one? Because I only want to get out to lock the hubs, thats it.

My utility trailer has one like that;D

But AAM (the company that makes the ones that Mopar uses on the Rubi and Power Wagon) does not make them for the aftermarket. Getting them to work is a major PITA. It is not a simple solenoid or anything like that. There is a ~20 pin connector and a microprocessor inside the sway bar. You have to get into programming a microprocessor to get it to work. My hack job is not worthy of trying to recreate. And good luck trying to find one of those bars, they are about a grand. The bends are completely wrong for a Bronco as well. Yes, I have looked into it for years. I had parts in hand that I had to give up on using in the Bronco and find a new home for (in my utility trailer).

 

[bknbronco]

the new rubicons come with electronic swaybars but the guys that offroad them take off and swap for the old school ones. There not all there cracked up to be. My dad just took his off his rubicon a month ago.

 

[blazinchuck]

i love my hellwig swaybar in the front. i dont see how a stock front sway bar ever worked...it connects axle to radius arm-nothing to body. IMO junk

 

[blubuckaroo]

I took the factory sway bar off my '77 and didn't miss it until I later decided to go back to single shocks. It really helps the road manners on softer suspensions. If you decide to reinstall yours, replace the old soft rubber bushings with poly ones. It really tightens it up.

 

[xcntrk]

If it's a street rig, I say definitely needs swaybars front & rear. There's simply too much body roll to not have it. Sure if you're an off-road nut you'll compromise the street performance of not having one, but if that's not the case then you need maximum on street performance.

I have a 1 1/8" front swaybar on mine and love the improvement!

 

[Thunder Chicken]

i like my sway bar on, seems to help the road manners alot, but i still have the y linkage.

question for you?.......did ditching the y linkage make a big difference in your rig?

 

[greatguy57078]

i like my sway bar on, seems to help the road manners alot, but i still have the y linkage.

question for you?.......did ditching the y linkage make a big difference in your rig?

I really can't say for sure, as I installed the '76-'77 front axle on my '68 halfcab. I can vouch for the improvement going from drums to power dusc brakes though!

 

[jckkys]

If your talking about the original sway bar, you need parts of the bracket welded to the axle. The '77 strut arms have square holes for the carriage bolts that secure the ends of the sway bar, so try to get those too. The original is 1 1/16" diameter and caused me no problem off road while on road driving is safer and more pleasant. Driving in soft sand washes is improved. I don't understand the knee jerk aversion many 4 wheelers have to sway bars. The poly bushings do help a lot.
Only one of the three Broncos I've owned has the inverted Y linkage and I think it's the best. Less bump steer and death wobble. I'm not a big fan of >2" lifts so my good experience with the inverted Y may be contingent on a near stock suspension.
The bracket that's welded to the axle was put on all '76-'77 axles whether or not the sway bar option was ordered so look for it. Mine was missing, so I had to order another.

 

[greatguy57078]

I have the sway bar off a '77 that I sold years ago. The brackets for the sway bar are already welded to the axle I currently have, which was a '76-'77 disc brake axle. Now, if I can find all the pieces....haha! %)

 

[greatguy57078]

It's been a few years since I took this off my other Bronco. What other hardware do I need that is not in the pics?

 

[jckkys]

The photos are not the factory bar and I have an early Hellwig 1 1/8" front bar that isn't close either. If you can find a factory one from someone who cares more about articulation than handling get their bar and hardware. They work well when fitted with poly bushings, but as I said get the 76'-77' radius arms if you can. Putting a square hole in right spot may not be easy.

 

[greatguy57078]

I have the '76-'77 front Dana 44. This is the bar I took off the '77 that I had a few years back. I have the other brackets I just need to see what they are supposed to look like so I can find them in my parts pile. %)

 

[greatguy57078]

I have 3-4 sway bars laying in the garage. Maybe the one in the pics is a Mustang II bar? :-X

 

[jckkys]

I'll take the one I have, that's currently out of the truck, out in the sunlight tomorrow and get a couple good photos. If you can't get the '76 -'77 radius arms I'll get the size and location of the square holes so you can make your own.