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what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend?

Posted By: kielbasa

what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 12:09 PM

Hi guys, am installed a 65~67 b-body width rearend into my AAR, obviously the sway bar will no longer fit as original. Do any type of adapter plates exist for such applications (or do I just fab something up)? Or do I use a b-body sway bar?
Thanks for any input!
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 12:24 PM

I don't think the mounts change? You didn't move the leaf springs did you?
Posted By: kielbasa

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 12:53 PM

yes, leaf springs are moved in.......
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 12:56 PM

Mine are moved in 3/4" on each side on both cars and the sway bars fit fine on both my cars. You don't have do anything imo.

Picture of mine with the springs moved in 3/4" on each side.
Posted By: kielbasa

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 02:14 PM

hmmm, i have dr. diffs relocating kit, i assume it moves each leaf 3/4" just like yours, but unless i bend the sway bar links, i just don't see how it can fit.....is yours an aftermarket sway bar?
thanks for the pic.
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 02:36 PM

I think his moves them in 7/8", I still don't think it is a problem.

My sway bar is a Firm Feel bar, stock size.
Posted By: kielbasa

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 03:38 PM

i suppose i could [Edited by Moparts - Family Friendly Site - Keep it clean] the sway bar links, but then they would be crooked.
do you have a b-body sway bar?
i think the easiest and most effective would be to would be fab up offset links i guess. i suppose i should search to see if these exist - hard to imagine i'm the only person that's run into this.
Posted By: burdar

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 03:42 PM

There's a guy over on CC.com who modified his original brackets so the end links weren't angled. He cut open the brackets and added material to the outside. That allowed him to drill a new hole for the end links. I can try to find his post.
Posted By: PAINT IT BLACK

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 03:47 PM

When I swapped to a '70 B body rear in my Cuda, I strategically welded some studs to a metal shop table to hold the sway bar in place, got a long pipe to slip over the end and bent the ends in by hand. You'll need someone to secure the sway bar at the table while you tug on the ends. I think I bent each end inward an inch. It took me about 20 minutes.
Posted By: burdar

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/20/11 03:52 PM

Here's the link to his post. His modification to the brackets is twards the bottom of the page.

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=44869.120
Posted By: savoy64

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/21/11 01:36 AM

if you arent afraid of getting teased check out an F150/250 rear sway bar--it even has bolt off plates to take from the donor truck---put some on a 64 savoy once---bob
Posted By: jcc

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/21/11 01:45 AM

I guess if i wasn't so lazy tonight we coul;d calculate the change in roll resistant by moving the springs 1.625" against the original measurement of 46"? Assuming no other changes were made, such as track, ride height, shocks, springs, spring bushings, front sway bar/suspension, why not just try it before figuring out the revised rear sway bar. Nothing says you have to have a rear sway bar, they really are more for balancing the front to rear roll resistance anyway.
Posted By: Strawdawg

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/21/11 02:09 AM

I believe the Hotchkis rear bars offer adapters to work with narrowed rears
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/21/11 02:49 AM

Quote:

I guess if i wasn't so lazy tonight we coul;d calculate the change in roll resistant by moving the springs 1.625" against the original measurement of 46"? Assuming no other changes were made, such as track, ride height, shocks, springs, spring bushings, front sway bar/suspension, why not just try it before figuring out the revised rear sway bar. Nothing says you have to have a rear sway bar, they really are more for balancing the front to rear roll resistance anyway.



Bending the bar I think is better than making silly axle brackets to fit.

7/8" on each side is not enough to make a big difference. Your just add weight to the back of the car and it may not be strong enough(the modified spring bracket and flex) Put the car together and get under there and then see if you think it is a problem, it wasn't for me and I bet if I never told you you would never even notice it under my rear end.
And it sure as hell don't hurt performance because my 71 handles twice as good as my 74.
My again.
Posted By: BDW

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/21/11 02:55 AM

I also used my stock e-body sway bar with the Dr Diff 1" offset set-up. Bolted up fine, visually it doesn't look so great with the links at an angle. I'm sure there's not really any significant performance difference.
Posted By: Sixgun

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/22/11 07:01 AM

Did the same thing about 15 years ago on my '73.
Took some 3/8" X 1&1/4" bar stock (I think it was the rear front spring shackle from a ramcharger cut in two)
and bolted it to the original bracket with a ball joint bolt (like 3/4" dia) and drilled a new hole 3/4" inboard.Been on there forever, does NOT move, problem solved.
Posted By: noplanb

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/22/11 05:04 PM

Dick Ross at Firm Feel made me an E-body bar to work with B-body width perches. Using it with Cass' offset kit (65-67 B-body Dana on 1972 Cuda). Not sure if the B-body bar has the same contours as the E. I had to get a new bar anyway.
Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/22/11 05:48 PM

The addco, helwig, and hotckis rear sway bars will work. The helwig and hotckis dogbone connector links may need attention.

I know Hotchkis has a special bolt for clearence on the rear sway bar connector for moved springs. But I don't remember what the exact moved over amount was.
Posted By: jbc426

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/22/11 06:09 PM

Quote:

Dick Ross at Firm Feel made me an E-body bar to work with B-body width perches. Using it with Cass' offset kit (65-67 B-body Dana on 1972 Cuda). Not sure if the B-body bar has the same contours as the E. I had to get a new bar anyway.



I got the same thing on my e-body with b-body rear and Caltracs. I've trimed that long link bolt since this pic.

Attached picture 6837615-Engineinstallation005(Large).jpg
Posted By: BDW

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/22/11 11:09 PM

Under ideal conditions the sway bar end would be directly over the bracket to transfer 100% of the force downward.

With the sway bar moved 1" over there with be lateral force that can be broken down into a vertical and horizonal components.

I measured the links to be 5" long, so if I did my math right, the downward force is reduce to effectively 4.9", which is only a 2% reduction in downward force.

No problem that I can see, bolt it up as is and save your money.
Posted By: Hotchkis

Re: what sway bar in an E-body with narrower rearend? - 09/23/11 06:50 PM

Quote:

The addco, helwig, and hotckis rear sway bars will work. The helwig and hotckis dogbone connector links may need attention.

I know Hotchkis has a special bolt for clearence on the rear sway bar connector for moved springs. But I don't remember what the exact moved over amount was.




Steve – The special sway bar bolts we sell allow for additional bolt clearance when moving the rear leaf springs inboard 1 to 1.5” for wider tires. PN: 17366

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