I've been struggling with what to do about a daily driver once the wife goes back to work at the end of the summer. Decided I would just finish out the Belvedere. Well, took her for a drive Sunday and noticed something sounded loose in the front suspension on a bumpy section of my driveway. Had a feeling it was the front sway. Sure enough the bushings were kind mangled looking and a bit loose again.

I put this bar on back in 2006, and she seems to handle great, but I've had the bar on both ways ("V" up and "V" down) and the geometry just never seems to work out. The bar should be perpendicular to the end links, but it isn't. For that to be the case, I need to shorten the spacers in the end links, but then it looks like the bar would hit the bottom of the control arm. It looks like the rear of the bar should come up, and the whole thing move forward slightly.

Over the years I've seen a lot of negative comments on the Addco hardware, but never really seen anyone complain about the geometry. I'm wondering if something else is wrong. I have a #541 bar, but I see they also offer a #154 bar that appears to be for the exact same applications, but doesn't have the "V" in the middle.

I also have their rear bar, but still haven't installed it. I really don't want to spend twice the price for another bar. Is anyone successfully running an Addco front bar? What changes did you make to the hardware, or did you need to?

Next on my list of complaints will be the Scarebird disc conversion. Should have trashed that and kept the 5th Ave setup I had. Going to see if my friend will let me have the 5A stuff back if he isn't going to use it.

and then I would probably complain about my parts store rebuilt steering box, which doesn't leak like the old one, but has about as much slop as the old one. Rack and pinion would be nice, but will probably just invest in a Firm Feel box.

Starting to think I'll just find a cheap old Honda or Toyota to drive while working out all the little issues with the Belvedere.

When I was crunching numbers over the weekend, I was thinking new top, weatherstripping, etc., not brakes, sway bar and steering box.

First, it never ends.

Keep the addco, without seeing pics, I don't think geometry improvement will help/matter much, unless you step up later to a heavier sway bar, just re[lace the bushings, I suspect they are urethane and at the end of their lifespan?

Firm Feel #3 is a nice target.

See post in handling on thoughts on rear bar.

I don't know anything about your issues with the brake conversions.

No need for a honda yet.

Fix the frame brackets and shorten the end links. Both of my sons' A-bodies have short end links. The bar seems to react quicker as there is less flex at the ends.

Well, I did a little more searching just now. Found this pick that I didn't see last night.



The K-frame brackets (this is posted as a Firm Feel setup) look like they could solve my geometry issues. The bar, and control arm brackets look very similar to my Addco bar and brackets. I saw a post last night with some similar brackets supposedly from Summit, but a very quick search didn't turn up anything. After seeing the above I may dig a little deeper at Summit. I really don't want to buy another bar. I think I just need to figure this one out, and as you mentioned, probably time for new bushings.


Yes, I've heard good things about FF3, but seems like a lot of guys are running stock steering wheels. I'm running a smaller grant wheel. Not sure if that will make much difference, but that's another issue.

My biggest complaint with the Scarebird (after I worked out the little install issues) is the Caliper bolts just barely hit the shock tubes on full lock turns, which is rarely done, but still.

I'm just in a grumpy mood today. Cold and rainy STILL doesn't help.

I've never been impressed with rebuilt steering boxes from the parts stores , unless they change the 2 major shafts/gears you still have the same issues the box originally had.

I've read up on the shimming and such, but the problem, as JohnRR mentioned, is the parts store boxes seem to just get new seals. I'm assuming the FF boxes get new gears. I've tried adjusting the lash on the current box, but afraid to go much more for fear of binding, but I guess I can go till it binds then back off.

I guess I'll keep trying to work out the geometry of the bar. I know they don't have to be perfect, but the way it sits now, it doesn't really look like the bar was even designed for this car.

My understanding is that the Firm Feel rebuilds consist of choosing parts that are properly fitted to each other with closer tolerances. I have a FF Stage 3 in the Charger with their Fast Ratio arms. This totals up to 11.7 to 12-1 steering ratio. Very fast and great road feel. They try to push their stage 2 though. Maybe because the #3 is so vastly different from the "Tires on ice" feeling of stock Mopar power steering.
If you just want a leak free steering chuck with a steering feel greater than stock, you could also get a Saginaw PS pump and shim the valve. Many here have written about the procedure including Rick Ehrenberg from Mopar Action magazine. It involves adding more washers inside the PS pump to lower the amount of boost from the pump. Some pumps have no washers, some had 1 some had 2. The consensus I recall was a total thickness of around .125 to get the pressure down to an acceptable range. I did this to a pump used in a 72 Duster. I may have to add more shims/washers though. It still feels a bit overboosted.

Keep the bars!!
Years ago I bought a set of Addco bars for my then nearly new 1971 Valiant Scamp with 225/6, 727 and 8 3/4 rear. The bars came together in one big box and the front links were lost in shipping. So I installed the rear bar first and made my own front links. While it had only the rear bar in place, the car would oversteer. It was very entertaining! When I finished the front install, the car handled flat and great. Back then I did time & distance rallies on public and Forest Service roads and it would handle with the best of the European and Asian brands. I lost the car in a divorce and wish I had it back! I think the reason your bushings have worn out is because the front bar is doing all the work and if you had the rear bar on you would have the right combination and it would work together

Ok, so apparently those brackets/bushings are stock replacements? and appear to only be available in 7/8" and 15/16".

So, I'm going to play around with the LCA bracket and end link length. If I don't get anywhere with that I'll see about getting a set of the Energy Suspension bushings/brackets. I really only need the brackets though, so might just try to make my own.

Will also, get to work installing the rear bar. I'm hoping it goes a little better than the front.

As far as the brakes, I'm going to see if I can remove the rubber part of the caliper that hits first on the shocks, and see if the actual bolts inside hit, and go from there.

As for the steering, I'll keep adjusting till I can't anymore, and if so just go with a FF2 or FF3.

Thanks guys. I'll keep you posted on how things go.

BTW, no, my car didn't originally have a bar. I'm using the complete Addco setup.

Okay, so I loosened things up a little. The bar was pushed a little to the driver's side. I noticed the tire has rubbed.

Anyway, I cannot shorten the end links. The bar will hit the control arm. It appears the frame mounts need to push forward and down. Starting to think the ES bushing/brackets are what I need. However, the ends of the bars still appear to be twisted out too much to line up with the end link correctly.

BTW, I put a protractor on my steering wheel. I know not the best or easiest way to check, but I got about 25-30 degrees of play. Also, the shaft seems to move in/out of the box just a bit as it's moving back and forth. This box probably has less than 50 miles on it.

I'm going to talk to the parts store, and see if I can get it swapped, or get my money back somehow or something...

Yeah, It's times like this I wanna just put a for sale sign in the window and head down to the dealership and see what new toy they're dealing on. But I'll keep throwing time and money at it till I get it right.

BTW, figure I'll bolt up the end links remove the frame mounts and take some measurements where the bar looks good and make some new angle brackets.

I don't know if you are interested but there is a Flaming River steering box for sale in the race section. I had one on an a body years ago and it made the steering like night & day.

Heres the link: https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Number=7652699