Cheap Rear Sway Bar Upgrade Chevy OBS GMT 400 Truck

[@stevenyazzie6785]

He reminds me of my favorite teacher in highschool.. he's cool I would say... Great ideas thanks Navy Dad

[@VirginiaMaker]

You can use a gmt800 sway bar on a gmt400. I did on mine. Doesn't hit my spare. I did have to clock my tailpipe a little. It it wider than the frame. The end links are bolted to the outside of the frame. I used grade 8 bolts to mount it. Just don't use bolts too long or it will hit the leaf springs. Now my truck handles curves like a slot car.

[@davidfink9729]

Like this guy. Funny and all over the place

[@Carlitosway211]

I installed a sway bar on my OBS about 20 years ago. Man what a difference it made!

[@Slammed96ss]

I followed your video step by step to do the rear sway bar swap and it made a massive difference for my truck. A few things I encountered were that I had to trim the 2.5" Muffler Clamps to fit flush with my axle. And the sway bar links from the GMT800 I found were in bad shape (salt on the roads here) and it was easier for me to buy the whole link new. Amazon has a set for $30. I also didn't use the bushings I ordered from amazon in your parts list and I am sure what they were for, maybe the endlink top bushing? Very glad I did this mod and I might pair it with a 1 Ton front sway bar swap I read about on a c1500 autocross post. Thanks for the awesome video!

[@NavyDad]

Awesome thank you! I also found from another subscriber the Police gmt400 Tahoe and the 2000 Limited Tahoe also have the larger 36mm front sway bar

[@arevdav]

Old video but made me laugh a few times. Thanks for the content, keeping us entertained

[@oldschoolisnewschool]

I did my rear sway bar and I'm supper happy with how it rides.. I have a lance camper on it and well it works so much better. It should be called an anti way bar. Lol . Thanks for you vids.

[@NavyDad]

Awesome, I should have done a before and after vid, on how it handled just didn't think about it... Doh!

[@Live4Ibanez]

What luck! I swear, I was sooooo close to buying THOSE drop spindles. I'm in Fate and saw em for sale too! Awesome video by the way. Tons of good information! Edit: I'm planning to get this done this weekend. Thanks for the tips on taking a 18 and 19. My luck is that I'll bring a standard crescent wrench instead of a metric one! 😉😁

[@mathninja3879]

Great work. I just put a 2000 chevy rear end in my 1995 suburban, I blew up the pinion gear on the old rear end and I really wanted the rear disk breaks on the 2000 chevy trucks. But there is no mounting points for the sway bar on the new rear end! I thought I would have to weld brackets on the axel. Great idea using the u bolts. I am going to get on this!

[@Rosario360PNW]

Did it all work out? Having to figure out something for a 99 suburban, with 02 suburban rear, with no mounting for sway bar.

[@TheMcdrewb]

Big pair of channel locks would work good to squeeze the U bolt closer

[@NavyDad]

yes that would have been best but I didn't have one big enough at the time (do now that's to Harbor Fright sale...LOL)

[@rfrank1980]

Such an amazing how to video. I'll be using this as a reference for my truck. Thank you sir!!

[@hlhoover2427]

Hey Navy Dad, Thanks for all the cheap parts tips. I really appreciate information. Maybe see you around town in West Plano. My go to work vehicle at PISD transportation behind Clark stedium is my black 1990 silverado short wide 5.7 5 speed. Bought it new for Chevy in Richardson on 75 when I was a kid. If you ever need help getting something like the compressor on the ground give me a shout. I would be happy to lend a hand.

[@NavyDad]

Awesome thank you! in 1990 that would have been Late Chevrolet I think? When I was in school I tried to talk my data into a '79 Z28 there but he bought a Datsun 280 instead. Stay tuned to the Channel. I'm still working on R&D to make something simple that everyone can do, I came with a mod that just about every OBS owner will want to do. I cant find anywhere on KZbin or the truck forums that its been done before. Probably be a month or so before its posted. And I have several other cheap cool how to mods coming for the OBS too!

[@patbeauchamp9198]

Just went to our local salvage pick a part yard and came across a 97 Tahoe with the sway bar. Problem was getting the top link bolt out next to the gas tank was a pain as well as trying to get them special bolts out I had to go to another tahoe to get them. But I got the brackets, the sway bar and I'm ready to install this. I may try and test fit it to my 80 c10 to see if it will work. Also got the links from a 2009 Tahoe. Should be a fun project.

[@NavyDad]

Awesome, very interested to know if it will fit a C10 too

[@jreyman]

Check and see if the front sway bar bushings are the same as the rear ones. This may be why they aren't specifically listed. GM tends to use standardized parts for many applications. It's possible the front and rear sway bar bushings are the same part.

[@NavyDad]

There was at least 3 different front sway bars I have found 31mm, 33mm and the "Elusive" 36mm bar used on GMT400 Cop Tahoe's and 2000 Tahoe Limited which had the Cop suspension. The rear bar is like 27 or 29mm as I remember,

[@laurencevillegarage]

Great info, thank you! I am looking to do this to my next project. Looks like we are in the same neck of the woods, I'm in Rockwall, wife works in Greenville.

[@NavyDad]

cool hope y'all are staying safe from the mess

[@oldschoolisnewschool]

I just did the rear sway bar upgrade. I did it the easiest way. I went to a shop and payed 525 00. My truck feals much better going down the read.

[@Chevro91]

I own a 99 suburban so I know a bit about the sway bar setup Also own a 93 Silverado needing a rear sway . My only dilemma with everything is the bracket setup seems to fail and spin and move around on almost every one’s DIY bushing brackets. As apose to a welded style . Did you find that the 3.5” muffler clamps spun around ? Also the 7/8” Sway bar bushing brackets should have a flat surface to seat against not just against the rounded axle housing on the truck Other then that it’s a great diy setup

[@NavyDad]

I had to bend and hammer on the muffler brackets they were slightly smaller than the axel, so they don't move. The muffler brackets are curved on the inside and the flange is flat on the outside. it worked perfect for the Bushings. however another poster suggested another option of using a 95-05 Chevy S-10 Blazer rear swaybar bracket. I've looked at pictures only but it looks like it could work

[@Chevro91]

@ well I’m a member over on the GMT 400 forum a couple of the guys have cut and robbed the sway bar bushing perch from a suburban 10bolt and tack welded it onto the pickup 8.5 rear. I just went and got a 1994 suburban sway bar yesterday and the frame brackets took them for blast and powder coated already. I just seen in a few videos the DIY and aftermarket Hellwig and other sway bar kits the Supplied U- bolts and bracket has been shown to move around on the axle tube on people, I suppose I could put a small tack weld. I just wasn’t sure about doing that on an install differential that has gear fluid in

[@Chevro91]

@@NavyDadWas that a factory 95-05 frame bracket? or did the blazers use sway bar axle bracket on the differential bolted or welded ?

[@Chevro91]

@@NavyDadat this point all I need to do is choose a 3” axle differential bracket so I can bolt up the bushings . I’ve looked online there’s so many some don’t even have the holes included for the U-bolt.

[@NavyDad]

@@Chevro91 The S-10 blazer is bolt on. they used the same axel on the pickup which did not have a factory swaybar

[@nephaliacommunitycollege101]

Can you use the rear sway bar u bolts, flange, and bushing brackets off of an 94-04 Blazer? Looks almost identical. 🤔

[@NavyDad]

Hmmm, never thought to look at an S10 Blazer, just found a pic on eBay, and I think your right looks like it might work. When I get back on the truck after the Chevelle is running again I'm going to replace the rear end with more beef, and I'll try the bracket.

[@caseyc2848]

what about the drive line did you have to correct the angle of the drive line at all

[@TheMcdrewb]

2nd video....I like your channel

[@pedrocazarez8818]

Same haha

[@Chevro91]

Why wouldn’t you just use 3” clamp bracket for the bottom of the differential instead of a 2.5” clamp I’ve mocked up 3.5 and 3” and don’t understand why you bend 3.5” into a 2.5” When the 3” is nearly spot on It seems like have to already grind out some area on the 2.5-3” Clamp bracket to match the curve of the 3” differential

[@NavyDad]

I explained that in the vid, you have to bend it so you can use the factory bracket for the swaybar Bushing from the Suburban or Tahoe. if you use something larger the Bushing will not tightly wrap around the sway bar it all has to be tight or its unless. if you have a better way then go for it.

[@Tankgeeman]

You should film your JUNKYARD ADVENTURES too. Makes good content

[@NavyDad]

Yup you're right I'll do one soon :)

[@justbored9906]

Where did you get the flange that goes under the axle at 12:50? Is that also on the suburbans or did you buy that separate?

[@NavyDad]

at 12:50 that's part of the muffler bracket like this www.amazon.com/Nickson-61-Mufflr-Clp-Bxd/dp/B000COX9HK

[@justbored9906]

@NavyDad thx for the info, I hope to see more videos of ol blue soon. I also want to swap a small block from a v6 on my 94 and your one of the few channels that shows into detail on what you don't and do need

[@NavyDad]

@@justbored9906 thank you! I should have the Chevelle done by March, then back on O'l Blue!

[@jonathanpalahitski9596]

For the endlinks does it matter if you use the gmt800 or 900? Found a few threads that I've seem either one be used. Just picked up a sway bar this weekend and going to install it

[@NavyDad]

Hi yes the end links are the same for 800-900's for suburban's and Tahoe's mainly 99-2014

[@jonathanpalahitski9596]

@@NavyDad nice thank you

[@luisbarrieta]

How long center to center are the long end links?

[@NavyDad]

I never measured them, didn't have a need to. they are all the same for GMT400 Suburbans and Tahoes.

[@karlstellmacher]

Thankyou I Did

[@caseyc2848]

I have a 98 Chevy c1500.. so what year taho do you get a rear sway bar from so you can put it on a 88-98 chey

[@donmassucci3696]

We just got 1999 Suburban K1500 rear with sway bar and brackets. Fit right in 1988 K1500 + now has 11 x 3 inch brakes instead of 10 x 2 1/4. Original rear brake hose had to replaced, new rear brake lines fit right in the 1988 hose.

[@karlstellmacher]

Please Watching Video 5x Need To Knoe Where I Can Get Rear Swaybar Frame Mount Brackets For Down Links, Please

[@NavyDad]

At 7:53 the frame mounts are from the same Suburban or Tahoe the sway bar came from. Thats why I said get everything, all the hardware, mounts everything

[@trentcostello4358]

6 lug swap it put a set of ralley 6 lug 15x10

[@jreyman]

Drilling rivets is painfully slow. I used an air hammer to remove them, and it only took a few moments to do it. *Be smart. Use hearing protection, and safety glasses.

[@oldschoolisnewschool]

How did it ride when you drove it?

[@NavyDad]

it was a big improvement, in my opinion definitely worth the time. I should have done a before and after but just didn’t think about it. But after this dang bug is gone I’ll try to find a big parking lot and do a slalom test. In fact here is a great link I’ll use as a comparison, It’s Motor Weeks original road test of the all new 1988 C1500 pickup including the slalom test kzbin.info/www/bejne/qV6ue3p9lqhpgbc

[@jamesandlanoremohammed3978]

Does this work with a extended cab c1500 as well?

[@rainmakr9]

Yes, it will.

[@BodyshoppMafia]

get shock extenders

[@NavyDad]

hmm had not thought about that, thanks. I will be a little while before I get back to work on it. gota finish the chevelle first.

[@lj6278]

Rust control Dad.

[@clinteast7476]

7:48

[@fyrfox2000]

You don’t show anything being done.