Do I Need A Bigger Sway Bar

Sway Bars on your classic Ford
Episode 181 Manic Mechanic
We look at whether you really need a bigger sway bar on your Galaxie S55 Fairlane Torino Montego Comet Mustang Cougar Maverick
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Fix Broken Fairlane Mustang Swaybar Mounts
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[@Paulie1232]

Another rainy 🌧 day playing with cars 🚗 in the shop....LOL....

[@Banginheadlights]

I like the bluesy, rainy intro… a departure from your usual style! We have a 1” sway bar on order for our own 66 stang, can’t wait to feel the difference it makes.

[@robkallok77]

It’s amazing what a difference a new/larger front sway bar can make. It’s one of the simplest chassis mods you can make with the greatest payback. And +1 on the frame mounts - I’ve ripped a chunk of frame rail out on a car after an upgrade. Thank goodness for welders 😉

[@blakeneysanders4264]

Hey Jeff, have you ever noticed the lines painted on the highways that look like the driver was still drunk that morning? I like how you added that into your highway drawing 😆

[@hotrodswoodshed7405]

#1 I appreciate your teachings. #2 on the anti roll bar subject... even though I'm a chevy enthusiasts, roll bars don't care about makes. With all respect to suppliers and sponsors and parts manufacturers, most time I don't have the additional money to afford new. So I have a 57 chevy wagon with a bbc and before installing a roll bar...it was DANGEROUS! I went to my local auto salvage and removed a 36mm (1.4 inch) roll bar from a 3rd generation camaro and got it and all the good urethane bushings for $20. I fabbed 2 frame mount perches..installed it on the front of my 57, and the difference in handling was INCREDIBLE GOOD.. later installed a new $100 1inch rear roll bar and now I need a skid pad and full belt harness to hold me in the seat before I can ACTUALLY test it's limitations. It will hold the curves sooo flat that it can easily break tire traction and slide flat into a ditch on the roadways. The importance of anti roll bars cannot be over emphasized.

[@FastMikeysGarage]

Great video Jeff! Answered all of my questions for my 69 Mach 1. I went with a Hellwig 1” front for my FE stroker/ Toploader setup. FYI - tell the Mrs. that 1/18 scale die-casts are NOT toys. 😂👍🏻

[@cstat2056]

Jeff, This video along with the sway bar repair video you made 7 years ago should fully cover the sway bar issue on '60's Fairlane Fords. I'm driving a '68 Ranchero with a 351 Cleveland and a 1 1/8" sway bar. I put it in over 10 years ago. This Ranchero is my daily driver. The sway bar mount has ripped out twice. I've just ordered the '70 Mustang replacement mounts. That should stop the problem. Thanks for all your videos on how to fix this problem. Yes, the 1 1/8" sway bar makes a huge difference.

[@stuckinmygarage6220]

Good intro, Andrew 👍

[@AutoRestoMod]

The credit belongs to the boss man on that intro! -A

[@portlandon]

I’ve found that The sway bars were severely undersized on full size fords/thunderbirds/Lincoln’s etc. they were usually 7/8”. Get a 1 1/8” bar. You can get a 1” for the rear. But you can’t run a rear without first replacing the front. You’re right about the graphite grease. They’ll squeak like crazy after awhile if you don’t.

[@anthonysantiago1999]

If I were you I would have brought out the 70's AFX car racing set. LOL. Good info on Sway Bars.

[@rickstevenson7483]

Fireball Roberts described handling issues like this. Under steer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the back of the car.

[@gregvanderboom5011]

In the 80's I had a 70 fastback Mustang with Shelby drop, lowered springs, Koni shocks, export brace, montocarlo bar, ford racing 15/16 front sway bar and an adjustable 5/8 rear sway bar. Pretty much everything in the boss 302 chassis book that was available back then. The car became unstable in the corners if the road was bumpy but improved with the rear bar at the weakest position. I disconnected the rear sway most of the time driving around. Small block car so I didn't have the big block plow in the corner.

[@stephenhotzjustdriveit]

Thank you for the visual on that. Now I understand the terms better. No sarcasm implied.

[@johnbarker5009]

In my experience urethane sway bar mounts and end links do a great job of giving the car a nice, direct feel. They also don't create a dangerous stress on the parts like poly sway bar bushings can. The sources I've seen say the 1" Shelby/Arning drop won't break ball joints, whereas the track cars used a 1 5/8" drop that MUST have the wedge kit. Also, caster. Modern tires want all the caster you can give them. Definitely more than you're going to enjoy with manual steering. Thanks for yet another very enjoyable and educational video. I did suggest your channel at a popular, low buck, old school Mopar channel. He hasn't responded, and may have deleted my comment, but that's his business. You're a great resource and really deserve that 100K number.

[@hotrodray6802]

Holman- Moody invented that front control arm drop for their Falcons. Check it out.

[@redpepper7181]

I have a mid seventies Falcon which has a 1inch sway bar up front, superlow springs(sits about 6-7inches off the road), no bar on the back and Koni red adjustable shocks on the softest setting. Rides really well, doesn’t wallow or roll.

[@doxnoogle5782]

Front sway is a huge improvement, but the rear is easy to overdo and make the thing tail happy in a bad way. Knowing what I know now, I'd put a 1" in the front and something like a 1/2 or 5/8 in the back.

[@matthewpepe9676]

I have a 67 cougar and you have help me lot with watching your build on the 67 mustang. I have a 1 1/8 sway on the front and a 3/4 on the rear along with a panhard bar new leaf springs and traction bars. And of course the ploy bushings around. The car sit at a great height and the stance is something else. To help out the front I do have a monte Carlo bar and a 1 piece export brace. The car has very little dip but isn't too stiff. Hope to see to do some cougar or mercury work. Thanks

[@RealWorldGarage]

I definitely need some on my 54 Ford.

[@scottbeaudry3505]

thanks for the information, always learning !!

[@paulbruno8327]

Great video Jeff!! An important simple mod that won’t break the bank. I wish hydraulic shocks were more available. Pickens are slim in this day and age. 🏁

[@mark98070]

My 1995 F150 had, as an option what Ford called their Handling Package. Consisted of front & rear sway bars, Dual front shocks, & a set of gas shocks on the rear.

[@marcusloftis2779]

I put a mustang 2 kit on my 66 mustang years ago. It didn’t come with a sway bar at all. I was parting out a 94 mustang and pulled out perches and all just to see if it was close. I flipped the sway bar over and everything bolted up. That was 12 years ago and it is still working great!

[@hotrodray6802]

Front or rear?

[@marcusloftis2779]

@@hotrodray6802 front

[@johngranato2673]

Understeer was engineered in most, if not all, the cars of the day--which was safer than oversteer

[@hotrodswoodshed7405]

Thanks!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Thank you for watching!

[@richardc2755]

I’ve been thinking about a 1” sway bar for my ‘63 falcon convertible. It’s a stock 170 but hopefully soon it’ll have a 200 out of a ‘65 falcon. Not sure if it’s worth doing on such a mild car. Maybe one day

[@clarkclifford2338]

Why don’t you find a way to quantify the change to the suspension roll? That would be interesting.

[@randyoehlert5045]

Best working shocks iv put on are Calvert Racing. Iv tried the others you mentioned Calvert Racing works best on mine. 1962 Falcon 302 475hp , manual transmission, 9 inch 3 73 LS.

[@413x398]

The correct ratio for a 9-inch is 3.70. 3.73 is 8.8 Ford and General Motors.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

My bone stock '73 mustang oversteers, no rear sway. It's not terrible but it does, and I prefer that as opposed to the understeer of a town car. What am I dealing with if I decide to install the rear sway?

[@amraceway]

A super cheap way to beef up a stock sway bar is to clamp on another stock way bar to the original.

[@jondavis7058]

So, you want to have more sway? Nope, you have to go big to have less.

[@PaulEBraileyJr]

What about stuka torsion bars

[@graemepaul8748]

I have a 70 sportsroof, recently put 1 inch lower stiffer coil springs in. I have the stock sway bar (5/8 I think it is) anyone got a recommendation if I should go up a size I have heard good and bad feedback on 1 inch. I just cruise around and don’t hammer it much, and it seems fine for an old classic.

[@hotrodray6802]

Depends on your goal, roads, style. I use a 15/16" from 78 Granada and it's fine. Use to grab the knuckles, brakes, bars, etc... Cheap. IF you can find them now.

[@chrishorst6993]

I was really hoping you would reach 100,000. Come one people subscribe

[@erikswensen425]

Thanks!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Thanks for watching!

[@erikswensen425]

@@AutoRestoMod you're welcome and thank you for helping us viewers with your wealth of knowledge and information

[@Forrrest6]

Thanks!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Welcome!