Title:Front Sway Bar Install
Author:Jay Vessels
P-S-T Front Sway Bar Installation Written by Jay Vessels Installed 1 1/8" front sway bar on a 1982 Chevrolet S-10 Truck Tools needed: 1/2" wrench , socket, and appropriate ratchet 5/8" socket M10x1.5 (metric) tap, drill, and 11/32" drill bit (depends on frame) Nylon zip-ties Theory of Operation A sway bar connects the two lower A-arms on the truck with a torsion spring called a sway bar (or more properly, an anti-sway bar). When there is a difference in suspension travel between the lower A-arms, the sway bar twists, applying additional force to the A-arm. This added spring force only happens when there is a difference in suspension travel, so in straight-line driving it is not applied. This method allows a good ride while having increased spring pressure in corners, improving cornering and decreasing body-roll. While some S-series have a 1 1/8" front sway bar from the factory, my truck didn't come with a sway bar. I could have bought a used bar from a salvage yard and bought new bracketry and bushings; however, a sway bar is a spring of sorts and can wear over time. Larger bars are available. Be careful when choosing a sway bar, though, as too large a bar will cause lifting of the tire in a hard corner -- definitely not the right answer! The sway bar should compliment the suspension, not dominate it. Go with a larger bar if you have really wide, low profile tires and higher rate springs; otherwise, the stock size 1 1/8" bar should be enough. The P-S-T bar is solid (not hollow), and looks to be anodized. Installation: P-S-T sells polyurethane bushings with graphite made into the material, and I chose to pay for the upgrade. The front bar, with poly bushings, is $159. P-S-T does not charge shipping in the U.S., which may be a deciding factor when choosing a new front bar. My truck did not come with a front sway bar from the factory, but the frame was drilled (but not tapped) for the sway bar mounts. The first step, then, is to use an M-10x1.5 tap to tap the bolt holes. The bolts provided in the kit have a 5/8" hex head, but have an M10x1.5 thread. Even if you're just replacing your old bar, it is a good idea to clean the threads with a tap. Next, install the D-shaped poly (or rubber if you didn't get the poly) bushings on the bar itself. These are held to the frame by u-shaped brackets which will be installed later. If they are hard to snap over the bar, a little grease will help. You're ready to install the new bar. Assemble the end-links first. Install the end-links with the bolt head on top. The order is: Bolt head, cup washer (facing cup-down), bushing (flat part to washer), bar end, bushing (flat part away from the bar), cup washer (facing cup-up), spacer, cup washer (facing cup down), bushing (flat part to washer), for now the bushing (flat part down), cup washer (facing cup up), flat washer, nut. The nut has a nylon lock, so for now just thread it on so it won't fall off but don't start wrenching on it. Assemble this on the bar for both sides. Later, the A-arm will go between the two lower bushings like the sway bar does on the upper bushings.  The bar is installed with the "arms" where the end-links go facing up and to the rear of the truck. The included diagram isn't clear on this. The arms should go over the suspensions parts (i.e. tie rod ends) and rest on the lower A-arm. Make sure the end-link is oriented so that the bolt head is on top (which makes it easier to install). There is a hole in each lower A-arm where the end links attach. Rest the bar on the truck as best you can, and use the nylon zip-tie to tie the bar up to the truck so you don't have to hold it while you work. I tied mine to the pitman arm. Now attach each end-link to the A-arm so that the A-arm is sandwiched between two bushings, but don't tighten the end-links. Just thread the nut on so that the assembly won't fall off. Now position the D-shaped bushings so that the flat part faces the frame, and is centered between the bolt holes in the frame. The included u-shaped brackets should be bolted on now. On mine, the part of the bar that was located close to the frame here wasn't perpendicular to the frame, so the brackets didn't quite line up. I installed one bolt in each bracket, and marked the other side of each bracket with a felt marker. I used a die grinder (a Dremel will do) to widen the offending bolt hole slot in each bracket, and installed the brackets with a flat washer under the bolt that went through the widened part of the bracket. There is plenty of meat on the brackets, so don't worry if this is required. Tighten the brackets evenly by alternately tightening up one bolt a little, then the other. Try to bring both brackets up to the frame at the same time, too. The goal is to pull the brackets up so that they are flush with the frame, and at the same time so as to not get them in a bind. Don't over tighten them, either! Pull the brackets up flush, and stop. The max. torque on them is about 20 ft-lbs. If you're worried about them coming out, apply a drop of non-permanent Lock-Tite to the threads, and it won't come out. Now tighten the end-links. All you want to do here is take up all the slack, and slightly (VERY slightly) preload the bushings. 15 ft-lbs. Max torque here. Overtightening these will only hurt the bushings, and won't help the suspension work. The nuts are nylon locking nuts, so they aren't coming loose. That's it! You're done. |
