Rear sway bar question

[SS Shaun]

Ok so as you know (I'll explain) my car was a race car it's whole life. So I didn't have a sway bar on the front and rear. Now that I have the front sway bar I see and feel a difference.so what I wanted to know is will I feel much a difference with a rear sway bar? Or do you guys not run a rear sway bar for the street?

[RBeckman]

I installed a rear sway bar on mine a couple of years ago and I real feel the difference in cornering as it help the body roll that is common with older American cars. It also helped in reducing the wheel hop from 4000 RPM Hole shots.

[carpoor]

Box the lower arms and install a sway bar, you'll see an improvement.

[BillsCamino]

I generally install a rear sway bar on all my Chevelles...including the recently purchased Sprint. A stock 7/8" bar works just fine.
FYI...if you want to go bigger in the front...the 2nd gen Z28 and T/A front sway bars are a direct bolt in...usually available 1 1/8 or 1 1/4" diameter and found cheap.

[SS Shaun]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n271/civiclxb16a/chevelle/IMG_6326.jpg
ok so its an old picture but the only one i have of my rear that shows my control arms is that a boxed control arm that you are talking about?

[carpoor]

Those look like old South Side Machine lift bars.

[RBeckman]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n271/civiclxb16a/chevelle/IMG_6326.jpg
ok so its an old picture but the only one i have of my rear that shows my control arms is that a boxed control arm that you are talking about?

I have never seen anything like that before...but they are boxed.

[BillsCamino]

Those look like old South Side Machine lift bars.

I agree.
Same as what UMI offers...
http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_32_38&products_id=30

[Hank70SS]

I had the SMM lift bars on mine when I bought it. Those look similar from what I can see. Switching to stock boxed arms with rubber bushings sure improved the ride quality. With the SSMs on you felt every little bump. The bushings in the SSMs had no give at all and with a 4 link system something needs to give to allow the rear wheels to move some what independently. They're not independent but with the SSMs a bump on one side was transmitted directly to the other side.

[SS Shaun]

ok so educate me a little here. I can't go back to the stock style control arms? am i ok with the current setup?

[SS Shaun]

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_0810_gm_crate_engine_tests/photo_16.html

kind of like mine i guess?

[carpoor]

Yup, they work. I would not take them off.

[Hank70SS]

You can go back to stock if you want. You can buy a set of stock control arms, boxed or unboxed. You can probably find a set on Craigslist pretty cheap. They probably won't be boxed but you can buy the insert and weld them to make boxed set. You'll have to drill holes to bolt the sway bar on. If you go that way let me know, I'll find the link to a site that has everything you ever wanted to know about A-body control arms.

Or you can keep the current setup and add a sway bar if you want, looks like the arms you have are pre-drilled for a sway bar. I felt the ride was very harsh and improved a lot with stock arms. If you're okay with the ride, keep the arms you have. The lift bars do work well for what they're supposed to do, change the instant center and plant the rear end for traction. Stock arms due to the angle allow the rear to squat on launch.

[Hank70SS]

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_0810_gm_crate_engine_tests/photo_16.html

kind of like mine i guess?

Yes, those are lift bars.

[SS Shaun]

yeah i like the way it handles and ride. It grab the pavement with no issues when i step on it and i have no wheel hop i think i will leave it then. Now i just need to find a sway bar..lol

[carpoor]

My father picked up a brand new 1" rear bar from a vendor on eBay. I believe it was under $100 shipped.

[SS Shaun]

sounds good i will start my hunt in the AM or PM since i am going to bed at 2 am..lol

[BillsCamino]

http://www.leverfamilysite.com/Boxing_Lower_Control_Arms.htm

http://www.leverfamilysite.com/Sway_Bar_Hole_Spacing.htm

[Pyasher]

Has anyone ever installed a rear sway bar on a wagon? A heavy duty front and rear bar came with my 1972 Chevelle wagon when I purchased it.I put the front bar on and now the rear end feels loose. I also installed a set of rear boxed control arms. Pictures of a rear sway bar install would also be helpful to give me an idea as to what sort of parts I need to assemble.