Heavy Duty Sway Bar

[Guest]

I purchased a heavy duty sway bar from T-Bird Southwest should be in next week. Has anyone put one of these on a 59 and if so any suggestion that might be helpful.
Thanks
Bob M

[Guest]

Yes, surpisingly it is very straight forward and took no time at all to install. everything is bolt on and the new hardware bolts to existing holes in the frames.

I don't think there is anything out of the ordinary that you would have to be concerned with.

Hope this helps.

[Anders]

I donīt know what brand my front sway bar is, but itīs quite thick. Way thicker that the original, and the only problem I have is that my tires polish it when turning.....

[byersmtrco]

I believe Addco Susp makes em for the TBird suppliers.
The HD S/bar attaches to the bumper brackets. Buttugly hardware.
Silver w/red neoprene bsgs (YUK!!) Rattlecan all that flat black. I looked at one Sunday. Boy is the bar close to the frame rails on the side. It looks like it would hit if you hit a good woop-dee-doo.

I have the same issue with the tires hitting my swaybar when the wheels are cranked. Oh well. Like when do ya crank em all the way anyways?
A U-turn??!! Ha ha!!! Forget it. It's like trying to turn the USS Nimitz around in a swiming pool.

[Guest]

I got it on and man what a difference in the curves it is like driving a new car. Maybe this winter I will install a sway bar on the rear.

[byersmtrco]

If you think that's something, wait'll you put a rear swaybar on it. It makes a HUGE difference.

[TOM1960SQUAREBIRD]

Swaybar

Hi Guys , reading swaybar replacement, i am looking for a front/rear set for my 60 tbird any suggestions,what fits best,who sell them, thanks
Tom

[YellowRose]

Heavy Duty Sway Bar

Hi Tom,

There are a couple of suggestions below this. Lance, at T-Birds Southwest, east of me, near Luling, has both front and back heavy duty sway bars, as I recall. Lance is great people and knows a lot about these old birds of ours. There are people who ship their Tbirds across the country for him to restore or fix. Several people on here have his sway bars on their Tbirds, including one who commented below this. It is something tht I want to add to Rose later on. They make a world of difference in driving I am told. Here is his website. His contact information is on it.

http://www.thunderbirdsouthwest.com/

[RustyNCa]

If you think that's something, wait'll you put a rear swaybar on it. It makes a HUGE difference.

Yes, I wish.... remember I tried and learned the ones out there don't work with the coil spring rear end.

The front one was worth every penny and effort to get that baby on there.

Anyone need a stock one?

Hi Guys , reading swaybar replacement, i am looking for a front/rear set for my 60 tbird any suggestions,what fits best,who sell them, thanks
Tom

Not sure where to get one, but with these cars, bigger...... is way way better, so buy the beefiest one you can find.

[simplyconnected]

...Has anyone put one of these on a 59 and if so any suggestion that might be helpful...

Bob, this might be a good opportunity to do everything at once, so you don't have to re-do it. If you are considering changing your springs, ball joints, bushings, etc., do all of it at the same time.

You can pull your "A" arms off and refinish (or powdercoat) them. Drilling or grinding out ball joint rivets is so much easier when the arms are out. So is degreasing and painting. T-bird "A" arms are so long, you won't need a spring compressor. They fall in your lap when you jackstand the frame and lower the bottom "A" arm.

I bought a set of 1-1/8" bars (for my '55) from Lance Herrington (Thunderbirds Southwest) and I couldn't be happier. I also found cheaper bars (for my '59) that were a little smaller in diameter. I won't do THAT again. They do make a huge difference if you do front and rear.

Buy from Thunderbirds Southwest because they have good anti-sway bars:


Click on the picture for his site. - Dave

[3dpsycho]

1958 thunderbird Rear sway bar

So, just got off the phone with Lance at Southwest and ordered my front Sway bar... but was informed that no way could he get a rear one for the 1958 tbird... anybody inventive enough to have figured out a way around that or have a different source for that... just for curiosity it would be nice to have. (I'm beginning to suspect 1959 was the best tbird year)

[Anders]

Some say the leaf spring birds, 59-60 have the best handling, but I have also heard that the 58 is the best, so I just donīt try to care to much as I have a 58 and will stick to it anyway..
And I donīt drive this car near the way I drive my new Volvo anyway....

[RustyNCa]

So, just got off the phone with Lance at Southwest and ordered my front Sway bar... but was informed that no way could he get a rear one for the 1958 tbird... anybody inventive enough to have figured out a way around that or have a different source for that... just for curiosity it would be nice to have. (I'm beginning to suspect 1959 was the best tbird year)

Naw, 58 is but I am a bit biased .

At one time I was trying to figure it out how to run a rear bar, didn't get anywhere on it. It would make a huge difference in the cars handling I would imagine.

[RustyNCa]

Some say the leaf spring birds, 59-60 have the best handling, but I have also heard that the 58 is the best, so I just donīt try to care to much as I have a 58 and will stick to it anyway..
And I donīt drive this car near the way I drive my new Volvo anyway....

I personally would think the 58 design would handle better with new bushings and a good heavy sway bar. It is alot like the truck arm suspension that Nascar still runs and that companies like Hot Rods to **** make now.

The arms are not as long as the truck arm are, or (centerdrive suspension) but the concept is very similar.

But they are sure are more complicated and can't be maintained

[byersmtrco]

For the 58, see if something off a GM will work. They're all coil spring
rr/susp. Maybe off an el Camino or something.


But the frt & rr beefy swaybars make a huge difference.
Different car !!!!