Rear Sway Bar - Options, Problems, etc |
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GranTorinoSport
Admin Group Admin of "The Org" Joined: 20-May-2003 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 2287 |
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Posted: 12-July-2004 at 9:20PM |
Rear Sway Bars for Torinos seem to be a bit of a problem. They are nice to have, but not very common as original equipment. Of course, the 77-79 cars (LTD II, Cougar, T-Bird) are more likely to have a rear sway bar, and since they are the same it makes it more accessible to obtain one. The problem, however, is bushings. Niether NAPA, Parts America (and affiliates) or any other part manufacturer make them. When one goes to add a used bar, it would make sense to replace the bushings with new rubber (or polyurethane). Also, there are no polyurethane bushings made for factory rear sway bars. Addco makes a rear sway bar for the Torino. It does not bolt on in the factory mounts, and instead attaches differently (holes in the frame would need to be drilled for example), but does have polyurethane bushings, and comes in a generous (almost too large I'd think) 7/8" diameter. Does anyone have any experience with this? Has anyone purchased and Addco bar and installed it? Has anyone tried to rig up a new endlink setup for a factory bar? Thanks for your comments! |
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Scott Eklund
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The Torino Kid
Senior Member Joined: 23-November-2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 250 |
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have you been in contact with 'energy suspesnions or PST'? they have made me (of course at the time i was a distributor of thier product) bushing too my spec for a camaro of mine in the past.i would call they tech line and ask try it out you never know?good luck!
ernesto |
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1973 Gran Torino Sport CJ 351
'Q' code 63R body |
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Torinogts73c
Senior Member Joined: 14-February-2004 Location: Tucson Arizona Status: Offline Points: 1034 |
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7/8 is not to large at all I have an 1 1/8" rear bar on my Torino, it was originally for a LTD II police car.
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Gary 73 Gran Torino Sport 351CJ,17 Mustang Ecoboost,15 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD, Ford Ranger parts hauler
"Never complain Never explain" Henry Ford |
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GranTorinoSport
Admin Group Admin of "The Org" Joined: 20-May-2003 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 2287 |
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1 1/8" rear bar? I have never heard of such an installation. That is huge! Did you ever replace the rubber bushings? I have been checking around, and it seems as if the rear sway bar bushings for factory sway bars are not available. Nobody makes them like NAPA or PartsAmerica.com, nor does Ford carry them anymore - and all the major NOS places have no stock either. I'd love to see some pictures of the installation. Could you get some so that we might post them here? Thanks, |
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Scott Eklund
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Torinogts73c
Senior Member Joined: 14-February-2004 Location: Tucson Arizona Status: Offline Points: 1034 |
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Well as soon as my digital camera problem is fixed I will post some pics. i ordered mine new in 77 it was an option for L.A.P.D. LTD's I worked for Ford and got this one. Bolted right on no mods let the tail out and steer with the gas pedal!! lol
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Gary 73 Gran Torino Sport 351CJ,17 Mustang Ecoboost,15 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD, Ford Ranger parts hauler
"Never complain Never explain" Henry Ford |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Hi- I just joined this forum, and while this is an old post, I thought to bring up, I couldn't source mounts for my rear factory sway bar on my 1972 GTS torino; I used jeep CJ5 engine mount bushings, turned down on a lathe for the upper bushings. My original bushings in the sway bar ends, after sandblasting the factory undercoating, looked near new despite sitting in a bar 34 years, 17 of which it had been in a barn. One suggestion is simply trial and error, with poly bushings of a similar size, and just burn out the factory rubber to reuse the shells much like the rear control arm bushings.
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
Pondering: #99Problems |
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GranTorinoSport
Admin Group Admin of "The Org" Joined: 20-May-2003 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 2287 |
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I contacted Suspension Restortion Parts and spoke with them. A gentleman there, Bruce Stambaugh, had some experience with them and mentioned Ford did a totally non-standard install for the rear sway bars and hence there is no aftermarket factory support for them.
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Scott Eklund
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LP73
New Member Joined: 17-January-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Although I don't have info on factory bars, I will say that my ADDCO 7/8" rear bar was a simple install on my '73 Torino coupe, and it made the handling 300% better. I can throw it around with total confidence. It's phenomenal to feel it when changing lanes at 75 mph on a curve in the interstate. The car goes right where you point it.
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LP
'73 Torino 2 dr formal All original 351, 2B red |
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