more sway bars

[mwl1967@xxxx]

In a message dated 3/11/02 12:37:28 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
mr-320@xxxx writes:


> mike;
> john hertog tells me that it was you who got the dynamite sway
> bar from [if memory serves] some outfit in fla.. i have a 300-k ram car
> that will soon be back on the street with a 500 inch, edelbrock headed
> motor ive built; and id surely like it to handle nicely when it hits the
> street! if i remember correctly, they made a really stout sway bar for
> you and would be happy to reproduce it for others. did it come with ALL
> the hardware and brackets necessary to install it and did it fit the
> stock brackets nicely? my car has the brackets but it seems that some
> genius, in years past, saw fit to remove the bar itself.. though, from
> your description, i think id prefer the aftermarket one anyway. 
> if you would be so kind as to supply me with any contact
> information, including the person to talk to, id appreciate it quite a
> bit.
> thank you very much!!
> 
> JEFF
> tucson az.
> 
> 

Jeff
John Carlson is the same guy who used to do research and development 
for Addco Industries in Florida. They were the premier aftermarket supplier 
for conversion and factory replacement anti-sway bars for a long time.

John did the front and rear bars for my K while he was still with 
Addco. I had lost track of him after he left that outfit but it appears, 
luckily, and thanks to Keith for letting us know, he's still in the business 
of building bars. 

Anyway, it's 1-1/4 " in diameter and hangs off of the original frame 
brackets. I sent him my original bar and measurements and video of the 
underside of the car and the bar fits like a glove. It would be difficult to 
go much larger ( although I'd have loved to ) due to clearance problems 
between the bar and the strut rods which it attaches to. Of course an 
entirely new bar could be designed to allow for that and perhaps attach to 
the lower control arm directly but then it would look very non-original ( not 
a bad idea though if it works better )

If you order a bar have them send you a few different sized bolts which 
are used to attach the "D" shaped frame bracket & bushing assembly to the 
vehicle. I think I used a 3-1/2 " one. Too long and your bar will interfere 
with the oil filter and too short and you may hit the harmonic balancer. 


I think you'll be pleased with the 1-1/4 inch unit. If you ever come 
up with a way to fit larger torsion bars please let me know. The K takes ( i 
think ) a 40" long bar. Later model B-bodies take a 41" piece and these are 
readily available in almost any spring rate. I had thought to mill 0.50 off 
each end and use one in my K but then discovered that the hex ends on the B 
bars are 0.125 narrower... too bad. Increasing spring rates plus the larger 
sway bars on my Charger made a world of difference. That plus 8" wide wheels 
and 50 series tires, and heavier rearched leaf springs with lowering blocks, 
and, and, and that's a whole other project.

Good luck 
Mike Laiserin 


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