Truck suspension on Monogram Chevy Sport Pick-Up 4x4

[Foxer]

I'm not a truck expert so I need some help identifying and locating pieces from the Monogram Chevy Sport Pick-Up 4x4 I am using to go under a '49 Merc Wagon. The pieces are circled in red on the attached photo from the instructions. I can see how the cross bar attaches but the ends have no attachment point on the axles or frame. These ends also are enlarged with a smaller diameter ending that looks like it should fit in a hole. I did search online anything I could find on this and had no luck. Even if you can identify what this is called would help.

[Ace-Garageguy]

They appear to be "anti-roll bars". Some people call them "sway-bars" but that's not technically correct.

Also called a "stabilizer bar", essentially, an anti-roll bar is a transverse torsion bar that is allowed to pivot in bushings bolted to the chassis, while the ends are connected to the ends of the axle(s) with links.

They can be used on solid axles, as in your model, or independent suspension as shown below.

The purpose is to resist leaning, or "roll", as a vehicle traverses a turn.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Foxer]

Thanks, Bill. I kind of had an idea but you gave me something to delve better into. Looks like I'll have to come up with a connecting link ... I can't just blue this blindly to the frame or axle as Monogram wants me to.

[Guest]

The rear anti sway bar attaches to the rear end and to the two stubs on the chassis right beside the front spring mounts. The part of the bar that goes across the rear end actually goes under the housing. Above if the chassis were in the upright position.

The front anti sway bar attaches as shown on the instructions to the two small holes in the chassis. You'll just have to add the links from the sway bar to the front end.

I can take a photo of an old build if needed.

[jacoballardtattoo]

In the world of off road trucks the sway bar, or anti roll bar is typically removed from the truck so as to gain greater wheel travel off road so if push comes to shove you may be able to simply omit it on your build and still be accurate for a full scale trick.

A small bit of info that may or may not help you out here.

[Foxer]

Thank's for that info, Jacob and Rodger. I'd love to see a photo of a built one too!

[Guest]

Here's a couple of chassis photos Mike. You'll have to forgive the condition of it. It was built when I was a teenager 30+ years ago and my 11 year old has gave it a rough life since I gave it to him a few years ago. It's had a few "repairs" since then. It has a lift and different tires. But, you can see how the rear sway mounts. Now that I look at it, that rear sway bar may not mount like I originally told you.

[Foxer]

I can see you have a pretty big lift kit added ... but good to hear it gets some play! I made some drop links this morning from some .02 brass rod and letting the glue dry on one end. I drilled one end into the frame at the rear but for the front the drop links go into the underside of the leaf springs. It looks like yours are mounted to the lift bar, but length of sway bar would necessitate this I expect I'll throw a pic here when I do final mounting before some paint.

[Foxer]

drop links are in place. I added a cut hex rod at the end of the rear one which is a bit too long, but it all looks 100% better than just gluing the ends to the frame.

Thanks to all!

[jacoballardtattoo]

Looking at the pictures you did a nice job, however (I'm not wanting to be rude here) it is not accurate.

You started that you are grafting Chevy suspension to a Mercury body (which is a Ford product) neither ran the sway bar this way. The way you ran yours is typically done when dealing with a multi link (2,3 or 4) coil spring system. On a leaf sprung system the party you have linked to the frame would link to the axle not the frame. What you did would perfect for a coil system but isn't correct for leaf.

I did find this photo to show you what I mean and how the lift system would work. I do apologize if I'm coming off rude I spent 10 years of my life installing suspension. I do hope the picture can help is of a Chevrolet rear.

Edited April 7, 2015 by jacoballardtattoo

[Foxer]

Looking at the pictures you did a nice job, however (I'm not wanting to be rude here) it is not accurate.

You started that you are grafting Chevy suspension to a Mercury body (which is a Ford product) neither ran the sway bar this way. The way you ran yours is typically done when dealing with a multi link (2,3 or 4) coil spring system. On a leaf sprung system the party you have linked to the frame would link to the axle not the frame. What you did would perfect for a coil system but isn't correct for leaf.

I did find this photo to show you what I mean and how the lift system would work. I do apologize if I'm coming off rude I spent 10 years of my life installing suspension. I do hope the picture can help is of a Chevrolet rear.

Not rude at all, Jacob! I appreciate the input but I have already made some drag links .. they did end up being pretty short and would probably add too much torsion resistance. I just mounted the rear ones to the frame .. is that a cross-member the top of the ones in your photo are mounted to?

I do want to thank everyone again for their input and here's what I ended up doing .. not perfect, but I really didn't want to get too far off the kit build on this.

[Longbox55]

Jacob, are you talking about the front sway bar? On the 7'3-'87 Chevrolet and GMC 4x4s, the sway bar does mount to the frame. I can't seem to come up with a good factory pic of one with the rear sway bar, but the setup in the Monogram kit is virtually identical to what was used under the '55-'59 trucks.

[jacoballardtattoo]

Okay Bill I did some research and found that Chevy did use both styles on the solid rear axle trucks and SUVs. First I do want to thank you for calling me out on my post I hate being the one giving incorrect information and love when people correct me. (Please know I mean this sincerely is not a smart butt retort)

So yes I was recreating to the solid axle but now know I could be very wrong. The best way to know is by the shape of the day bar. If the bar is shaped to fit around the pumpkin the links will go to the frame, if the bar is straight then the links will go to the axle. Looking at the pictures of the model I do believe I was wrong in this case, sorry Mike.

Here area few pics I found though.

[Longbox55]

No problem, Jacob.