I have a 1968 chevelle ss 4 speed and I do not have a rear sway bar. I want to add a sway bar to the rear.

I have read that I must have "boxed" rear lower control arms before I install a rear sway bar.

My question is:

How do I determine if my current rear lower controll arms are indeed "boxed" or not?

I don't know the difference between "boxed" and others.

Thanks, Dave

Do your control arms have three sides or four? Looking at it from under the car, is the side of the arm that faces the ground filled in or open?

If 3 sides to the arms and side facing the concrete is open then they are not boxed

http://malibunorth.freeservers.com/ContArm.htm

That is a quick example I just found. Loook at the first two pics on that page. One on left is not boxed, one on right is boxed. Essentially meaning there are now four full sides to the control arm instead of 3, forming? You guessed it, a box. smile.gif

Dave,
it would be a good bet that if there isn't a sway bar on it now, that there wasn't one on it, and they are not boxed. but they sell an easy kit to weld in place to box them.


Rocky

Boxed rear arms appear are just that. An insert welded into the "C" channel, while standard arms are just "C" channel (really just stamped metal), and are open to the ground.

Obvious once you see the difference.

Shows you how ignorant to all this I am

But I am having a blast... thanks to all you guys!


Thanks, I am going to look right now!
Dave

Yes, you are correct...they are "C" shape control lower arms.

Now I am in the market for "boxed" lower rear control arms, or the weld "kit"... and then a sway bar.

I am hooked. I love this... Wish i knew which product to go for. I bet all you guys know what you would do.

I am tring to keep it as "stock" as possible...but I don't want to forgo performance, etc.

Thanks alot...Dave

Dave,

When you first log on to TC, and before you enter 'Tech Forums' look for the link to 'Tech Archives'. There is enough info there to keep you busy for at least a year or three. smile.gif

You will find this link re: boxed control arms.
http://www.chevelles.com/archive/files/boxarm2.html
Do your search first,you'll find the answers to all the questions you have already asked and 10 more that you haven't thought of.

Good Luck.

I bought my boxed control arms and sway bar from GM and it was cheap.

www.gmpartsdirect.com (http://www.gmpartsdirect.com)

I don't remember the part numbers but someone here should have them for you.