Suspension ignorant. Thinking of adding a rear sway bar. Are these holes used, or would stuff have to be taken apart and drilled? Thanks
Rear Sway Bar Ready?
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No, these aren't holes for the sway bar… :noway: The correct holes are into the lower control arms (2 in each arm). Not sure what the holes you posted are for...
..but I also have them on my car.
Claude.
..but I also have them on my car.Claude.
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Those holes could have been used for a jig when the brackets were welded to the tubes. You'll need inserts for the lowers and drill holes if there not for use with a sway bar probably easier to get some aftermarket arms with holes in them already. You'll get better cornering with a rear sway bar with less body roll so it's worth doing if that's what you want.
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Yeah could be…
and
The "inserts" or spacers which go inside the control arms are important to prevent the sides from crushing inwards when tightening the sway bar bolts, so don't overlook them!
Claude.
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I just added a rear bar a couple months back. Found someone selling the bar and the two lower control arms (boxed). Replaced all the bushings as well...definitely a noticeable difference. Has a more balanced feel that it had with just the front bar.
jim
jim
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It depends what you plan to do with the car. For a street car, they're plenty good :yes: but if you plan on doing some drag racing, then I'd go with stronger, adjustable ones…but like I said, for a street car, you'll be fine with the Goodmarks.
Claude.
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They sure are!
A lot of guys don't believe me when I tell them that my GN with a small (not even 300 cu.in) turbocharged V6 makes way more power than my 496 "big block" Chevelle!Claude. :thumbsup:
When I was doing the under carriage of my car over it already had a rear sway bar installed. The PO did a terrible job of drilling the holes in the lower control arms and reinforcing them. I decided to buy a set of the fully boxed UMI lower control arms and they worked out good. I was able to put a larger bolt in because of the good line up of all the holes and shimmed the bar on the ends so as to not put to much inner pressure on the bars when tightening everything up.
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Put a set of Spohn Del-Sphere control arms on with no bar..
1968-1972 GM A-Body, Chevelle, Malibu | Suspension & Chassis Parts
1968-1972 GM A-Body, Chevelle, Malibu | Suspension & Chassis Parts
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Probably because there tubular and he can't.
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I've seen tubular ones with the holes for a sway bar in them… UMI, BMR, H&R, Metco and also Global West all have them… :yes:
Claude.
Yes, I have seen them too but I think a control arm with a flat side would have more backing for the bar than a round one.
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5 Posts
Those holes are for the rear shock shield usually found on el caminos with Air Lift shocks.
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Rear sway bars are most likely the single most bang for the buck you can do to improve both ride and handling.
It will not do anything for stiffing up the up and down movement of the rear end, that is the shocks job.
It will control sway or tilt of the car. The car will seem more "connected" to the road.
To install a sway bar you MUST reinforce the lower control arm.
It is a simple task that you can complete, you will need access to a welder. Do not use internal spacer "donuts", they will keep the arms from being crushed when bolting the sway bar up, but add no strength to the arms.
This link will take you to a How to box your rear arms.
https://www.lever-family-racing.com...a-body-64-72/10-bolt-12-bolt-difference/create-12-bolt-arms/boxing-control-arms
This link will take you to the measurements of the spacing for the holes for the sway bar in the lower control arm.
https://www.lever-family-racing.com...family-racing-home/control-arms-version-2/gm-a-body-64-72/sway-bar-hole-spacing
One of the pictures at that link.
![Image]()
Glenn
It will not do anything for stiffing up the up and down movement of the rear end, that is the shocks job.
It will control sway or tilt of the car. The car will seem more "connected" to the road.
To install a sway bar you MUST reinforce the lower control arm.
It is a simple task that you can complete, you will need access to a welder. Do not use internal spacer "donuts", they will keep the arms from being crushed when bolting the sway bar up, but add no strength to the arms.
This link will take you to a How to box your rear arms.
https://www.lever-family-racing.com...a-body-64-72/10-bolt-12-bolt-difference/create-12-bolt-arms/boxing-control-arms
This link will take you to the measurements of the spacing for the holes for the sway bar in the lower control arm.
https://www.lever-family-racing.com...family-racing-home/control-arms-version-2/gm-a-body-64-72/sway-bar-hole-spacing
One of the pictures at that link.
Glenn
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Don't bother with the inserts. Your control arm bushings are probably shot too and would need to be replaced. Go to the UMI site and get their boxed LCA's and sway bar. Installation took about 30 minutes and everything lined up without modification. Took quite a while to get the old bolts off the original control arms though. The bolts were rusted to the bushing sleeve and had to beat them out with a sledge. As stated earlier, it's one of the best inexpensive mods you can do to take the slop out of the rear suspension. Keep your old LCA's and all original parts for the next guy...
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Too short? Original lower control arms have sway bars attached all the time.
They came from the factory with sway bars.
For a cruiser factory lower control arms boxed will work just fine.
No need to spend the extra money on after market parts unless you are going to motor cross.
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