Sway bar question?

I keep seeing posts about people that have sway bars on their vans. My 68 GMC HANDI VAN doesn't have one. Is it suppose to? Did they come with them? I don't see anything under my van that would indicate it had one. I would really like to have a front sway bar on my van if it's possible. Every time I take a corner my van feels like its going to tip over. It would certainly handle 100 times better if I had one.

Ed, I am pretty certain they did not.  My first Gen does not have one but I purchased one from a member here that I have yet to install.  I have read enough to know that you have to make sure you have all the parts.  They come up from time to time and, like any add ons, sellers tend to ask silly money for them, even when incomplete.  

My van does not feel like it will tip over at reasonable speeds (but I drive this like a grandpa far more so than any other vehicle, especially into curvy ramps), so I wonder if you are having another suspension related issues.  Bushings?

Ed some came with sway bar and some didn't. Was probably a factory or dealer option. I've owned both with and without and can't tell much difference in the way they drive, but I'm not trying to run highway like the van is a sports car. My max speed in the best van I've owned was cruising about 60mph.
Just remember that first and second gen are different and they do pop up for sale occasionally. I would suggest shocks and spring bushings first.

wideload wrote:Ed some came with sway bar and some didn't. Was probably a factory or dealer option. I've owned both with and without and can't tell much difference in the way they drive, but I'm not trying to run highway like the van is a sports car. My max speed in the best van I've owned was cruising about 60mph.
Just remember that first and second gen are different and they do pop up for sale occasionally. I would suggest shocks and spring bushings first.

    Even with a sway bar up front Bad Shocks will make any vehicle unstable around corners and over bumps.!!!. I have a front sway bar in mine and added a rear one also and it made a Big Difference in handling in my Van...But like wideload said check your Spring Bushings and replace your Shocks First.  ...

Yeah I have new heavy duty shocks all around. My front pass side leaf spring does sit about 1 1/2 lower then the drivers side front and I'm sure my leaf spring bushings are worn. I don't know where to get those. I would like to get new leaf springs all around but no one has them around here. I don't go around corners to fast, it just seems to tip a lot when I do take a corner. It's done that since the day I got it (17 years ago). My max speed on the highway is around 60 and I have to hold on for my life lol. I just have trouble finding parts here in Massachusetts. Even the junk yards around here don't have anything older then 1990's. All the good junk yards and parts seem to be south and west from here.

2nd Gens have weird springs,,,,,,,2 1/2" in the middle,,,,,3" on the ends,,,,,,,,peoples buy 2 1/2" wide springs and get fatter bushings to make  the springs  fit.........I set up this kit for 2nd Gens at National Spring,,,,,,,,,,to replace the metal cartridges with polyurethane,,,,,,

Yeah I noticed the rear springs are 2 1/2 inside and 3 outside. I was looking for helper springs at on point, then decided to go with heavy duty air shocks instead. (even though I don't like putting all that pressure on the shock mounts.)

Is that kit or kits all I would need to replace the bushings on the whole van?... Where would I get new bolts? I usually go to the hardware store for that stuff but I'm assuming it has to be a special size and grade.

Well,,,,,,,,I got air bags, a sway bar and a spare tire to lighten the load on my springs,,,,,,,on my 65

The Econolines had a front anti-sway bar on the HeavyDuty version.  The thinking is that a heavy load would cause the van to sway on corners.  An anti-sway bar does make cornering easier by keeping the van from rolling towards the outside of the curve.  It does affect the steering while cornering, so it does take a little getting used to.