steering stabalizer bar and link ends

Hi all, I recently went on vacation and drove my 67 econoline from Paris France to Avene France. About 450 miles one way. Despite having had a fuel pump, and a carb float fail, it went pretty well. I was happy with the speeds achieved on the way down, except for in the turns. I went onto a lot of long clover leaf entry ramps and I needed to slow way down because I have a ton of body roll. It feels like the van will either roll over or slide sideways.
Thus I thought that I would outsmart the Ford engineers and install a anti-sway bar. Come to find out, that econolines had them originally !!! Mine does not, and I can't find one anywhere online. The econolines' front axles are 52" kingpin to kingpin, and that is larger than almost anything else. If I use the original bolt holes (the ones for the shocks) to hook up the links, then I will need to use an original bar to have it line up right. Does anybody have one for sale, or know of an aftermarket one that has the same dimensions please ? If not for the front, I will settle for a stabilizer bar kit that fits the rear as well.

So first of all, how are your shocks,,,,,,do you have gas charged, coil  overs or air types,,,,those would surely help.......do you have wrecking yards out there,,,,,,I added front and rear sway bars to my Chevy,,,,,,,you could bolt a plate or angle iron to the front U bolt for the link and add some tubing if necessary for the frame bracket,,,,,the rear sway bar bolts to the differential and you make a bracket for the link to connect to the frame,,,,,,links come in all different sizes,,,,,,  

Man Donivan, that looks super. Everything looks like new too. I wish that I had some junk yards that I could get some decent stuff out of. It might be possible to find something but everything's European over here. I will give it a shot though. I have the original Ford front-end set-up. With leaf springs and a drop axle. I just went to change my wheel bearings on the passenger side and the inner bearing was wasted and ate into my spindle. I can't find anything on the internet as far as a spindle is concerned either. I'm getting disgusted. Everything is so much easier in the US. I WANNA COME BACK !!!!

,,,,,,,,you are gonna find more problems in America than that spindle right now,,,,,,,,,,,,

EconoRedman wrote: I wish that I had some junk yards that I could get some decent stuff out of. It might be possible to find something but everything's European over here.

 i used a swaybar from a mid '70's jaguar xj6. had to fab brackets but was about the right size.

donivan65 wrote:,,,,,,,,you are gonna find more problems in America than that spindle right now,,,,,,,,,,,,

That's for sure, but I love my country and always have. I have missed her and my family since day 1 in France, and am not afraid to face all that crap when I come back. I have a super firearms collection now I'll build my bunker when I get there

That good to know Jrinaman !!! I can find on of those for sure !! I wonder if it will fit an Ford van as well as a Chevy ?

Lets see how that Jag sway bar is mounted on a Chevy,,,,,,you probably need the links to hang down at least 1 inch wider than your springs,,,,,so how far apart are your springs?

donivan65 wrote:Lets see how that Jag sway bar is mounted on a Chevy,,,,,,you probably need the links to hang down at least 1 inch wider than your springs,,,,,so how far apart are your springs?

I measured it all out. I would need something similar to this if using the original Ford end links. If you can't see the whole image, click right and then left click on "view image"

I did some more measuring. From center to center on the lower shock bolt holes (where the end links would go) is 49". However, there is tire turn radius interference at anything over 43"max. So the maximum length of the bar from the outside of the bend to the outside of the bend cannot pass 43" If we subtract the 43" distance from center to center of the lower shock bolts distance, (which is 49") we get 6". Divide that by 2 for each side of the vehicle, and we have a deflection on both sides of 3, and not the 6" to 8" that is on my drawing.
 It's really hard to get an accurate arm length because the measurement is diagonal, and I do not have an end-link to measure to. Depending on the length of the end link, I would say 9" to 11" .






Reimported for better viewing...Vanny

I hope you get this ironed out. I think I'd like one on my Epup.

Well, finally the max and min options are as below, and anything in-between. Remember that the distance between the outside to outside frame rails is 38.5". The first sway bar has a length of 39", and the second a length of 44.5". I hope it is understandable. This is on a 1967 Econoline with a 240.





Resized...Vanny

The question now is;

1.) Who sells sway-bars by their dimensions ?
2.) Does anyone know of a sway-bar that meets these dimensions?
3.) Who fabricates sway-bars to specific dimensions for a reasonable price ?

or if your feeling spunky, I found this article on how to make one yourself. ;

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/how-to-make-a-custom-sway-bar/

I hope someone can help out here. Jrinaman, do you Donivan have any ideas ? If you measured that Jag sway-bar, there may be a possibility to finagle it into working fabricating brackets or extensions or the like.  Do you think that you could get the measurements ?

BTW, Thank you Vanny for the sizing help on the images

Not a problem, just set the pixels at 640.

deleted

EconoRedman wrote:BTW, Thank you Vanny for the sizing help on the images

Not a problem, just set the pixels at 640.

Trying to figure it all out

Trying to understand of why a person would not just bolt in a stock one? Why re invent the wheel? Its a bolt in no brainer??
vic

Shows OEM Ford Econoline late sway bar. (64>67),,  grease able mounts from Summit,,,, my AMC disc conversion,, lol

Old Skool wrote:Trying to understand of why a person would not just bolt in a stock one?  Why re invent the wheel? Its a bolt in no brainer??
vic

not sure if they are readily available for the fords, o.p. is in france. as far as my jag swaybar on the chevy, several reasons. mainly because i had the swaybar already and it fit. while i did have a second gen chevy swaybar, i did not have the brackets to mount them, my dual master cylinder/disc brakes required additional fab work to clear and my rad would need moved back to stock location along with a few other modifications a made. it was easier to 'reinvent the wheel' than to change everything else.

Perhaps my mistake, but I thought this was a Ford Econoline thread and if so ??,, all the rubber parts are easy to get, I dont know much about the Chevy vans,,,,,other than I have a doghouse and radiator complete setup for sale,,, lol
Vic

Old Skool wrote:Perhaps my mistake, but I thought this was a Ford Econoline thread and if so ??,,
Vic

o.p. stated he was in france and had nothing available. local yards only had small foreign cars so couldnt find anything he could adapt. the jag swaybar 'could' be adapted and should be easily sourced in france. i thought i was being helpful! i didnt realize there was an issue with chevy guys posting on a ford thread. i am out!

WOW,,,  NO issues with a Chevy or trying to help,,, and certainly not interested in another one with hurt feelings, so on, so on ,,,one more time,, lol,,,,, Just saying he could simply bolt one in and not have to figure anything out at all,,, The bushings are all of about $25 total from Sumit or Jeggs,,,, and its not the 1st time someone has shipped one ?  Off to the wood shed,,,lol
I knew there was a reason I hadnt posted in so long,,,, dratzzzzz
vic

2 guys are looking for a Ford sway bar,,,,,and get no replys,,,,,,,so the Chevy guys try and help showing how they made sway bars fit,,,,,thats trying to HELP,,,,,,and thats the way we do it here,,,,,,,if you got a better answer,,,,,,,POST IT,,,,,,,share your knowledge,,,,,,


,,,so where do these guys get sway bars,,,,,whats the part number,,,,you can get the links,,,,,,but what about the actual sway bar,,,,,,you got some to sell Vic? you gonna ship them to France and Oklahoma?