What is the thickest factory F-body sway bar?
 

Looking to upgrade the original sway bars in my 75 Esprit with some factory pieces. It has the factory 1" thick front bar and 9/16" rear bar.

What were the largest factory bars they made? My 73 Formula has a 1-1/4 front. Is there a bigger bar that came in the later Trans Ams? 77 to 81?

Thanks!

1 1/4" front was used on all '70-81 TransAms.

the 3/4" rear was a '78-81 WS6 piece (along with own specific durometer bushings).
13/16" rear bar was a 73-74 T/A deal.
Many 70's as well as all 71 & 72 T/A's & optional handling pkg '71-72 Formulas came with 7/8" rear bar. Several years back some company did a quality reproduction of the 7/8" rear bar.

Thanks for the info! I guess I'll start hunting now. :-)

Outside of optional WS6 optional suspensions the stiffest springs, shocks and sway bars were on 70-74 cars. Due to complaints about rough ride Pontiac softened the springs a little bit and raised the car an inch in '75. I was under the impression '75s and up received 1 1/8" inch front bars. Those who ordered the WS6 option got the thicker front and rear bars. As the former owner of a '72 TA I will say - it was stiff! I thought it hit its stride on the highway at about 80. My girlfriends '79 Formula rode a lot nicer but didn't corner as well.

Here's the old gal. My Grandmother bought her new back in '75. It was a 350 2bbl Esprit. Now she has a 1970 455 with the 350's original 6x-4 heads. 9.8 to 1 compression. She runs real nice (faster than my 73 SD455!). It rides on the Year One 17" rims with 255/50x17 rubber.

https://i599.photobucket.com/albums/.../IMG_4500a.jpg https://i599.photobucket.com/albums/.../IMG_4499a.jpg

I think my old Herb Adams VSE bar is 1-3/8" which is unusual. But that was back in the late '70's when Herb was developing his VSE line.

I had heard there was a 1-3/8" bar but didn't know who made it.

I'm running out of things to tinker with on the old Gramma Car. Figured it's time to do the sway bars since I rebuilt the front and rear suspension around a year ago.

big buck but really big bang:

http://www.pro-touringf-body.com/sit...92-161x124.jpg

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Just installed a Lares 974 steering box last week. 2-1/2 turns. Nice, tight road feel. Was a total bolt-in. Got it from Rockauto.

I've got one of those sway bars buried in the back barn. If I remember correctly, The end links are part of the sway bar and heavy duty.

Everything about that '75 is just perfect. after thicker sway bars I'd port the heads and swap in a roller for the Summit 2802 cam.

I put a set from Summit Racing on about a year ago. I believe it was 1 5/16" for the front and a 1" for the rear. I put them on my plain Jane 1976 Firebird. They were very reasonable price. I don't remember the brand. It might have been their brand.

I would love to see a list with all the sway bars offered throughout the second gen run;
I am pretty sure that the Camaros had different bars than the Firebirds.

I saw some of the kits they had on Summit but they all seemed to require some alteration/modification to the car to make them fit (the rear setup). I like to keep it simple. I found a 1-1/4" front and a 3/4" rear on ebay for $110 total. (other then the painful shipping for the heavy oversized metal). And I ordered the Prothane bushings on amazon. That should keep me busy for a day or two once they arrive.

hmm, I don't recall that...
maybe I'll have to look again.

I did not have to change anything to install the Summit bars. They bolted on in the factory locations. I had no factory rear bar and the kit came with all of the hardware to install it. It was a very nice and reasonably priced kit.

1 3/8" bar
 

H-O Racing made the 1 3/8" front bar back in the day.

Rick

Herb Adams VSE used to sell a 1 3/8" bar also.

Got the new WS6 bars in yesterday. 1-1/4" front and 3/4" rear to replace the 1" front and 9/16" rear. New Prothane bushings as well.

https://i599.photobucket.com/albums/...c/IMG_6552.jpg

https://i599.photobucket.com/albums/...%20bar%202.jpg


With the Lares 974 2-1/2 turn steering box, she handles very nicely now.

https://i599.photobucket.com/albums/...c/IMG_6551.jpg