Anyone have a connection for a decent deal on splined type swaybars? I can't find a stock swaybar I can use in the front of my '46 pickup because there isn't alot of room up there. i found a few places to buy them, but they get all the money for them. The complete setup is around 200 bux, I was hoping for something a bit cheaper.
EDIT: I had a revelation while pouring a cup of Java. I have a couple of old swaybars that I was experimenting with in the garage and realized that one of them was rusty,(dim light in brain turns on), so I went out there and put it in the band saw, and I can cut it. I always thought spring steel was to hard to machine. So if I can cut it I can machine it and make my own out of any straight swaybar over 35 inches long.
My only question now is can I weld it without destroying it's properties?
EDIT: I had a revelation while pouring a cup of Java.
My only question now is can I weld it without destroying it's properties?
zookeeper
Founding Member
Although it may be possible to weld spring steel, I wouldn't. What you can do is make some bars to go from the ends of the bar to the suspension, and have them broached square. Any decent machine shop should have a set of broaches which for those that don't know is simply a square cutter forced through a drilled hole. Anyway, once you have the hole squared up, grind, file or otherwise shape the end of the bar to tightly fit the square hole. Next, cut a slot in the bar, and drill and tap a hole for a pinch bolt to clamp the end bars on the sway bar.
zookeeper said:Although it may be possible to weld spring steel, I wouldn't. What you can do is make some bars to go from the ends of the bar to the suspension, and have them broached square. Any decent machine shop should have a set of broaches which for those that don't know is simply a square cutter forced through a drilled hole. Anyway, once you have the hole squared up, grind, file or otherwise shape the end of the bar to tightly fit the square hole. Next, cut a slot in the bar, and drill and tap a hole for a pinch bolt to clamp the end bars on the sway bar.
Dont have a broach but I have a nice hendey shaper
zookeeper
Founding Member
Sounds like you already know your way around machine tools, good luck and let me know how it comes out.