Rear sway bar for '91-'96 GM B-body wagons

These big wagons never came with a rear sway bar option. I'll never understand why. And since the rear axle is a few inches wider than the sedan, you can't just bolt on a sedan bar (which mounts to the lower control arms). This bit of hot-rodding was invented by someone else on a different site, but a web crash lost the original thread. I recreated it for posterity. The usual caveats apply, I'm not a lawyer or an automotive engineer, do this at your own risk, you'll die if you do this, I warned you not to, etc. etc. But the handling improvement is incredible. Moderators, I posted this originally on another site, and I hope I'm not breaking any rules by reposting it here. If I am, let me know.

Sway Bar: Ford YW7Z-5A772-CA
End Links: Energy Suspension 9.8125 ENS-9-8125R
Bushings: Energy Suspension 9.5157 ENS-9-5157G
3” exhaust clamps: Summit SUM-G4730 SUM-G4730

I think the above parts came to maybe $100. I ordered the sway bar new from gentryfordparts.com but any online Ford will do.

This shows the muffler clamps as the pivot/bushing mount on the axle, and the relationship of the end link to the frame. I changed mine to go into the crossbracing U-channel next to it for an even more solid mount.



Completed, you can hardly even see it's there. No loss of ground clearance.



I think this took me all of 30 minutes to install, when I originally bolted the end links into that slotted frame brace. Drilling holes into the U-channel was a bit of a chore, but was a simple task. I bought a used WS 6 1-1/4" bar from a Second Gen. Firebird/Camaro and put it up front. It's geometry isn't ideal but it works.

This 4,400 lb wagon now feels more like a sport sedan.

If anybody has any questions for clarification, just post and I'll answer them.

 

That's a pretty good idea for handling improvement, on mine i found a good pair of coilover shocks like the sensatracs from napa work pretty well to combat roll as well but those upper bolt are a nightmare if you live in the rust belt!

 

Shortly after I did the sway bar, I replaced the shocks with Monroe heavy duty police units. I also added in the AirLift 1000 air bags to take the place of the original auto-levelling system. So it now has firm, flat handling, with adjustable load carrying capability. I've had those coil-overs before, and was never pleased with them.

 

they probably seem so good to me since the old ones were so shot!

 

Moman...I have been aware of the Ford sway bar for a long time, and, since you have done this in stages perhaps you can tell me....Does JUST adding the sway bar affect the ride? I mean, other than cornering improvements. I realize that the other things you did along with the sway bar will give the wagon a harder ride (which I don't want) and even better handling but....I would think that adding just the bar would help the cornering considerably without affecting the ride. Am I right about that? Thanks.

 

Hands down one of the best improvements you can do to one of these B-body wagons. I did this mod a few years ago after reading Moparman's thread on ISSF. I did this to my '94 Buick RMW that still had oem tow pack style suspension, no other improvements were done at the time. The Ford bar was and still is great, no added harshness, it just felt more stable. It's still no slot car, but it takes some of the drama out of curvy roads in a 4,500# car. I used a 17.5mm bar out of a Lincoln Towncar from the junk yard, and yes the muffler clamps are still fine after 2 years, and almost 20,000 miles of spirited driving. The fact that this is truly a bolt on install, and only took maybe an hour start to finish still amazes me, the holes in the crossmember are even factory, I just had to clean them out a bit. Way to go Moparman for all the work you put into this mod. Silverfox... Do this mod, you won't regret it.

Mike

 

Sorry if i am hijacking... Why not just buy the proper sway bar for the car? I have found them out there for my 84 estate?

 

The '91-'96 B-body wagons never came with a rear sway bar and the earlier wagons are different.
There's been plenty of experimentation with this mod over the years and the Ford bar is considered the hot set-up.

I have to get one on mine, might as well paint and detail the underbody, suspension components and frame first, all that new stuff makes everything look bad under there if you don't.

 

ok but you guys are buying a ford sway bar which is an after market part for a gm why not just buy the hotchkis kit #2206 sway bar kit for the 77-96 wagons?

 

The Hotchkis kit is quite a bit more expensive than the Ford bar setup. You should be able to buy a new Ford bar for around $50-$60. The original poster had about $100 in the bar and other parts when it was all said and done. You can't even sniff a Hotchkis kit for 2-3 times that.

 

That's right, about $100 total. And it works superbly.

 

Sorry, I missed your question. No, the rear sway bar alone does not affect ride quality - that's springs and shocks (and tires). In my pics you can see the old black Monroe shocks, which gave it that floaty Buick ride. When I changed to the Monroe severe service shocks, the ride was harsher but it really helped keep things under control under cornering.

Go and do the rear bar mod. without any qualms about a harsh ride. Then you can decide if you want to get shocks that have better control.

 

cool ok like i said not saying it is bad for $100 bucks is cheap. and the hotchkis kit is like 750 and you have to buy some parts from gm still. i understand now thanks.

 

1996 Buick Roadmaster Wagon

Recently I had the original shocks (45,000 miles) on the RMSW replaced with Monroe sensutrac (coilovers). Last week I had Hotchkis sport suspension heavy duty sway bars (part #515-2206) installed so the wagon really corners flat. The coil over shocks were really a big improvement over the old shocks, one of which would no longer return. The sway bars took the last bit of sway and body roll out.

Roadmaster 75

 

For people unable to find the larger 22mm sway bar, I added the 17mm sway bar, it adds significantly better handling. The bar to look for comes out of a mid 90's crown vic.

I used the same end links mentioned above and stainless muffler clamps from summit racing (cheapest i could find and US made). However, the bar was rubbing on the gas tank after all was said and done. I don't know if you guys had the same problem with the larger bars.

Any ways, I added some 1" thick alum blocks between the bar and axle. I also cut the spacer in half on the end links, doing this swung the bar away from the tank and the interference issue was eliminated. See pics for a better idea.

The wagon drives much, much better, worth every penny. I'd say the smaller bar is almost as effective as the larger considering it had no bar before.

Im having some issues uploading pics, I'll do that when I get to a pc, stay tuned.

If you guys do not have the interference problem with the larger sway bar, let me know, I'll change them over. Although I solved the problem, the bar is awfully close to the gas tank for comfort.