69 Coronet Front Sway Bar Dimensions

[Fury1969WI]

Helping a friend with their 69 Coronet and have run into a conundrum.

After doing some research, I believe he has the correct style original bar for the 69 down B bodies which came with sway bar mounting tabs, i thinks some have called it the "wide" bar. It measures 45" end link to end link.

However, he has some sort of tubular lower control arms with sway bar mounting tabs inside of the strut rod. He didn't recall if they were QA1 lowers or what brand they were. I did a little digging around on the QA1 website but seems they are pushing their K-member / Coilover swaps more nowadays. There were no obvious identifying marks on the lower control arms but being on the car and well used it was difficult to tell. The suspension was updated about 10 yrs ago. Anyway, i believe they are QA1 or look-alike knock-offs so same difference for sway bar application (maybe).

The sway bar end links measure about (EDITED) 38.5" and tabs are located INSIDE of the strut rod

So, assuming those are QA1 lowers (SKU 52308 - https://qa1.net/products/torsion-ba...wcB&gbraid=0AAAAADpNVTU1O7ZGCvteaFdEhYMNKKdzh).

On a 69 B body with a 69 K Member what options do i have for a sway bar? I find the QA1 website is confusing on whether a 70-72 sway bar will work, their text (can see at above link);

"... Will work on 1966-69 B-body with QA1 K-member and sway bar, and 1962-72 B-body without sway bar."

I understand the 70-up sway bars ran differently, "inside" the K member.

This is a low-buck build, always has been so i'm hoping to find a low buck solution. It doesn't look like there's room on those lowers to weld end link tabs outside of the strut rod but maybe you can hang it from the lower shock bolt??

Looking for ideas and if i'm overlooking something simple. I can email QA1 next week if that's what i need to do. Or contact Pete at BAC.

Thanks for looking/reading this far!

 

[BeepBeepRR]

I installed QA1 lowers on a 69 Road Runner. You can use the 70 QA1 sway bar but you have to drill new holes in the Kmember to mount the mounts. The 70 Kmember has a hole in it that the sway bar goes through this is why its shorter in depth. I used a cheaper alternative 70 sway bar I think it as addco swaybar. So basically the front sway bar mounts under the kframe the same way the 69 sway bar mounts you just have to move the bushing mounts inwards a little and remount them.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

 

[Fury1969WI]

@BeepBeepRR - Thanks for the reply and video on using the 70 sway bar, looks like it works even with the 1970 bushing kit.

Looking at the video I wonder if the bushings could be made a little more parallel with the bar using a 69 bushing install kit like below. I assume you got some miles on it without issues?

Anyway, this is good to know that i could use a 1970 bar and make something work.

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/5.5135

I'd love to be able to use the 69 bar (since already have) but I do not love the idea of bolting in end link hangers off the lower shock bolt, like these. How bad of an idea is this? I suppose i could locate them there to test and then weld them in place if they work.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Yes you can add the sway bar tabs to the lowers at a different location. And yes I agree there needs to be a shim on an angle for the sway bar brackets to get them more even, I plan on doing that with a thicker piece of metal and grinding it down into a wedge. Anything would be better than the angle the brackets are on in the picture. I have the metal I just need to make them into wedges..