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Rear sway bar

71RRHI

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I'm thinking about adding a rear sway bar to my 71 Road Runner. I'm leaning towards the one from Firm Feel which mounts to the frame like the factory one. Also considering one from Hellwig which mounts below the rear end. What are the pro and cons between the two mounting options?
 
by the pic, it seems the Hellwig sway bar is based on E body design, but runs above rear end, not below. The original one runs below.

6911.jpg


I think the Hellwig design could get some interference with exhaust if going with huge pipes like 3"

By a friend experience Addco needs to fabricate or image how to attach the bar links to the body. The ADDCO IMHO is thought to upgrade on existant setups. He didn't have the original sway bar plates and can't remember how he made to attach it.

this is the sway bar plate used on 72s, to fit between axle and springs

mages?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxChOMctkh2Yj2LBoY9BCs0XYtIYdbtv2adLpaRV9OIWJgd9Egc4CWrxZryMqKMKvCN4Y&usqp=CAU.jpg


which is not included on the ADDCO kit
 
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Go with the firm feel, it installs like factory and is very clean.I have a factory one on my 72 and love it. Others don’t install the same and addco used a unique bracket that bolts to the rail and the end link installs on that. The addco has a larger diameter bar but the bar is mounted on the diff housing, the oem the bar hangs from two brackets that slip over the frame rail and has two bolts that go thru the bracket to rail. Your rail should have two pilot holes ( they actually used 4 almost sheet metal thread like bolts from mopar.) I drilled them thru and ran two bolts thru and it worked fine. Keep in mind oem the entire bar is hung by the rails, the plates for the end links go between the spring and spring mount.. the addco uses clamps that clamp around the axle tube to hold the bar in place and just the end links go the rail. I like factory one because it hangs the bar by the rail. Just my .002 worth
 
Correcting myself... The Hellwig bar doesn't mount like E bodies LOL... Both mounts somehow underneath the axle... just checked the instructions sheet.

It seems the Hellwig kit is complete, and the long bolt is the one which completes the installation to the body frame, whithout a plate like the stock ones ( on E and B bodies )
 
Any extra unsprung weight that's added will affect ride quality. So, bear that in mind while making your choice.
Mike
 
Go with the firm feel, it installs like factory and is very clean.I have a factory one on my 72 and love it. Others don’t install the same and addco used a unique bracket that bolts to the rail and the end link installs on that. The addco has a larger diameter bar but the bar is mounted on the diff housing, the oem the bar hangs from two brackets that slip over the frame rail and has two bolts that go thru the bracket to rail. Your rail should have two pilot holes ( they actually used 4 almost sheet metal thread like bolts from mopar.) I drilled them thru and ran two bolts thru and it worked fine. Keep in mind oem the entire bar is hung by the rails, the plates for the end links go between the spring and spring mount.. the addco uses clamps that clamp around the axle tube to hold the bar in place and just the end links go the rail. I like factory one because it hangs the bar by the rail. Just my .002 worth

and I'm checking the Addco changed a bit their design. They are not anymore like the stock one being straight ( or that was what My friend got ), neither attachs to the axle anymore, but still the "attaching plate" to the shock plate is awfull IMHO

236bar__36497.1516657776.1280.1280.jpg


addco sway bar.jpg


If somebody ask me, I think going over the axle could disturb on to the exhaust pipes. Maybe not a problem on stock pipes sizes, or a bit larger, but going huge could be a problem
 
Years ago, I put together a rear sway bar setup for my 1967 Coronet station wagon using parts salvaged from an '80's police Diplomat. After that, I bought a Firm Feel set-up for my 1967 R/T. The bar looked like the same Dippy bar I used in my wagon.
 
Any extra unsprung weight that's added will affect ride quality. So, bear that in mind while making your choice.
Mike

So the Firm Feel bar which mounts to the frame rails would have less unsprung weight?
 
and I'm checking the Addco changed a bit their design. They are not anymore like the stock one being straight ( or that was what My friend got ), neither attachs to the axle anymore, but still the "attaching plate" to the shock plate is awfull IMHO

View attachment 1236317

View attachment 1236316

If somebody ask me, I think going over the axle could disturb on to the exhaust pipes. Maybe not a problem on stock pipes sizes, or a bit larger, but going huge could be a problem

Thanks, have to take a looked at the addco bar
 
Go with the firm feel, it installs like factory and is very clean.I have a factory one on my 72 and love it. Others don’t install the same and addco used a unique bracket that bolts to the rail and the end link installs on that. The addco has a larger diameter bar but the bar is mounted on the diff housing, the oem the bar hangs from two brackets that slip over the frame rail and has two bolts that go thru the bracket to rail. Your rail should have two pilot holes ( they actually used 4 almost sheet metal thread like bolts from mopar.) I drilled them thru and ran two bolts thru and it worked fine. Keep in mind oem the entire bar is hung by the rails, the plates for the end links go between the spring and spring mount.. the addco uses clamps that clamp around the axle tube to hold the bar in place and just the end links go the rail. I like factory one because it hangs the bar by the rail. Just my .002 worth

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the Firm Feel bar cause it mounts like rhe factory one. Just got to look and see about exhaust clearence.
 
the FF bar ( same design used on E bodies ) mounts like the factory E bodies and as mentioned F and M bodies, not like the factory B bodies...
 
Years ago, I put together a rear sway bar setup for my 1967 Coronet station wagon using parts salvaged from an '80's police Diplomat. After that, I bought a Firm Feel set-up for my 1967 R/T. The bar looked like the same Dippy bar I used in my wagon.
The rear bar on my red '70 Charger is of the Diplomat/Gran Fury/ design. It is fantastic...It mounts to the frame and clears everything. The Firm Feel guys are great. Their products are well thought out ands American Made.
 
The rear bar on my red '70 Charger is of the Diplomat/Gran Fury/ design. It is fantastic...It mounts to the frame and clears everything. The Firm Feel guys are great. Their products are well thought out ands American Made.

If I could find a Diplomat/Fury I would grab the rear bar setup. But we don't have any junk yards here anymore. All the places here only deal in newer cars. Even then, all the valuable parts are removed and everything else is crushed within two weeks.
I'm than happy to pay the slightly higher cost for the Firm Feel bar kit, since it's American made.
 
the FF bar ( same design used on E bodies ) mounts like the factory E bodies and as mentioned F and M bodies, not like the factory B bodies...

Do you have a picture of how the factory B body bar mounted. I looked in my service manual bit it does not show.
 
I put an Addco on mine that I got from a fella selling some engine parts I was buying. It was NIB and came with some other parts he acquired but he had no 71-4 B cars. I got it dirt cheap & put it on with no issues but do plan on replacing the mount plates with something heavier before the car hits the street.
 
Do you have a picture of how the factory B body bar mounted. I looked in my service manual bit it does not show.
Because 71s didn't get the option. First year for B bodies was 72, hence why your 71 Manual doesn't show it

I posted how it is ( although picture is small ) on the reply #7.
And reply #2 gets a view of the sway bar plate between axle and springs for 72.
 
maybe this will upload a bit bigger

foto0002.JPG


and this on a close up of the assembly... As far I recall this is ADDCO rear sway bar, using the stock frame bracket ( just the bracket, not the bushing clamp ) and the plate down the axle

RearSwayBar03.jpg


Plate down the axle for 72

bar plate non iso.JPG


same piece but for 73 and lates, due the spring isolation system/clamp.

isoswayplate.JPG


and the stock bushing clamp and the frame bracket

http://www.2040-parts.com/_content/items/images/98/1105498/001.jpg
 
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Thanks Nacho-RT74 good info. Looks like all three Firm Feel, Hellwig, and Addco are made in America. So I guess it comes down to price and which way works better for mounting.
 
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