521 Sway bar end Links

[bilzbobaggins]

 

Finally got around to doing my 521 tension rods and sway bar end links.  Tension rod rubbers went in fine.  I used the rubber out of two of these kits from rock.

 

This is whats left of my sway bar end link bolt on the right.  Its around 6 1/2 inches long.  The kit came with these 4 1/2 inch bolts and small spacer to go between the upper inner and bottom inner rubber/washers.  The one I took off had a long spacer (no pic).

 

So I just did some Ratsun research and rock research.  They list the kits I got as applicable for 65-70 520 and 521's.  They show nothing for a 71 or 72 521.  The 73 620 kit looks more like what I had on my truck, long spacer inbetween the rubber/washers and it tells me the bolt is 6 1/2 inches long.  

 

According to Ratsun, 521 and 620 drum brake trucks used the same sway bars.

 

As everyone one knows as well as I that lots of shit gets swapped out over the years by folks, I am not surprised.  I am guessing these had been on there for a while as it took several heat treatments to get the sleeve off the old bolt.

 

Here are my questions.

 

 Are the 620 kit links better to run?  Do they stiffen/preload (hard to guess the word I am thinking of) the sway bar for less body roll?

 

Are they different because the lower control arm has the mounting point different?(dont think so, because you can run 620 drum shit on a 521 yes?)

 

So, which kit should I run?  My brain tells me the right one, my other brain tells me to put what was back on there.  If it matters, I am running the front too low.

 

 

 

And to add insult to injury, I had been really excited to do this inside my garage.  I had access to the 2 post lift and the pad lift.  Never occurred to me that I had to drive over a hump and down a ramp to get in the building.  She wont go in at this height without several long 2x8 ramps.  Looks like I will be picking some of these up off the side of the roads to make me a set. 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by bilzbobaggins
bad speler

[Crashtd420]

I have a simple answer,  I used a universal one from energy suspension...

It was nice because it had different thickness bushings so depending how you stack them you could achieve different heights.... with that said I thought there was some measurements or something about the angle of the sway bar vs the control arm.... and if lowered wouldn't you want a shorter end link to keep the sway bar at the right angle....

I could be off on this but I remember measuring things when I put my sway bar back on and set the ride height.., going to see if I can back up my thought....

[Crashtd420]

 

 

[bilzbobaggins]

So, guess I need to throw one more jack in the mix here to measure, but I am guessing the right ones are better to run.  Thanks for the info.

[Charlie69]

I order what I can get and use the old bolts and sleeves because the new ones always seem to be too long.

 

If you take the old bolts to a bolt supply you will be able to buy new bolts and nuts.

[datzenmike]

I hate poly... but a sway bar is one place I do agree on using it.

 

There is no preload or stress on a sway bar if the vehicle is sitting level. The sway bar has an effect only if one or the other wheels moves up or down. If both move, as in going over a speed bump nothing happens. On a hard turn the body on the inside of the turn presses down while the outside lifts up. Because the sway bar connects both sides it fights both reducing this. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

One other aspect of a sway bar that most people don't at first understand - they help keep you even just going in a straight line.

 

Preload (or lack of) on the end link bushings is another aspect of sway bar tuning. If you want more initial turn in, and then a set for the turn, have a small space between the bushing and the bar end. This is more race car stuff and may not be what you want on the road. Try different preloads on the end links and decide for yourself.

 

Note - on tall trucks, I want some preload on the end link bushings to keep roll steer to a minimum.

[bilzbobaggins]

Well shit balls.  At full droop and with some steering input the sway bar hits the tie rods on both sides.  Guess that’s why someone put the long ones on there

[datzenmike]

All you need are longer bolts and some small diameter pipe. This is what I did on my 620 that came without a bar. I got one from an earlier truck (the links were toast and broke) and made the links with bolts, washers, pieces of pipe and the rubber from several sets of front shock absorbers.

[wayno]

How close is your steering gear arm and idler arm to hitting the tension rods at full droop?

[bilzbobaggins]

Yup.  On the way to stafford now for bolts.  I have the old spacers off the old set.  Benzo and a cup of water broke them free.   
 

I will look at the idler arm when I get back

[bilzbobaggins]

Got two bolts from stafford.  Installed finally

 

Everything else looks good.thanks for the help

[datzenmike]

 

 

 

OK.... the 521 and the 620 up and through '77 had the same optional sway bar and links. All the same part numbers. My '78 didn't have one so I pulled one off an earlier truck. The link was rusted beyond using and fell apart. The '78 and up has a different steering and suspension and I do remember cutting those metal tubes for the bolt. Maybe the original ones were too short?  Anyway the threaded holes for the rubber bar mounts were still being put on the later frame and it bolted right on and worked just fine.

 

 

 

[bilzbobaggins]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

 

 

 

OK.... the 521 and the 620 up and through '77 had the same optional sway bar and links. All the same part numbers. My '78 didn't have one so I pulled one off an earlier truck. The link was rusted beyond using and fell apart. The '78 and up has a different steering and suspension and I do remember cutting those metal tubes for the bolt. Maybe the original ones were too short?  Anyway the threaded holes for the rubber bar mounts were still being put on the later frame and it bolted right on and worked just fine.

 

 

 

 

So I reckon rock auto has the wrong idea then.  I would email them this and let them know but not so sure it would be worth the digital postage.

 

And thank you for looking that up.  It makes me feel better knowing that they were all the same.  

 

Tension rod rubbers helped with the darting left under heavy braking.  Still some there but not as bad as it was.  Will relube the friction points on both sides of the backing plates this weekend.  Might rebleed the brakes as well.  Think the shoes are on correctly.  Had this issue for a while.  

[bilzbobaggins]

Thought I would drop this here as I seem incapable of having a build thread.  

 

I finally went thru some parts I bought from rock 4 years ago.  One was a right tie rod end assembly.  I bought the moog.  Kinda pissed I did at this point.  Made in Korea and it does not have zerk fittings.  It is my fault for being slow on opening it up, but this blows.  Anyone else have this issue with the moog?  Box appeared to be factory sealed.

 

On another note, I need to stop drunk ordering from rock.  I have managed to get a dozen or so of various gaskets........

[thisismatt]

But how is your magnet stash?

[banzai510(hainz)]

I got new tie rod ends from Rock Ana was in the AC Delco box. Made in korea

no zirc fittings

Then center link from Autozone one side had a zirc and other sealed

 

but they work an hope to get 20 yrs with them 

truck should be rotted out by them

[Charlie69]

Dril and tap for zircs.