1960 Torsion Bar Suspension Sway Fix

[1960HDGMC]

Hello, I have a 1/2 ton 1960 GMC with torsion bar front suspension. It sways when you take a curve. I have contacted sway bar makers and they all say there is, was and probably can not be a sway bar for these trucks. Rear sways are out there, just not front sway bars. Then why do I see bosses for the sway bars (that do not exist) on the lower A-Arms?
I wonder why I cant just get a set of 3/4 ton truck torsion bars and swap them onto my truck. Surely that would tighten up the front end a little and help in the corners. Is a torsion bar swap a pain in the rear end, or can I manage it in a home garage?
The truck is set to factory ride height and rides like a 1959 Caddy,because it pretty much has the same front suspension. Will I lose the smoothness if I can even manage to find and install 3/4 ton bars? I want to keep factory ride height after swap.
Thanks for any ideas, Greg Mead

[Funky61]

Greg, Here is a link from another forum on changing out the front suspension.

http://67-72chevytruck.com/vboard/sh...d.php?t=366828

On the same forum, a member was supposed to be working on a sway bar for the torsion suspension.

http://www.67-72chevytruck.com/vboar....php?t=5833078

You are correct that the torsion bar suspension does ride smooth

[1960HDGMC]

Turns out 1960 GMC 1500 and 1960 Chevy C-20 share the same part numbers and color bands for the 3/4 ton Torsion Bars. So a pair from either clan will serve the purpose. I want to swap them out, and bring the stiffer bars to the current factory ride height. I want to see if this may be a viable upgrade. I love this truck anywhere but a curve. I have to crawl around them. Interstate, I can hang with a Corvette, uphill or down, but one curve and I am hobbled. There must be a fix.

[6066gmcguy]

Back in the day there was a swab spring offered aftermarket for the front end see below.

[AZKen]

If the truck cornered well when new, which I assume it must have, then why not fix what is worn, broken, sagging, fatigued or get a good 1/2T donor suspension? (maybe from a Chevy if they are more available). Maybe a coil front will swap. This is a question for me to learn not a criticism. BTW: the links above don't work for me. They've been Hijacked.

[BarryGMC]

These torsion bar trucks are leaners. The 3/4 ton bars help but make the ride more stout. I found that putting the overload setep in the back helps a lot.

[1960HDGMC]

The front end is back to factory specs. Steers true, etc. It is just a design issue with the torsion bar front ends. The idea was to get passenger car ride into the traditionally hard riding trucks. The plan worked, but the top heavy trucks will sway exponentially more than a lower center of gravity car.
As for the rear load idea, I added a Timbrem Rubber spring setup. But it only kicks in when hauling a load. I have read that there are rear sway bars sold today for these 1960-62 trucks. Question. Would having this added to rear help with the roll that seems to be coming from the front end? Barry, was there yet another rear end device you were suggesting might help?
I know this will never corner like a Corvette. I don't expect it to ever be close. But I need to get it to corner safely so I can enjoy driving. Right now I have to slow way down to go around a corner. I need to get it so if I have to slow down, I want have to almost crawl.
I will try any tweek to improve the cornering, even if the overall ride is stiffened up a bit. It rides like a cloud now, but I will trade some of the cush away if it helps the cornering. Maybe some sort of front air or coil over shocks, 3/4 ton Torsion Bars, rear sway bar, etc., I will try it. Thanks for the help, Greg Mead

[AZKen]

You have probably seen or heard about these swaps and want to keep your truck stockish. But a bunch of band aids may never work. Remember the rear end of a truck is light. That means that changes to the rear, many times, don't get "exercised" enough to effect the front as you have noticed. If Barry says it helped, then do it.
here is the swap info anyway:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=366828

[1960HDGMC]

Hey AZKEN, I have read this before, great info. Thanks for the link. He has a picture of what he says is a Mustang II sway bar, that he say worked really well in the truck. That looks like what I have in my minds eye. I can not for the life of me figure out why no one has marketed such a cross-over piece for the torsion bar trucks. I can only assume it is some kind of safety issue. The mechanics of the front end are basically identical, and the T-bars exit to rear, so no forward obstruction. I just don't understand the absence of such a helpful device. It is the other half of the T-Bar suspension, that they forgot to ad on. Any one seen these on T-Bar trucks before? Thanks, Greg Mead

[AZKen]

It does look like the sway bar on his donor 1975 would fit. An anti sway bar is just a bent torsion bar. It's worth a try and should be easy to install. Get a donor sway bar that is 1" diameter or bigger. I don't know the specific engineering explanation coil vs bar in regards to what is actually happening. The coil spring will compress/extend and lean when cornering. The torsion will twist. The coil is a tall feature compared to the torsion bar down low. Have you tried to adjust your bars full one way and then another to see what that does to the sway? Not hard to test that if they are adjustable.
Question: What exactly is your truck doing around corners? Will it stoop down? spin out? heavy body lean? sway all over the road? It does not make since that you have to go that slow? What kind of corners ? and how fast do you want to go around a tight corner? Barry says they are leaners. Maybe torsion bars loose their temper or get fatigued after 50+ years.