Hey all! So I have done some digging and ultimately came up with no real answers. I did just read through SD Yota's write up on the 1 ton rear bar, which looks like it will work for my 77 as well. That said, I don't rightly want to run a 25mm+ sway bar in the rear and then a 19mm up front. I've always understood that the stiffer bar should be up front for better handling. Right now, as the truck sits, there is a 19mm front sway bar and no rear. Already I have swapped out polyurethane bushings for the front bar and upgraded my trashed shocks for some KYB Gas-a-just. Those helped some for countering body roll. The query: Are there any other options for large front sway bars for my front 1977 sr5 suspension set up? I have found the addco 896 front sway bar which is 22.2mm, and the addco 229 rear sway bar which is 19mm. Both are ~$200. Those do sound nice, but I'd like something that will produce very little body roll. Will upgrading from a 19mm front and no rear to a 22mm front and 19mm rear give me that nice stiff ride I'm looking for? Or will I need to do some fabricating to make some monstrous bars work? Just in case you're wondering, this is not a rally/auto cross race beast. I doubt she will ever see a track. But I do like to feel like I'm sticking to the road. I like a sporty feel. If I wanted to be in a boat, I'd go buy a boat and live in the bay. Before I conclude this very brief and not wordy at all post because why be wordy just get to the point, how do the mighty max coil springs feel? Some have mentioned it feels "****ty", or "bad", or "I don't like how they feel". Those words are relative. I'd like a description that is a bit more...scientific. Are they stiffer than stock toyota springs? Are they bouncier? Are they like cruisin' on a cosmic rainbow? Are they mushy butts? The spring rate on those is rated at 450lb/in which sounds nutty stiff to me. I would eventually like to do the stock mighty max (not bell tech) springs and 2"-3" rear blocks. Eventually.
Look at my thread on front sway bar, I used a s10 front that's available in 25mm up to 33mm on different model packages. The end links are similar which is bolt on. The front hanger modifications are pretty simple if you have basic metal fab skills. http://www.toyotaminis.com/forum/bu...-19/daily-driver-1971-hilux-13436/index4.html
That looks fairly similar to what is stock. I would then remove the hanger mount (the two points in the middle section of the sway bar) and weld in some new block and plate for the new bushings? Could I even just drill and bolt and not weld anything? I only ask because I don't have access to a welder. Thanks for the advice!
On my 71, if I didn't space the bar lower, the bar would have interfered with my radiator drain plug(you can see in the picture), 73 later doesn't run into this problem because the drain plug isn't directly underneath the radiator. But yes you can drill 4 hole onto the frame and mount the front bushings, remember to mock up everything at desired ride height for the bars.
Do you know if the s10 or blazer sway bar is the same length? It will line up with the control arm mounts?
I used the site in my post as a reference, to find out for sure you'll have to go out to the wrecking yard and measure.
From what I saw the s10 bar is only a hair wider, angling the end links a bit but otherwise working good. The mighty max springs feel...."the same" I have had used 4" MM drop coils and stocks with 3-1/8 turns cut off, I also removed the rubber spring isolators top and bottom. Rides real nicely for me. I have newer shocks for a 68 camaro V8 and 17s. Even with 14s it rode great. Not too mushy or too stiff. My complaint is the rear ride. I have 4.5" blocks and pulls center leaf. Left about an inch from axle to frame. It bottoms out everywhere, since the back springs are so soft. I plan to notch it whenever I can down it a few days. As for the sway bars, I run a without any. Hardly any body roll but its hard to roll the weight as low as I am. I still plan to run an S10 front bar and explorer or 1 ton yota rear bar. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the info! I actually just snagged myself an explorer rear bar today from the ol' pick n pull. I thought it was a 7/8" diameter but when I bought some new bushings they wouldn't fully close around the bar. Maybe it's a 1"? I was dumb and didn't see what year it came off of, but I'm pretty sure it was an explorer though. Also got lucky and found the rear frame mounts off of a '94 4runner. Now just to wait for the end links to arrive. WOOP!! Thanks for letting me know about ride quality. I might just hold off and lower the truck later on. But when I do do it (hah do do), I think I'll go 3" rear blocks and stock Mighty Max front coils. Especially if I decide to run 15x8 or 15x10 wheels.
Nope. Wait. the rear bar I got is from a 1999 Blazer s10. Hope it works. I mock-fit it to a '78 toyota pickup that was at the picknpull and I'm pretty sure I can make it work. Maybe?
