On my 1988 2wd truck, I've long been puzzled that there's no rear sway bar (stabilizer bar). Handling would benefit from it, seems to me. I see the bar and links pictured in the Haynes manual (pgs 10A-10 & 11) -- but that may be only for 4Runners, not pickups. So: do you know of any pickups with rear sway bars? Could I buy and add one? Seems like I'd need to add mounting points for the links.
Back in those days, rear sway bars were generally only available from the factory as part of an upgraded sport suspension package for cars. Trucks rarely had them, unless you got some special towing or camper package upgrade. Manufacturers prefer to make sure vehicles understeer so they usually did not install rear bars on 'base' vehicles. Trucks with empty beds already have an extra tendency to oversteer so very few (none?) came with them. As for your truck, just checking: do you even have a front sway bar? I have a 1988, base, long bed, single cab, MT truck and it doesn't have, and never had, front or rear sway bars. I'm the original owner so I know it isn't a case of some PO removing the front bar. I bought a used factory front bar at the JY a long time ago but haven't gotten around to installing it... Aftermarket rear sway bar makers are pretty imaginative about their installation mounting. Many kits don't use links. On cars with trailing arms, they just clamp onto the arms. I've seen kits for leaf spring cars that just use the axle U-bolts. On our trucks, they can probably just bolt the end links to the spring mount bolts. If you are going to install a rear bar, it is better to get a matched, tuned front and rear set. Like I said, just randomly slapping on a rear bar can make your truck a spin out machine so be careful and informed.
I've always run Quickor sway bars front & rear. These bars are made from chrome-molly spring steel, fit is very tight to the frame , & the handling is great. The company is no longer ,& when I bagged my truck & went with custom tubular a-arms & had to remove my front bar & I cut it up to mock up for a new one. Ever got it done, still run the rear , & handling is is great!
I've come across the no sway bar on the front too, Possibly did not come with the diesel engine vehicles but not 100% sure about that. The best bang for your buck is to put the best shocks you can find all around Rockauto has KYB gas a just which I highly recommend. Also the sway bar and leaf spring bushes will help. Looking at the catalogue it looks like there are three different diameters for the front sway bar 19, 23, and 25mm So if you can find a 25mm bar it will also help. Fitting a sway bar on the rear has the effect of lifting the inside rear wheel on turns so can make the handling much worse if the rear bar is too stiff. https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503663&cc=1277591&pt=7556&jsn=463 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503599&cc=1277591&pt=7556&jsn=462 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6397458&cc=1277591&pt=7488&jsn=489 https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...277591,suspension,stabilizer+bar+bushing,7624
There are no sway bars front or rear on the truck. Yes, an empty truck will tend to oversteer. My intent is to correct body lean during cornering, mostly at the rear. Believe I'll just rebuild rear springs, adding a leaf (which I've got on hand), plus new bushings of course. Would just replace the spring packs altogether but that's $1000+. That'll probably stiffen it up enough to reduce the lean. This is a work truck, not a sports car, but it's arguably the best of the 35 vehicles I've owned in my life; certainly it is in terms of value for money.
Note to LiquidHandWash: Ha! Great minds think alike. I did put KYB shocks on all 4 corners (and the steering damper) and I got 'em from RockAuto. Was going to do the ball joints but the alignment shop says they're still pretty tight despite their age. Only 107K on this truck. Upper control arm bushings seem to be the weak spot up front.
If you're planning to install only one sway bar it should be the front. The front has much more leverage to cause body lean due to more weight and lower roll center. You might find that installing just a rear bar will just cause the inside rear wheel to lift in a hard turn.
Thanks, MrDinkleman. You are right of course -- and that's why I like this forum! I get a little smarter every day, thanks to the very knowledgeable people here. From the description, sounds like you've got the same truck I've got. Is yours A/T or standard trans? Love that longer bed! I haul gravel, compost, junk debris, all kinds of things. Maybe that's why the rear springs are tired.
Mine's a manual 5-speed long bed. I installed one-ton model's torsion bars and KYB gas adjusts. After 30+ years, the shocks leak (probably lost most pressure) bug they still damp fine. I don't really do much heavy hauling in mine.
I've got an 86 that only came with a front sway bar, so I installed some Belltech sway bars for our trucks, my frame had the mount holes already.
Interesting! Looking at the Belltech site, those bars, and mounting instructions ... looks do-able, though have to be very careful around the brake lines that run along the rear axle. Reasonable price too, for complete kits with all parts.
Wow - thanks for the image. I saved it. You have coil-over shocks and also the leaf spring pack as supplied? I replaced my shocks with OEM standard KYBs, but didn't go the coil assist route.
At some point I lost the overload leaf, ao I am just running the 2 drop leafa from Belltech as well. The coilovers are just Monroe shocks with load assist coil springs.
one ton sway bars work wonders if you do the front and rear the trucks handle way better typically found on the Toyota dually trucks or motorhomes
