Stabilizer bar for '55 Ford

Lamar Wadsworth

Lamar Wadsworth

Senior Member
I want to install a larger diameter/stiffer stabilizer bar on my '55 Fairlane 4 door. I was told that a bar from a late '80s Thunderbird was a bolt on swap, but good look finding something 30+ years old in the yards around here. Does anybody know of one that is a bolt in and readily available?
 
Don't know about later year cars, but the '55/56 Ford wagon models all had a larger diameter anti-sway bar if you can find one of them. Problem is that the repro guys don't sell the bushings with the larger hole for wagon anti-sway bars. I'm still using the original rubber bushings for the one on my '55 Courier.
 
Used these in my '54 and the matching end links the listings show how to measure for them https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/universal-sway-bar-bushings.asp Far better quality than the stock ones made with poor quality offshore rubber. This will firm up things even with the stock 3/4" sway bar the wagons were 7/8" Or if it's in the budget https://www.larrystbird.com/product/front-sway-bar-kit-5456-1-18/ If you were to use the Energy poly bushings and links and this on the rear you should be happy. https://www.jegs.com/i/ADDCO/020/2147/10002/-1
 
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I ordered two sway bars from Mr. Glen Rissberger Quickor Garage PO Box 68011
Portland, OR 97268
A larger diameter for the front and a set up for the rear on my wagon. What an improvement!! The front no longer comes up and the car is very stable cornering.
What I noticed on my car, the links on the front were not straight up and down. The same for the new installation. I'm assuming it came from factory this way and it's not ideal. Either the frame mounting holes should have been placed nearer the front cross member and/or the connection at the A arm changed.
I guess the bar could be mashed at a better spot and drilled also--then the xtra cut off?
 
Hate to tell ya this, but I have two '55 Fords, one a sedan, the other a wagon. Both cars have the stabilizer bar assembly's straight up and down.
So, makes me wonder if a previous owner drilled new bolt-holes in the bottom of the car frame for mounting the sway bar bushings.
When you had the sway-bar off, did you see TWO holes or FOUR holes with two not being used? If so, that could explain the offset you are seeing.
If that's not it, I wonder if a previous owner installed the wrong control arm bushings on the bottom A-frames causing a re-positioning of the whole A-frame. Or perhaps installed the front bushing on the back and vice versa (not sure that would make a difference), BUT if the bottom A-frames are slid to far forward or backward, that will mess up your ability to have a full and proper front end alignment.
I believe this is known as the camber adjustment, which is having the tires aimed to dig into the pavement whereby the weight of the car is directed ahead of the centerline of the spindle or aimed so that the weight of the car is directed behind the centerline of the spindle.
Either way, that would give you a slanted stabilizer assembly installation.
 
JW's 56 had a SBF swap and the workmanship was not all that good. There were several threads on his car a little back that he may have saved.
 
I used the stabilizer bar off of a '55 Ford wagon on my '55 Customline. This was done in preparing the car for the Big Bend Open Road Race as it was going to see some heavy cornerning at high speed. Since that race, the car just sees normal driving but the handling characteristics during any cornering are greatly improved. Ted Eaton.
 
TedEaton said:
I used the stabilizer bar off of a '55 Ford wagon on my '55 Customline. This was done in preparing the car for the Big Bend Open Road Race as it was going to see some heavy cornerning at high speed. Since that race, the car just sees normal driving but the handling characteristics during any cornering are greatly improved. Ted Eaton.
Click to expand...

This is what I did when I rebuilt the entire front end on my 55 Ford Fairlane. I believe my bar was from a 56 wagon but I am sure it is the same size as a 55 wagon. The handling was greatly improved IMO. I have more in a write-up on my website here - https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/2017/09/08/55-ford-fairlane-restoration-blog-part-5 and here - https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/2017/09/09/55-ford-fairlane-restoration-blog-part-6. I did use the Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings.
 
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