Sway Bar Missing

[garthbrooks]

I have a 1986 GMC Sierra C-15. Since I have owned it, it has had quite a bit of body roll at speeds above 10 mph.  I thought my springs were weak.  I was then told that all of these trucks were supposed to have a sway bar.  For whatever reason, the previous owner must have removed it.  If I get a new sway bar it should stop most of the body roll, right?  It does alright at REALLY low speeds but is scary on the highway. Just making sure it is worth the money.
Thanks

[80stepsideguy]

Not all trucks came factory with a sway bar.They were optional in our trucks that came with the bigger brakes.I guess it was a package thing, cause my 80 didnt come with a sway bar BUT i am currently rebuilding the front end to accept bigger rotors and adding the sway bar for handling.So look under the front of your truck and if you see brackets that are there but no sway bar then you may have had 1 but if there are no brackets then it is possible your truck didnt come with 1.
thanks
pat

[garthbrooks]

The holes are there, but no brackets.  Mine doesn't have bigger brakes.  It is a bottom of the line C-15.

[80stepsideguy]

Then more than likely your truck didnt come with it.I bought my sway bar off of ebay for 20.00 and it didnt come with any brackets.But since i am building this truck from the ground up i am buying everything new.The only things on the front end of this truck that isnt new are the control arms, the center link and the steering box and soon the sway bar but all hardware and components are brand new.I seen this on ebay if your looking to add a sway bar to your truck.
Here is the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/81-91-Chevy-GMC-Truck-Suburban-Front-Sway-Bar-w-Bracket_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118QQcategoryZ33592QQihZ009QQitemZ190177773651QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

This looks like a good deal.

thanks
pat

[garthbrooks]

I called my local salvage yard and I can get a factory sway bar for a reasonable price.  I noticed however, while looking in  , that the sway bar brackets are riveted to the frame.  Can these be bolted?  I don't have access to a rivet gun big enough for these rivets.  Also, how are these removed.  I hope the guy a the salvage yard will drill them out, but most of them won't. Most around here are to lazy or busy to bother.
Thanks for the input so far. It is greatly appreciated.

[80stepsideguy]

If  they remove them they may take a torch and either melt the rivets off but then the brackets may become warped.The salvage yards are about money not about meticulous removal of parts.They may cut the frame and may hand you the sections removed and have you remove them yourself.I for 1 would rather buy new brackets/hardware cause its less time to try n remove them and then clean them up and paint them.And if your gonna reuse old brackets and bushings its just not gonna pay in the end.Your dealing with what 20 years of use?It will pay in the long run to get all new components.I am going with a used sway bar myself but i am going with all new hardware.I`m not trying to make you change your mind but i am trying to help you see that reusing used components are not always good ideas.

thanks
pat

p.s. yes the brackets can be bolted to the frame

[garthbrooks]

Just thought I would update with you. I got a sway bar from a salvage yard.  I just told the guy I needed all the brackets. So he got if off with no damage. I put bolts where the rivets were. Talk about a BIG difference from not having a sway bar.  My truck has minimal body roll now.  I appreciate all the input from you Pat. Thanks

[Mr79C10]

I'm in the same boat. My truck didn't come wit one so I scored on from E*ay and I had to buy the brackets from  . Cleaned and sanded and PO15 the bar. Do the install this weekend, I hope.