are parts place rear sway bar and boxed arms any good?

i need both and this is listed on ebay anyone have these on thier car or have any experience with them?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/64-7...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

I do not have any experience with them...but it looks like a good price compared to other sites. Likely made in China. TPP has been good to us and an employee is on the board. Note that the arm is bigger than the stock front sway bar so you should upgrade it while you are at it - a bigger rear sway bar will cause issues!

 

I recently bought a set and ended up sending them back! Looked cheaply made and the curled lip on the bottom ends would not clear my frame mounts when I tried to install them. I was so frustrated with those parts that I ended up buying a set of tig welded, fully boxed arms from UMI Performance (on eBay for cheaper than The Parts Place arms). The UMI arms look great in powder coated black and come with poly bushings and greasable zerks. If you aren't hung up on the look of originality, UMI Performance is definitely worth checking out.

Hope this helps,

 

X2 on the UMI Performance control arms. I have the round tubular upper and lower arms with poly bushings and greasable fittings in black. Very stealthy and handling is awesome! They were a kit (uppers and lowers) for $240 two years ago. I also added 1" solid rear sway bar at the same time.

 

Wonder if they make anything for Rivs....ray:

 

I have the UMI uppers and made my own lowers. My swaybar is from Spohn.

 

how is the ride with the poly bushings, comfortable or harsh and i've also heard that the poly squeaks a lot

right now my car has either a 1 1/4 or a 1 1/8 front sway bar none on rear
and it is used as a street not strip car

 

I have the boxed arms and sway bars from Spohn performance and must admit I am impressed by them.

Scott

 

If you use the silicone lube that comes with the poly bushings you'll be squeak free. I've never had a problem with mine squeaking. Taking corners is so much nicer at speed with the rear bar.

 

Amen! No more heavy roll in the corners. It is a thing of beauty!

BTW, I bought my rear bar straight from a GM parts supplier. GM still sells this part new.

 

i just bought the inserts and boxed mineid rather spend 30 than 200

 

These prices look pretty good. I have bought from them, they are fine.
http://www.muscle-factory.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=253&cat=Sway+Bars+and+bushings

 

Like Phil said, with the greasable bushings there are no squeeks. I didn't notice any change in ride harshness from stock to poly. I have a 1 1/4 bar on the front. That along with stiffer springs and the rear bar & control arms makes my car really 'stick' in the corners. I love it!:3gears:

 

Where did you buy the mounting hardware though? What was the part# for that? I called about a rear bar at the GM dealer they wanted like $165 for it, just for the bar.

 

Ken,

This is where I bought mine... http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/restoration_parts/restocategory.cfm?addtocart=1&addpartnumber=394926&cat=SUSPENSION&strmake=1&strmodel=A&searchyear=70

Shipping is about $10. My total cost earlier this year was about $100 shipped. I got my mounting hardware and shims separately from TPP.

Hope this helps,

 

i think this is what i will get
the question i have is with the 1 1/4 front sway bar will that 1" rear bar be sufficient (i know nothing about setting up a suspension)
will also be replacing rear springs also any suggestions?
was thinking moog springs

 

It's not a 1", it's a 7/8". I still think that's the one I'll get though. You can't beat $93.

Chuck, you said you got the mounting hardware and shims from the Parts Place?

 

and made my own lowers.

yeah, i was going to point out that the Buicks.net admin has a page explaining how to fabricate your own LCA out of rectangular stock tubing. put any bushings you want in it.

hard to beat if you've got access to a welder and some basic metals tools. way stronger than even the stock boxed arms too.

http://www.teambuick.com/forums/view.php?pg=building_trailing_arms

 

Mine aren't welded at all. I got heavy wall rectangle tubing, and made sure that there was as much material around the bushing on the new tubing as there was on the stock arms. I could have boxed the ends but really didn't see a need for it.

 

open ended is fine for a trailer queen. i'd just as soon keep the road salt out of anything that's going to see winter use.


closing the ends up probably adds a little bit of strength and stiffness but the rect tubing is already way thicker wall then that stuff the factory was stamping.