I just purchased a rear grand national sway bar for my 1980 El Camino. It came with the trailing arms attached, I was wondering if those were stronger than the ones on my El Co? Also whats the diameter is an OEM rear grand national sway bar?
Thanks alot.

There's no difference in the trailing arms, unless the GN ones have been boxed. The o.d on the bar is 7/8.

Very helpful thanks John.

There's no difference in the trailing arms, unless the GN ones have been boxed. Yep...so if your looking at installing an 8.5 out of necessity...you should be looking at installing a better set of control arms, both upper and lower or at the very least box the lowers. The stock control arms are a major cause for wheel hop.

I actually have an 8.5 installed already. I was thinking about boxing my upper and lower control arms. Does anyone have photos of the finished product? I have also herd of installing jounce bars in the front, where can I buy those? Ive also herd of installing some type of brace on the rear tieing the frame together. Help is appreciated

I have also herd of installing jounce bars in the front, where can I buy those? Ive also herd of installing some type of brace on the rear tieing the frame together. Help is appreciatedJounce bars can be found on a lot of 78-88 G-bodys in the boneyard...the frame brace can be found on 78-up G-body Grand Prixs (only) or you can buy these items new for a Grand National (they fit) from www.kirbanperformance.com
(http://www.kirbanperformance.com)

I actually have an 8.5 installed already. I was thinking about boxing my upper and lower control arms. Does anyone have photos of the finished product? I have also herd of installing jounce bars in the front, where can I buy those? Ive also herd of installing some type of brace on the rear tieing the frame together. Help is appreciated

Here are the rear support arms in this picture. I used Hotckis.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/440267827_af6a5f4e6c_b.jpg

Here is the front frame brace.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/174/440267813_8fa9a1cbe2_b.jpg

If you look at the left one you might be able to see what you are looking for. these are my lowers after paint.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/496072510_cdd737d7fd_b.jpg

HTH

These are the best buy I've found anywhere. This guy advertises on Malibu racing and sells on Ebay. Very nice quality parts for much less than name brand. :beer:
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/pitqueen/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=

This guy advertises on Malibu racing and sells on Ebay. Yes that's Rick aka Iceman...and he has a very good reputation over at Malibu Racing for his products...I have one of his original trans crossmembers and no one will ever be able to pry it out of my hands...it is a work of beauty. Eventually I plan on getting his double adjustable control arms.

I have Iceman's lightweight cross member. Nice work indeed. I plan on using his control arms in the near future.

Hey thanks guys. I just purchased some jounce bars, a 36mm hollow f-body sway bar, KYB shocks, and the radiator cross support bars. I'm planning on purchasing a front end rebuild kit from PST. Does anyone have any recommendations for springs? I was looking at Eibach springs, but ive herd good things about Moog.

Moog is an old company, now part of Federal Mogul, also an old reliable company.

I would like to know about that front frame brace. Why is it needed?? Is it just for 5th gens ??
I wouldn't think my 4th gen would need one, since the internal bumper parts are massive. (??)

Hey thanks guys. I just purchased some jounce bars, a 36mm hollow f-body sway bar, KYB shocks, and the radiator cross support bars. I'm planning on purchasing a front end rebuild kit from PST. Does anyone have any recommendations for springs? I was looking at Eibach springs, but ive herd good things about Moog.


I would say check out Hotckis website to see if they have anything. They have some of the best products for g bodies so I check them out first or if you do not see if on there website call them and they can recommend someone they work with or like if they do not have it

Check out Hotchkis springs... They make them for front and rear. They'll drop your overall suspension height about one inch.... Great suspension components ..

I would like to know about that front frame brace. Why is it needed?? Is it just for 5th gens ??
I wouldn't think my 4th gen would need one, since the internal bumper parts are massive. (??)Well, it's not really needed, but it does help to tighten up the frontend by triangulating it...it bolts to the same location as the jounce bars on the frame. It only came on G-body Grand Prixs, no others...but an aftermarket is available. I don't know enough about a 4th gen to tell you if something similar is needed or even made...but if your thinking that a 4th gens bumper is providing the same type of strength...I would have to say no...not if it's attached to the frame by impact bumper shocks.

I boxed my own control arms.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j14/chester1117/El%20Camino/IMG_0778.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j14/chester1117/El%20Camino/IMG_0765.jpg

Just a suggestion if you're going to be boxing the stock lower control arms......even if you are not currently planning on running a rear sway bar, tac weld the spacer piece that the sway bar bolts go thru before you plate over the control arm. In a pinch if you don't have the factory piece, cut some pieces of pipe nto the correct legnth and tac them in.

The piece prevents the arm from crushing when the sway bar bolts are tightened.

I'm just now trying to get the holes in my lower bars for the stock sway bar. The brackets are U shaped, facing upward. The brackets have nuts welded in them, for the bar, and for the arms. I'm thinking about welding a plate on the bottom, as far as the bar bracket, and then stitch-welding the bar bracket in place after the bolts are in. That may help make the bar a bit stiffer.

Getting back to the original question, all trailing arms are the same. If you want to box them, check out http://hrpartsandstuff.com/. Look under products, then boxing kits.

Global West has some nice parts far El Caminos. I have there front negative roll control arm kit and A body 12" tall spindles and the rear control arms.:texas:

dont foget to tack the spacer in if your going to run a rear sway bar!

Pics of the boxed arms i did

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh194/nickm02/Picture100.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh194/nickm02/Picture101.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh194/nickm02/Picture105.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh194/nickm02/Picture107.jpg