2nd gen camaro any high clearance front sway bars?

[OutrnNAScaR14]

18x10.5 wheels on all four corners. 285/35/18 tires up front. Stock Subframe, PTFB upper control arm. Tire tucks nicely, clears aftermarket sway bar, only problem is it doesn't turn quite as sharp. It will hit the back of the upper control arm. But it hasn't caused a problem autocrossing or Street driving.

[rreichert82]

Sharp looking car. What backspace are you running on the wheels?

[Tpichevy]

18x10.5 wheels on all four corners. 285/35/18 tires up front. Stock Subframe, PTFB upper control arm. Tire tucks nicely, clears aftermarket sway bar, only problem is it doesn't turn quite as sharp. It will hit the back of the upper control arm. But it hasn't caused a problem autocrossing or Street driving.

What BS are on these wheels?

[NOT A TA]

Since the time when this thread was started http://pro-touringf-body.com/ came out with an adjustable high clearance front anti sway bar for 2nd gens. Top bar in pic below.

[74 Camaro]

I have been silently viewing this thread for a while. Attempting a resurrect. OP, any luck figuring out your setup?

rreichert82, did you ever complete yours?

Would love to know more on this topic, as I am going to buy my suspension parts soon.

[rreichert82]

Still working on mine had everything together but the sway bar. Had to pull it back apart to install some thrust bearing to make the adjustments easier. Still trying to figure which of the many boxes of parts they are in lol.

[F-Body International]

PTFB has the best aftermarket sway bar for inboard tire clearance on a stock frame to my knowledge. DSE also has a great setup but for their aftermarket frame...$$$

Surprisingly though, a ORIGINAL GM sway bar has a fantastic bend that literally sweeps the inside of the frame. The Firebird sway bar is actually pretty good in that department. Most of the aftermarket swaybars currently use a combination of small bends to make for the overall fit.

[rreichert82]

F-Body You are selling your set up correct? If you still have it up for sale it would be a great start for 74 Camaro. He would not have to wait on PTFB, save a little money and HOURS of work that you already have knocked out.

[F-Body International]

F-Body You are selling your set up correct? If you still have it up for sale it would be a great start for 74 Camaro. He would not have to wait on PTFB, save a little money and HOURS of work that you already have knocked out.

Yes, that's me selling my frame. Hate doing it but I have to at this point. Just started a Master's program last week and had some expensive repairs pop up on my daily driver '98 Trans Am. Gotta be on top of those things right now so unfortunately my 2nd gen has to take a back seat for short-time.

[79T/Aman]

PTFB does make the high clearance bars, they are pretty tight to the frame and we have run 11" wheels with 6" back space up front and 315 tires you will need to have to alter the steering stops with that large of a wheel.
74Camaro, the Frame that Jonathan has for sale is a nice pro-touring coil over set up and would allow for up to 315 tire up front, the frame was built in our shop.

[74 Camaro]

I am going to be using the Pro Touring F Body suspension for my 79 TA here shortly. Dave over there has been very helpful with figuring out what I need. I was speaking with him last week about wheel and tire information and with their system he said I could run a 285 wide 26" Dia tire up front with a 5.5" backspace.

Based on what you said above, and what gscherer78ta said (below, from a different thread), I'm coming to a basic idea of what will work.

"Also, I run a 275/18 tire square on a 18 x 9.5 wheel with a 6" back space and 1" spacers in the rear and 7/16" spacer in front on the factory leafs in the back and factory control arms in the front. There are some spots on the front sway bar and frame where there is some rubbing but, I can still go to the steering lock. I run -2.5° camber and in the back I rolled the fender lips."

Front:
6" bs front -7/16" = 5 9/16" with inner rubbing, seems like the extra 1/16" inside wouldn't hurt, so make it an even 5.5" bs front.

Rear:
6" bs -1" = 5"

Sounds like 5.5" bs in front and 5" in back with a square setup. Running 285's on 9.5" wheels on 5.5" bs and 1/2" spacers in the rear would allow a setup that could be rotated easily without having to go to a tire shop. The problem here would be that you would need longer studs to make up for the 1/2" spacer. Could be worth it though in the long run.

Knowing that I want to run 275's to stay on the safe side, Dave from PTFB suggested Vision 143 Wheels in 18x9.5, 0 offset, 5.25" bs, and to make sure I have 1/4" spacers on hand in case I need them. I'm guessing that the front can get away with 1/4" less bs than 5.5" because the tire is almost 1/2" narrower (which makes up for approx 1/4" per side). In the rear, 1/4" spacers would bring the bs to my theoretically ideal 5", so the math seems to be lining up.

[68Malibu383]

Based on what you said above, and what gscherer78ta said (below, from a different thread), I'm coming to a basic idea of what will work.

"Also, I run a 275/18 tire square on a 18 x 9.5 wheel with a 6" back space and 1" spacers in the rear and 7/16" spacer in front on the factory leafs in the back and factory control arms in the front. There are some spots on the front sway bar and frame where there is some rubbing but, I can still go to the steering lock. I run -2.5° camber and in the back I rolled the fender lips."

Front:
6" bs front -7/16" = 5 9/16" with inner rubbing, seems like the extra 1/16" inside wouldn't hurt, so make it an even 5.5" bs front.

Rear:
6" bs -1" = 5"

Sounds like 5.5" bs in front and 5" in back with a square setup. Running 285's on 9.5" wheels on 5.5" bs and 1/2" spacers in the rear would allow a setup that could be rotated easily without having to go to a tire shop. The problem here would be that you would need longer studs to make up for the 1/2" spacer. Could be worth it though in the long run.

Knowing that I want to run 275's to stay on the safe side, Dave from PTFB suggested Vision 143 Wheels in 18x9.5, 0 offset, 5.25" bs, and to make sure I have 1/4" spacers on hand in case I need them. I'm guessing that the front can get away with 1/4" less bs than 5.5" because the tire is almost 1/2" narrower (which makes up for approx 1/4" per side). In the rear, 1/4" spacers would bring the bs to my theoretically ideal 5", so the math seems to be lining up.

Hey 74 Camaro, did you go with the 18 x 9.5 square setup you mentioned above? Anyone else run square 18 x 9.5s and what backspace, spacer and tire specs? Any other tricks? Thanks!

[F-Body International]

Hey 74 Camaro, did you go with the 18 x 9.5 square setup you mentioned above? Anyone else run square 18 x 9.5s and what backspace, spacer and tire specs? Any other tricks? Thanks!

Sorry to take over response on this one but I’m friends with 74Camaro on Facebook and he bought his PTFB built frame from me.

He hasn’t posted on here or Facebook in a while but he did install the 18x9.5 wheels with BFG Rival 275/35-18. Awesome setup for bolt-on IMO.

[68Malibu383]

Thanks for the update. i wonder if that wheel/tire combo would work with the stock sub frame.

[79T/Aman]

Thanks for the update. i wonder if that wheel/tire combo would work with the stock sub frame.

We have customers with 315s up front with a stock frame

[F-Body International]

Thanks for the update. i wonder if that wheel/tire combo would work with the stock sub frame.

He used a stock frame. The frame on his Camaro is actually the original subframe from my ‘79 WS6 Trans Am. The frame was completely modified by Dave from Pro-Touring F-Body. It has the complete coilover, control arm and swaybar package.

[BonzoHansen]

We have customers with 315s up front with a stock frame

Is that because of your sway bar?

My 18x9.5s rub the big hollow hotchkis bar

[c4racer2]

I am running 18x10 6” bs

Fronts have 275-35 and a .25” spacer which is needed to clear the DSE UCA and also gives more room to the sway bar. Hotchkis

Rear tires are 295-35 and no spacers for me but might need 1/8-1/4” for a stock second gen rear end. My car has a slightly wider 4th gen rear end.

So ideal bs would be 5.75” on a 10” wheel and then probably wouldn’t need spacers at all on either end if running a square 275 or 285-35 tire.

[79T/Aman]

Is that because of your sway bar?

My 18x9.5s rub the big hollow hotchkis bar

partially, and adjustable steering stops, the PTFB sway bars have 3/4" more tire clearance per side than the one you have.

[79T/Aman]

for a visual, 315s stock frame.