Click to zoom in
1.250-Inch Solid Chrome Moly Front Sway Bar for 1978-1988 GM G-Body
This 1.250-inch solid 4140 chrome moly front sway bar replaces the factory seven-eighths-inch bar with the largest single front roll-stiffness upgrade available on a G-Body without touching the springs. It is CNC bent and formed as one piece, with a 44 11/16-inch center-to-center dimension so clearance can be checked before installation.
It arrives as a complete front bar package with new greaseable bushings in zinc-plated clamshells and a pair of new high-quality end links. Mounting bolts are not included: the factory GM-specific small-diameter bolts must be reused with the clamshells, so keep the originals when the old bar comes off.
Key Features
- 1.250-inch solid bar in 4140 chrome moly steel, considerably more rigid than the factory seven-eighths-inch front bar.
- CNC bent and formed as one piece for repeatable geometry.
- 44 11/16-inch center-to-center dimension.
- Greaseable sway bar bushings with zinc-plated clamshells.
- New high-quality end links, engineered to cover standard and tall spindle heights.
- Direct bolt-on to the existing factory mounting holes.
- Non-adjustable: no adjustment holes.
- Gloss black powder coat finish.
Fitment
| Vehicle | Years |
|---|---|
| Buick Regal | 1978-1987 |
| Chevrolet El Camino | 1978-1987 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 1978-1983 |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 1978-1988 |
| GMC Caballero | 1978-1987 |
| Oldsmobile Cutlass | 1978-1988 |
| Pontiac Bonneville | 1982-1986 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 1978-1987 |
Fits the full 1978-1988 GM G-Body lineup above, with no engine, transmission, or rear axle exclusions.
The supplied end links are sized for most cars at reasonable ride heights and for both standard and tall spindle setups, including tall ball joints and tall spindles. Cars with significantly altered ride height, frame sag, frame damage, or aftermarket control arms may require different-length end links, purchased separately. If the supplied links are too long, the center sleeve can be trimmed shorter.
This is a direct bolt-on using the factory mounting holes and factory bolts. On a significantly raised or lowered car, the supplied end links may need to be trimmed or replaced with a different length.
Specifications
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer part number | 3035-B |
| Base part number | 3035 |
| Part type | Front anti-roll bar, one-piece solid, supplied with bushings and end links |
| Diameter | 1.250 inch, 32 mm, solid |
| Material | 4140 chrome moly steel |
| Process | CNC bent and formed as one piece |
| Center-to-center dimension | 44 11/16 inches |
| Versus factory | More rigid than the factory seven-eighths-inch front sway bar |
| Included bushings | Greaseable sway bar bushings with zinc-plated clamshells |
| Included end links | New high-quality end links |
| Mounting hardware | Not included. Reuse the factory bolts, which are GM-specific with a small diameter and must be used with the clamshells |
| Adjustable | Non-adjustable. No adjustment holes |
| Modifications required | None. Bolts to the existing factory holes |
| End-link installation | Tighten with a 9/16-inch wrench and ratchet only until the bushings begin to bulge slightly. Do not grease or overtighten |
| Frame-mounting bolts | Tighten to the applicable factory service specification for your exact year and model |
| Orientation | Do not install upside down. Incorrect orientation causes tie rod clearance problems |
| Finish | Gloss black powder coat |
| Country of manufacture | Designed and manufactured in the USA from North American raw material |
| Use | Suitable for street, autocross, and track use on a G-Body front end. Competition use and bushing wear are not covered under warranty |
| Warranty | Two-year warranty from the original date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship, to the original purchaser only, non-transferable |
| Warranty exclusions | Misuse, abuse, neglect or accident, use beyond the product's design limits, improper installation, altered or defaced product, non-UMI components, incidental costs such as towing and labor, and normal wear items including bearings and bushings |
What's Included
- One 1.250-inch solid front sway bar in gloss black powder coat
- Two end links
- Two sway bar bushings with clamshells
- One installation instruction sheet
Mounting bolts are not included; reuse your factory bolts. No grease packet is supplied — do not grease the end link bushings during assembly.
About UMI Performance
UMI Performance builds this front sway bar and other G-Body chassis and suspension components at its Philipsburg, Pennsylvania facility from North American raw material, using CNC-guided bending and precision welding. This bar ships as a complete front package with bushings, clamshells, and new high-quality end links rather than as a bare bar.
Related Parts
- UMI 3034-B one-inch solid rear sway bar for 1978-1988 GM G-Body
- UMI 303534-B solid front and rear sway bar kit for 1978-1988 GM G-Body
FAQ
How much stiffer is this 1.250-inch bar than the factory seven-eighths-inch front bar?It is significantly more rigid than the factory unit and represents the largest single step available in front roll stiffness on this chassis short of changing springs. It is often paired with a matching rear bar to keep front-to-rear balance intentional.
Are mounting bolts included, or do I reuse the factory bolts?Reuse the factory bolts. They are GM-specific with a small diameter and must be used with the supplied clamshells. Do not discard the original hardware when the old bar comes off.
Which way is up, and how do I avoid the tie rod clearance problem?Install the bar in the orientation shown on the instruction sheet. Installing it upside down causes tie rod clearance problems, so check clearance around the tie rods with the wheels turned from lock to lock before driving.
Are end links and bushings included?Yes. The kit includes the bar, two end links, and two sway bar bushings with clamshells. The end links are new high-quality links, and the bushings are greaseable, seated in zinc-plated clamshells.
My end links look wrong with the car on a lift. Is something missing?Probably not. End links can look incorrect at full droop. Evaluate the fit only at ride height with all four tires on the ground.
Will it work with tall spindles or tall ball joints?Yes. The supplied end links are sized to work with most cars at reasonable ride heights and with both standard and tall spindle heights, including tall ball joints and tall spindles.
My car is lowered two inches. Do I need different-length end links?Possibly. Cars with significantly altered ride height, frame sag, frame damage, or aftermarket control arms may need different-length end links, purchased separately. If the supplied links come out too long, trim the center sleeve shorter.
What is the correct way to tighten the end links, and should I grease them?Do not grease them. Use a 9/16-inch wrench and ratchet and tighten only until the bushings begin to bulge slightly, without greasing or overtightening. Tighten the factory frame-mounting bolts to the applicable factory service specification for your year and model.
Does the 44 11/16-inch center-to-center dimension matter for my build?It matters if the front of the car has been modified. That dimension is the distance between the bar's mounting points, so it confirms whether the bar will land on the factory frame holes on a car with a swapped crossmember, a tubular front end, or repaired frame rails. On a stock chassis it simply confirms this is the correct bar.
Will it clear an aftermarket steering box, idler arm, or headers?The only documented clearance concern is the tie rod issue tied to correct orientation. On some builds the idler arm sits close during installation but clears once the bar is fully tightened; a ratchet strap can help line up the mounting holes. Verify clearance lock-to-lock on your own car during installation.
Should I run the matching rear bar, or does a front-only bar unbalance the car?A front-only bar adds understeer along with reducing roll. Pairing this bar with the matching one-inch solid rear bar, or choosing the combined front-and-rear kit, is how most builders keep balance in check while raising overall roll stiffness.
Does the bar have to be tightened with the car on the ground?Yes. Install the end links finger tight, attach the bar, mount the clamshells to the factory holes with factory hardware, center the bar, then lower the vehicle so its weight is on the bar before final tightening.
What warranty covers this part, and what is excluded?This part carries a two-year warranty from the original date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship, to the original purchaser only, and it is non-transferable. Excluded: misuse, exceeding the product's design limits, improper installation, altered product, non-UMI components, incidental costs such as towing and labor, and normal wear items including bearings and bushings. Compatibility with other manufacturers' components is not guaranteed.
Installation Instructions
- Gather 13 mm and 15 mm wrenches and sockets, a three-ton floor jack, and two jack stands. A second person is recommended.
- Jack under the front crossmember and place jack stands on the frame behind the front tires so the control arms are unloaded.
- Remove the old end links. A seized end link may need an impact wrench or a cut-off tool.
- Install the new end links finger tight, with the washers cupped toward the bushings and the bushing nipple centering the assembly. The threaded end of the bolt may face up or down.
- Attach the bar to the end links, keeping the bar right-side up so tie rod clearance is not compromised.
- Mount the greaseable bushings and clamshells to the existing factory holes, reusing the factory bolts.
- Center the bar in the car.
- Lower the vehicle so its weight is on the bar and it sits at ride height before final tightening.
- Tighten the end links with a 9/16-inch wrench and ratchet only until the bushings begin to bulge slightly. Do not grease or overtighten.
- Check clearance around the brake lines, tie rods, and control arms with the wheels turned from full lock to full lock, then re-check the fasteners after a short drive.
Tighten the end links using the wrench-and-ratchet method above. Tighten the factory frame-mounting bolts to the applicable factory service specification.
Suspension
Suspension parts and complete kits for cars, trucks, SUVs, Jeeps, and off-road builds are stocked at Black Ops Auto Works. Shop coilovers, lowering springs, lift kits, leveling kits, shocks and struts, sway bars, control arms, tie rods, ball joints, bushings, chassis bracing, alignment hardware, air suspension, and complete stage kits from Bilstein, KW, Ohlins, Fox, KING, ICON, BC Racing, Silvers, Eibach, H&R, Swift Springs, Whiteline, Energy Suspension, Moog, SPC Performance, Rough Country, ReadyLIFT, BDS, Skyjacker, Air Lift, Firestone, and Black Ops Auto Works. Start with a matched shock and spring package or a full coilover kit, then layer in sway bars, chassis bracing, and camber adjustment hardware. Every part is filterable by year, make, model, trim, and drivetrain to confirm fitment before ordering. What This Category Covers Suspension is the highest-leverage handling upgrade on any vehicle. A properly matched shock, spring, and sway bar package produces measurable i...
View Suspension Products
Sway Bars
Sway bars and anti-roll bar kits are stocked at Black Ops Auto Works from Eibach, H&R, Hellwig, Progress Technology, aFe Control, PERRIN, Whiteline, SuperPro, UMI Performance, QA1, RockJock, Ridetech, Pedders, Cusco, Cobb, Bilstein, and Skyjacker. Find front sway bars, rear sway bars, matched front-and-rear anti-roll kits, adjustable sway bars, solid and tubular bars, and chromoly heavy-duty truck bars. Every product is filterable by year, make, model, trim, and drivetrain so the correct sway bar ships the first time. Black Ops Auto Works carries 1,149 sway bar SKUs across muscle cars, Jeeps and SUVs, trucks, European performance vehicles, Japanese sport compacts, and off-road builds. What This Collection Covers A sway bar, also called an anti-roll bar or stabilizer bar, is a torsion spring connecting the left and right sides of an axle. When one wheel moves relative to the other in a corner, the bar twists and resists body roll. Sway bars only act during cornering, so strai...
View Sway Bars Products
Sway Bars & Bushings
Sway bars, bushings, brackets, and end links are stocked at Black Ops Auto Works for improved handling, reduced body roll, and sharper steering response. Shop front and rear sway bars, anti-roll kits, adjustable and billet end links, sway bar bushings, and service kits for Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, BMW, Porsche, Subaru, and Toyota platforms. Every product is filterable by year, make, model, trim, and drivetrain so the correct sway bar component ships the first time. Black Ops Auto Works carries 1,966 sway bar and bushing SKUs across street, off-road, and track categories. What This Collection Covers A sway bar, also called an anti-roll bar, connects the left and right sides of the suspension to reduce body roll during cornering. Bushings support the bar in its mounts, and end links connect the bar to the suspension for precise, controlled movement. Product Categories Front sway bars, rear sway bars, anti-roll kits, adjustable sway bars, sway bar bushings and mount ...
View Sway Bars & Bushings Products
UMI Performance
UMI Performance for GM A-Body, G-Body, F-Body Camaro and Firebird, B-Body, H-Body, CTS-V, and LS-powered muscle builds are stocked at Black Ops Auto Works. Shop control arms, sway bars, torque arms, panhard bars, K-members, braces, springs, crossmembers, bushings, and coilover conversion hardware. Every product is filterable by year, make, model, trim, engine, and drivetrain so the correct part ships the first time. Black Ops Auto Works carries 219 UMI Performance SKUs across vehicle-specific performance categories. About UMI Performance UMI Performance builds suspension, chassis, and drivetrain support parts for classic and late-model American muscle. The current catalog is especially deep for GM A-Body, G-Body, F-Body, and related domestic rear-wheel-drive platforms. Vehicle-Specific Selection Use the application details on each listing to narrow the selection to the exact platform. Product availability and specifications vary by model year and configuration. What This Collect...
View UMI Performance Products