For enthusiasts that are pushing the limits of wheel and tire fitment on classic cars and trucks, sway bar design can make the difference between enjoying maximum steering angle and unwanted rubbing. Danny Nix, an engineer at Classic Performance Products (CPP), recently walked through the technical distinctions between a standard sway bar and CPP’s high clearance version for the GM C10 platform, breaking down why the latter exists and how it performs.

“Just as the name suggests, we’ve narrowed the high clearance bar as much as possible so it tucks tight to the chassis, which lets you run a larger tire and maintain a bigger steering radius. The bends are tighter, and by welding on the legs instead of bending the entire bar, we eliminate the extra sweep that pushes a standard bar into the tire’s path,” Nix explains. The welded 3/8-inch-thick steel legs, drilled with lightening holes, step up and around suspension components, producing a compact fit and also giving vehicles a distinctive appearance.

The geometry isn’t the only change. While a traditional sway bar is a solid steel rod that flexes along its entire length, CPP’s high clearance design uses a hollow, 1¼-inch-diameter tube with vertical legs that resist flex. “Even though it’s hollow, it’s actually stiffer than the solid bar because the flex is isolated to the center section. The weight difference is huge, and you really have to pick them up to appreciate it,” Nix says. That reduction in mass not only aids handling response but also simplifies the installation.

The end link design is another departure from a standard away bar. The high clearance bar uses ⅜-inch rod ends at the top with two adjustment points to fine-tune stiffness, paired with a standard bushing at the control arm for compatibility across different setups. Standard sway bars, by comparison, often use bulkier, less refined bushing arrangements that take up more space and can detract from the vehicle’s undercarriage appearance.

CPP also equips the high clearance bar with billet aluminum pivot clamps sporting greaseable polyurethane D-bushings. These bushings have internal channels to retain and distribute lubricant while sealing at the edges to keep unwanted water and debris out. Standard bars often have a stamped steel strap clamp, which is still greaseable but less precise in fit and finish.

From a performance standpoint, the combination of reduced flex, adjustability, and weight savings makes the high clearance sway bar a more responsive and efficient part. “It’s lighter, stronger, and it clears where the old one doesn’t. If you’re running bigger wheels and tires, or you just want a cleaner, more functional install, it’s a no-brainer,” Nix says.

For builders in search of maximum wheel and tire clearance without sacrificing stiffness, CPP’s high clearance sway bar offers very clear engineering advantages over the conventional approach, all of which is a result of improved geometry, better materials, and attention to detail.

CPP also offers high clearance sway bar kits for: