Suspension / ChassisQuestions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?
Welcome to ThirdGen.org!
Welcome to ThirdGen.org.
You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, join the ThirdGen.org community today!
IS there really any good purpose to removing the front sway bar? If I did would it effect my daily driving, and I'm not planning on any rally racing or hard cornering. I know some guys claim it improves their launchs. Also can I keep my wonder bar on, and would that help with any steering loss from the sway bar removal?
There was a member on here (can't remember the username) that did some passes with the bar on and then some with it off. He did it all in the same night so people couldn't say track and weather conditions skewed the results. He found that there was very little difference in e.t. (I think less then 1/10 of a second) but driving around without the front bar on was terrible at average speeds through any turn. Personally, I say leave it on.
The wonder bar only stiffens the front portion of the subframe. It does nothing to change how the car handles in turns. It was just a steering brace installed by GM because the IROC-Z's were cracking the front subframe by the steering box because of their high lateral loads (aka good handling). Leave it on if you have it. If you dont have it and can get it realitivly cheap, I say put it on to prevent fatigue to the front subframe.
Is this a drag only car or is it a daily driver as well?
Mike
__________________ Suspension - far from stock, Brakes - far from stock Drivetrain - upgraded, Engine - bolt ons
In Louisiana where I was, the driveway just short curbs. I hit one too fast in my DROPPED (so a high center of gravity wasn't an issue) '78 Chevy truck....It RIPPED the 2 front mounts of the frame, & jammed the ends in between the front coils. Had to drive a few days until I could fix them. Talk about SCARY! I'll never drive another car on the street without a front swaybar.
I felt like I was gonna be tossed out the window in corners.
I drove my old 83 with basically no front swaybar, after one of the endlinks broke while I was driving. Had to drive it back home that way. I'm sure it didn't help that the struts were well worn, but it felt like it was gonna tip over taking turns. I would definitely not do it to a street car, and unless you have good stiff springs and struts I dare say it's slightly unsafe even.
The reason removing the swaybar can help with launches, is because it allows more weight transfer to the rear, by allowing the front end to buck higher on launch. For drag-only cars it's fine, because they don't need to take turns well.
leave it on, also get a wonder bar and strut tower brace and sub frame connectors ,,,i have installed these 3 items on my car and along with new tires ,,my car feels like it is on rails!! ..ok , well it handles great! ...never remove the sway bars for a street car...