TheAMCForum.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > The Garage > Suspension, Steering, Brakes & Wheels
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Sway bar (anti-roll bar) facts....
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Click for TheAMCForum Rules / Click for PDF version of Forum Rules
Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.

Topic ClosedSway bar (anti-roll bar) facts....

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
 Rating: Topic Rating: 1 Votes, Average 5.00  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
billd View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group

Forum Administrator

Joined: Jun/27/2007
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 30894
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Sway bar (anti-roll bar) facts....
    Posted: Aug/14/2019 at 7:01pm
A softer front bar:
1. Increases front chassis roll.
2. Increases front grip or traction, while decreasing rear grip or traction.
3. Slower steering response.
4. Increases off-power steering at corner entry.

A stiffer front bar:
1. Decreases front chassis roll.
2. Decreases front grip or traction, while increasing rear grip or traction.
3. Faster steering response.
4. Decreases off-power steering at corner entry.

A softer rear bar:
1. Increases rear chassis roll
2. Increases rear grip or traction, while decreasing front grip or traction.
3. Less on-power steering.

A stiffer rear bar:
1. Decreases rear chassis roll.
2. Decreases rear traction, while increasing front grip or traction.
3. Faster steering response in high speed corners and chicanes.
4. Increases on-power steering.


PLEASE NOTE THAT BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS STIFFER AND SMALLER IS NOT ALWAYS SOFTER!

A bigger front sway bar increases understeer
A smaller front sway bar decreases understeer

A bigger rear sway bar decreases understeer (more oversteer)
A smaller rear sway bar increases understeer (less oversteer).

Really, what you are doing is changing the rate that weight gets transferred to a tire. The stiffer the sway bar, the faster the weight gets transferred to that wheel, and the sooner it reaches its limit and loses traction.

That is why a bigger front bar gives understeer, even though you think the opposite would happen. Yes, the bigger front bar gives a better camber pattern, allowing the tire to have a more efficient contact patch (i.e. it is less likely to roll over onto the shoulder). But, if you are transferring the weight to the front tire faster than to the rear, that front tire is going to lose traction faster.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.094 seconds.
All content of this site Copyright © 2018 TheAMCForum unless otherwise noted, all rights reserved.
PROBLEMS LOGGING IN or REGISTERING:
If you have problems logging in or registering, then please contact a Moderator or