Front Swaybar question

[tonys5.0]

I hear of some people removing their front swaybar. Why remove it and what does it benefit?

 

[Robert_68]

Prob upsest with weight reduction?

 

[slo65]

it lightens up the front a bit, and it allows the chassie to flex a little, its mostly a drag racing thing, i've heard different things about taking it off on the street, but when i head to the track soon i'll be taking it off, its supposed to help on the launches

 

[gt-351]

I dont think its a good idea to remove it if you are driving to the track. But I remove the two nuts on the end links and Zip tie the sway bar up as high u can. I drilled a small hole in my plastic fender on my 95 vert. This gives enough strenth to hold just fine. Just rember to take all 4 bushings off the studs. It really helps on launches!!! You cant forget to hook it all back up because it almost feels like your on a waterbed.

 

[stang22]

Weight transfer... You will have some increased body roll when cornering during normal daily driving. If you don't corner, no biggy. Disconnect it for a couple of days and drive around with it off and see how you like it. I like cornering, so mine is on.

Tim

 

[TrickStang37]

weight transfers to the back wheels ALOT better. havent had mine on for a few years now and mines my daily driver. the car does handle alot like a Lincoln tho, but it keeps me driving sanely on the streets this way.

 

[90mustangGT]

weight transfers to the back wheels ALOT better. havent had mine on for a few years now and mines my daily driver. the car does handle alot like a Lincoln tho, but it keeps me driving sanely on the streets this way.

Agreed.

Don't belive all this crap about it making your car un-streetable. Almost every part of my suspension is considered un-streetable, the HPM LCA's, 90/10's, drag springs, no sway bar, and it will handle better than you might think. Georgia roads are almost all curvy, and I have no problem driving the speed limit and over on any road. You have to get used to it though, it's just different, not worse. Then again, you won't catch my car at an AutoX event.

I took my swaybar off and never considered putting it back. When the car was a daily driver, it actually helped in wet weather because it used to spin so bad, removed the swaybar and was so much better. Weight transer is so much better.

 

[89MustangGX]

Don't belive all this crap about it making your car un-streetable. Almost every part of my suspension is considered un-streetable, the HPM LCA's, 90/10's, drag springs, no sway bar, and it will handle better than you might think. Georgia roads are almost all curvy, and I have no problem driving the speed limit and over on any road. You have to get used to it though, it's just different, not worse. Then again, you won't catch my car at an AutoX event.

I have to agree as well.

Many cars/trucks didn't come with swaybars from the factory and they're not deathtraps or even terrible to drive. Sure, modern technology makes everything nice, but people did it for plenty of years the other way too.

With a drag suspension a car tends to feel boaty around corners, but truth is, they're usually a nice comfortable ride (like a big old luxury car). There seems to be a misconception that if you setup for drag racing you can never drive the car on the street -- and it's just not true.

 

[Michael Yount]

Cars that were designed without sway bars in the first place are an entirely different situation than vehicles that were designed with them and then had them removed.

The only way I'd do it is like gt351 described. Take it loose temporarily at the track, and then hook it back up for street use.

The issue isn't can you drive it on the street that way - of course you can. The issue is what happens to the agility of the car in an emergency manuver when someone pulls out in front of you unexpected and you have to avoid the incident.

No front sway bar, 90/10 shocks, skinnies on the front - those kinds of strip alterations make the emergency manuver capability of one on the street a liability both for you and for the rest of us out there with you. Your car's ability to avoid the unexpected is significantly reduced. No way around it guys - literally and figuratively.

 

[89bluegt]

I don't have 90/10 shocks & skinnies on the front but I have'nt had a front sway bar for over a year and my "emergency manuver capability" has been fine. Just my 2cent.

 

[onpoint]

If you guys are so worried about reducing weight or doing what ever you can for better weight transfer, just take a S H I T before you drive your car and that will shed some time off your 1/4 mile. Just the other day I dropped a huge log before I went to the track and wow was my time impressive.

 

[jerry beach]

I have been driving with mine disconnected for a few months now. I have my drag struts set at the second setting. ( one notch from full loose) My car rides nice that way. The rear is stiff, but the front floats like boat. The thing that adversly affected my handling is the oversize tires. They neen a wider rim and make the rear end sway. The 250lbs of crap in the trunk isnt helping matters either.

I dont doubt anything Michael Yount says, but I do feel that my car still handles better than a lincoln town car or my truck. I wouldnt feel unsafe driving any of those. Driving carefully in the first place goes a long way. If you are the kind of person who is always in a hurry then its a bad idea. Just my .02.