front swaybar

THX 138 · May 21, 2006

Any good early mustang front swaybars? I've found a 1" diameter solid bar, but I was wondering if there were any larger diameter bars that are hollow and lighter.

65 fastback · May 21, 2006

Cobra Automotive sells a 1-1/8" hollow front sway bar - http://www.cobraautomotive.com/ - That's the largest I'm aware of.

Tim

C0V3R · May 21, 2006

Is a hollow 1 1/8 stiffer than a solid 1in?

65 fastback · May 21, 2006

C0V3R said:
Is a hollow 1 1/8 stiffer than a solid 1in?

Yes, and CobraAutomotive specializes in vintage race set-ups. Their front sway bar is probably overkill for most cars, the standard 1" bar that most of the venders is probably the better bet for a street car.

Tim

65notch · May 21, 2006

ive got the 1 1/8 on my 65. i really like it, does a great job.

THX 138 · May 21, 2006

C0V3R said:
Is a hollow 1 1/8 stiffer than a solid 1in?

I coudl pull out my Statics and Strengths of Materials book and find out I've calculated other diameters before and the differance between solid and hollow are negligable. Think of it this way. Torque = Force x distance. The distance of the matieral from the centerline is really small until you get to the outer edges of the diameter so the inner material doesn't exert as much torque as the other material. So with a little extra diatmeter you can be stiffer than a solid bar with a little smaller diameter.

70vert · May 21, 2006

actually, it's a hollow 1 1/4"

65 fastback said:
Cobra Automotive sells a 1-1/8" hollow front sway bar - http://www.cobraautomotive.com/ - That's the largest I'm aware of.

Tim

actually, it's a hollow 1 1/4" sway bar and supposedly feels like a solid 1 1/8". I have one on my '70 convertible with Unique Performance coilovers. I don't have any understeer problems, it's actually pretty neutral and nice and stiff up front. The guy I did the order with has a '69 fastback and uses the same front sway bar.

It's hard to find a consensus on swaybars, just what you can do to correct certain behaviors. The front sway certainly flattened out my ride and gave me less body roll up front, (it now feels like the rear is trying to twist the body out of plane, even with subframes ) but what exact behavior are you trying to correct?

I have a pet theory that convertibles need bigger sway bars to keep front and rear from body rolling relative to each other, and that they respond better to changes in sway bar because differences in body roll front and rear unsettle the convertible frame a little more . . . but you have a coupe, so not as big of an issue there . . .

THX 138 · May 21, 2006

70vert said:
actually, it's a hollow 1 1/4" sway bar and supposedly feels like a solid 1 1/8". I have one on my '70 convertible with Unique Performance coilovers. I don't have any understeer problems, it's actually pretty neutral and nice and stiff up front. The guy I did the order with has a '69 fastback and uses the same front sway bar.

It's hard to find a consensus on swaybars, just what you can do to correct certain behaviors. The front sway certainly flattened out my ride and gave me less body roll up front, (it now feels like the rear is trying to twist the body out of plane, even with subframes ) but what exact behavior are you trying to correct?

I have a pet theory that convertibles need bigger sway bars to keep front and rear from body rolling relative to each other, and that they respond better to changes in sway bar because differences in body roll front and rear unsettle the convertible frame a little more . . . but you have a coupe, so not as big of an issue there . . .

well the whole car still feels a ittle squirly, and it follows the cracks on the ground a bit too much. I think that's called tracking? And it creaks and groans like crazy so maybe all the bushings are dried out or the shocks are dried out. I'm not sure. I was thinking of starting with new shocks then swaybar.

TOM B · May 21, 2006

I just bought and installed a 1-1/8 inch solid bar fron CJ pony parts and I thinks it great

70vert · May 22, 2006

new bushings, bump steer corrector, roller spring perch

THX 138 said:
well the whole car still feels a ittle squirly, and it follows the cracks on the ground a bit too much. I think that's called tracking? And it creaks and groans like crazy so maybe all the bushings are dried out or the shocks are dried out. I'm not sure. I was thinking of starting with new shocks then swaybar.

From all the info I've seen here and on other forums, the best way to solve the tracking problem would be:

1) Baer Tracker or similar bump steer corrector

2) Roller spring perches to eliminate some of the bind in the front suspension

3) Alignment? but wait until you do the above mods.

Creaking and groaning:

1) Got an export brace or Monte Carlo bar? That should stiffen up the engine compartment and help cowl shake

2) Subframes. Will also help out the above, on a coupe I would go with the Maier Racing version, they connect at more points than competing designs but are also more spendy. If you're on the cheap, go Tin Man subframes.

3) Bushings might be causing creaking and groaning, or poly bushings that aren't lubed?

I generally feel that expensive suspension mods don't give you the full benefit unless you have a solid, stiff frame to go from. But the creaking and groaning is probably annoying you right now. I would do those 3 creaking and groaning mods in order before I spend money on the suspension, personally, unless it's just dangerous to drive.

And I definitely do NOT feel that a sway bar will help you at this point. Once things are solid and tracking right, if you have too much oversteer or understeer or the front end, rear, or both feels like there is too much bod roll, then go sway bar. Might also help to have a video of you doing something autocross-y in an empty parking lot so you can see how the car behaves when you throw it from side to side . . .

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