1-1/8 & 1-1/4 front sway bar vs factory 7/8?

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For what it's worth, I'm running the Hellwig 1 1/8" tubular (hollow) bar.

It was my first suspension upgrade on a stock suspension and boy did I notice a difference. Even with stock torsion bars, crappy shocks, and worn out bushings the car went through the turns much flatter than before.

Now, everything has been upgraded and replaced. Now I'm running 1.03" torsion bars, lower control arm stiffening, polygraphite bushings, Bilstein shocks, Moog tierod ends, Borgeson steering box and wide 18" wheels. It's a pleasure to drive on windy roads.

Eventually, I'd like to add a rear sway bar because I can feel the ***-end sway a bit when really pushing it on mountain roads.
 
Thats awesome! Thank you for the feedback, what year is yours? I was leaning toward the firm feel but not sure yet
 
autoxcuda said:
Not needed.
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Thank you, so is it even worth thinking about getting the 1-1/4 bar? I deff dont want to make it too stiff in the front. I just never really got a definitive answer from firm feel. I mean is the 1-1/8 the safest bet? Kind of the middle point of being just enough and not too much?
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
How did the hardware seem? I have read some reviews saying they were missing hardware, its not a big deal but i was just curious.
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It came with all the hardware I needed and worked with my factory sway bar tabs too. Just keep in mind I have the 73+ front suspension.
 
JoesEdge said:
It came with all the hardware I needed and worked with my factory sway bar tabs too. Just keep in mind I have the 73+ front suspension.
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Thank you, thats why i was curious as to what year your car was, would you happen to have pics of your install? I know mine mounts completely different but would still like to see yours
 
I run Helwig front and rear bars on my 68 Barracuda...
install was easy and it handles really nice. Very flat in corners and the ride is firm but not harsh... Springs are Mancini XHD and the shocks are blue...lol. no idea what brand... maybe Munroes.
I love driving this car ! I cant imagine needing more cornering ability for sane driving.
I sell Acuras , Porsche , Mercedes and Jags... so I know what great cars handle like. I am not saying my Cuda will run with these cars around a track ...just that it corners and drives really nice.
 
My Dart has the .870 torsion bars and 6 leaf rear springs. I went from no anti-sway bar to the Hellwig 1 1/8" hollow bar. Handling improved quite a bit and twisty roads are no problem now.
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Thank you, thats why i was curious as to what year your car was, would you happen to have pics of your install? I know mine mounts completely different but would still like to see yours
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Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the install. There wasn't much to it really. It installs just like the factory sway bar but with beefier components. It's like everything bigger and thicker. (that's what she said)
 
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here is a pic of the rear Helwig on my 69 340 Swinger. I welded the brackets on this one.
 
I am thinking of going with firm feel, the 67-72 a body 1-1/8 hellwig bar is solid not tubular

Deff want to cut down on weight if i can

Edit: looks like the firm feel 1-1/8 bar isnt tubular either looks like to get tubular you have to go 1-1/4
 
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Yep 1-1/8 is solid from both hellwig and firm feel, hellwig does make a tubular but its 1-1/4

Did some research and came up with this, apparently to reach the same stiffness in a hollow bar the size must be increased, so a 1-1/4 hollow bar is about as stiff as a 1-1/8 solid bar, only savings is in the slight weight difference. This can vary by manufacturer though. So basically the 1-1/4 tubular is comparable to the 1-1/8 solid bar. This sound right?
 
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I'm local to Firm Feel, so I've stopped by for face-to-face brain pickings and made purchases several times. These guys are the real deal. I would follow any suggestions they have.
 
Thank you, they advised a 1-1/8 would be good and a 1-1/4 bar would be even better. But from what i understand a 1-/4 hollow bar is only slightly stiffer than a solid 1-1/8 bar. Just not sold on either size yet
 
So im having a hard time understanding, i found a sway bar spring rate calculator and assuming all lengths are the same, a 1-1/8 solid bar will be 1.75 times stiffer than a 7/8 solid bar. And the 1-1/4 tubular bar at .25” wall thickness (guess) will only be 1.5 times stiffer. Is this true? But then i saw a video where a 1-3/8 hollow bar had more stiffness than a 1-1/4 solid bar.

From hotchkis: “a 1’3/8″ hollow bar is equivalent to a 1’1/4″ solid. But the 1’3/8″ hollow bar is 6% stiffer and 43% lighter than the 1’1/4″ solid.” So a 1-1/4 hollow would be equivalent to a 1-1/8 solid but be slightly stiffer and lighter?

Im about to just go the solid 1-1/8 bar route and say screw it lol

Not even sure how accurate the calculator is

I appreciate everyones input and thanks for being patient with my questions.

Also according to summit the hellwig 1-1/8 tubular bar is curently discontinued and the 1-1/4 tubular bar is being discontinued with none in stock, the 1-1/8 bar is available, so are they limiting it down to only one option on the front? Im just concerned about it being too stiff if its even possible with .870 bars

@72bluNblu
@autoxcuda
 
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Pulled the trigger on the hellwig 5906 1-1/8 solid sway bar, i got to thinking about it and my current 7/8 sway bar is solid, so i cant foresee the 1-1/8 solid bar weighing much more than the 7/8. Was thinking about firm feel but why pay $100 more for the same size solid bar
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Pulled the trigger on the hellwig 5906 1-1/8 solid sway bar, i got to thinking about it and my current 7/8 sway bar is solid, so i cant foresee the 1-1/8 solid bar weighing much more than the 7/8. Was thinking about firm feel but why pay $100 more for the same size solid bar
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Right on! You will definitely feel a difference with that bar.

The Firm Feel bar that tempts me is the rear bar. It's design is way different than Hellwigs. The sway bar is actually hung from the car's frame instead of mounting on the axle. The end links attach to a plate that is sandwiched between the axle and leaf spring.

Like this: A Body Sway Bars

I just don't know if it will work with my dual exhaust pipes. They may be in the way. Not only that, but they're pretty expensive. The Hellwig version is more cost effective.
 
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