Big Block Torsion Bar Selection

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roughidle

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I'm going to be doing street driving with occasional strip use. I'll be building a ~470-500 inch stroker from a low deck. I have two sets of torsion bars to choose from here: 1.14" and .88". Which way should I go? I had picked up the larger bars here a year or two ago figuring they would be best to use given the extra big block weight, but I've been hearing of people running slant six bars (which I believe are even smaller than my smaller pair), so which should I use? - 68 B'cuda notch 727 auto s/s springs out back

Thanks
 
If you even think you might ever go around a corner with the vehicle in motion use the bigger bars. The smaller bars might (arguably) be a bit better on the strip, but they would be crap on the street.
 
I've got .920"'s with my blown 440 along with front (and rear) sway bars. The ride is quite firm and stable - borderline harsh with lowly KYB shocks.
 
I run 1" on my daily all-iron 318 Dart.
1.14" with a bigblock with be 'firm', especially if you use an aluminium intake and heads for instance.
I certainly wouldn't run anything under 1" with a BB.
 
mine are just over 1 inch(1.02 or1.04,cant recall).theyre not too big.Id consider the next size up.I wouldnt go any less. 68 Formula S 360 aluminum top end. street only car.1.125 front bar. .892s were embarrassingly soft.
 
Ok, sorry to disappoint the majority of you, but I think I'll be keeping and running the 1.14 bars. Thanks for all the input
 
I am going to be running HD 340 bars on the front of my duster.Mind you i have the weight of the BB down to all steel SB weight
 
I have 1.12" bars in my Duster with a 340 that has an aluminum intake, headers, manual steering, and no A/C. So its pretty light as far as '74 Dusters go. I run Bilstein RCD's, and think it rides and handles great. Ride is pretty similar to a modern car, pretty comparable to my g/f's 2013 Mustang with the "premium" package suspension. I would suggest going with a good set of shocks, otherwise your ride is going to end up being harsh. Bilstein RCD's or the Fox shocks from Hotchkis would be my recommendation.
 
My son's 383 Barracuda has run both .990s and 1.14s with KYBs. Neither of us found the ride too harsh with either t-bar. Sway bar started as a stock big block piece and wound up with a front 1.25" and rear 3/4". Run the 1.14s and don't look back.
 
So what were the stock sizes in a 71 dart /6? went to mopar chassis book and couldnt find what car/engine combos were,anyone car to list the varies combos on a-bodys?
 
Here's a chart showing the mopar spec bars. Keep in mind that the rates of aftermarket bars may not be exactly the same for the same diameter, since the spring rate does vary with the metallurgy of the bar.

/6 bars are only .83" and only have a 90 lb/in rate. By comparison, the 1.14" bars have a 350 lb/in rate. The 1.12's from Firm Feel that I run have a 300 lb/in rate. I wouldn't run them with KYB's, but they're awesome with Bilsteins.
 

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