Rear sway bar question

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LST46

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I don’t do a lot of spirited driving so handling isn’t the most important thing with my 68 Cuda but if I can improve it easily that would be nice so I’m considering installing a rear sway bar. The car has big block torsion bars but doesn’t have any sway bar(s) at the moment and I know a front bar would be more effective but I don’t want to lose any traction because even with 275/60/15 drag radials it still doesn’t hook up great on the street. Has anyone here tried a rear sway bar on its own to see if it helps body roll any? Or would I just be wasting time and money doing just a rear bar?
 
If getting one bar, make it the front. Just a rear bar creates oversteer that gets more difficult to control the faster you go.
 
if you're looking to improve the hook up or straight line traction something like cal tracs or a revision of what your rear suspension currently is may be in order (ie SS springs, shocks).

in certain instances sway bars can help with things of that nature because they're a suspension tuning aid but for what it seems like you're trying to do you'd be much better off going another direction.

either way, i'd 100% get front bar on that either way.
 
Front is a must, night and day different on my 66 sedan

20180724_125458.jpg
 
Haven't read this whole thread, but.....
There ARE rear "anti-roll" bars designed for DRAG cars, that have too much body twist. That can help with control of a drag car. The idea is to get it to leave level (usually with substantial air under the front tires).
But if youre concerned with handling, rear bar only is a bad idea. As said above, promotes oversteer, makes it dangerous.
I'd NEVER run a rear bar without a bigger front bar
 
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In most front engine, rear drive street driven cars, there is a standard to follow for a fairly neutral handling car.
The following assumes matching spring rates from the front to the rear. Any one of the three will usually provide safe and predictable handling. These are generalities but they are correct.
* No sway bars at all.
* Moderate front sway bar only.
* Larger front bar, moderate rear bar.
Nowhere have I seen any OEM setup where there is only a rear bar or where the rear bar is larger than the front.
 
No rear sway without a front anti-sway bar.
Anytime the rear roll rate is stiffened relative to the front, it is more likely to break loose first.
In plain english the car will do tank slappers and spin 180 when traction is lost - such as on a down sloping curve in the wet.
I learned this the hard way first, but its in all the books (which I hadn't known about at the time)

A light one can be used with the right combination of springs, front sway bar, and front/rear weight for some uses.

Rear Sway Bar?

I installed an after market sway bar on the front of my '65 Barracuda but the rear end feels like it will come loose on hard higher speed turns. I told the club's Barracuda expert that I am thinking of installing a rear sway bar. His comment was installing extra rear spring leaves would work...
www.forabodiesonly.com

A front anti-sway bar is well worth it.
Depending on the specifics, better shocks may how it responds to the steering wheel. But I'd start with front sway bar.
 
Traction forward is another story.
I'd look at the; anti-squat in the leaf springs, stiffness of the front half of the leaf springs, pinion snubber. For drag strip having a snubber just slightly touching when static can help the launch assuming the leaf springs are stiff enough in the front halves. I didn't like it for street use and autocross, but its an effective trick for mopar drag racing.
 
I have the Addco 1 1/8" front bar and rear 7/8" bar on Vixen with an otherwise stock suspension and she handles good. I need to make a change to the front, but it works fine like it is.
 
Sorry guys. I guess my question was confusing. I'm not trying to improve traction with a sway bar. I'm looking to help eliminate body roll. The only reason I'm against adding a front sway bar is I know it'll stiffen up the front end and worsen traction. I figured a rear bar won't affect traction, just help eliminate rear body roll.
 
Mattax said:
No rear sway without a front anti-sway bar.
Anytime the rear roll rate is stiffened relative to the front, it is more likely to break loose first.
In plain english the car will do tank slappers and spin 180 when traction is lost - such as on a down sloping curve in the wet.
I learned this the hard way first, but its in all the books (which I hadn't known about at the time)

A light one can be used with the right combination of springs, front sway bar, and front/rear weight for some uses.
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A front anti-sway bar is well worth it.
Depending on the specifics, better shocks may how it responds to the steering wheel. But I'd start with front sway bar.
Click to expand...
I think this answers my question best. I wanted to make sure adding just a rear sway bar wouldn't cause crazy things to happen. I think I'll forget the idea.

Thanks to everyone for their input
 
This is simple. If you go to the track, just remove one link kit from the front bar and render it useless.
 
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