Sway Bar Question

-
D

djwhog

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
1,600
Reaction score
6
Anybody use the Mopar sway bars on an A body recently?

Mopar Performance Bolt-On Sway Bars
Mopar Performance Parts sway bars improve the handling of cars and trucks in a number of ways: sway, body roll, traction loss and "plowing" during turns are all significantly reduced with the addition of these high quality suspension pieces from Mopar Performance Parts. They also prevent "fishtailing" when towing and help reduce tire wear. Mopar Performance Parts sway bars are designed for easy bolt-on installation for those who want a better cornering/handling vehicle.
1964-66 P4452817 7/8 Front
1964-66 P4286723 3/4 Rear

How do they compare to the after market kits?
 
Ill be putting on a set of Addco bars within the next few weeks, Ill tell ya then, how I like them! lol guess that doesnt help ya much does it!
Well either way if you decide to get after market bars get em from ebay. Myself and many other guys are getting them from the same guy because he has great prices!
I bought 1 1/8" frt and 7/8" rear for 180.00 with tax and shipping. Hardware is decent and the bars were powder coated black. just a suggestion. lata'
 
I think the MP bars are ADDCO bars. Probably the most popular aftermarket bars, especially for the early A. Check the bay, there's a guy out there selling them at a pretty good price.
 
If you are already getting plowing or "push" in the turns putting a bigger front bar will make it worse, you need to install a rear bar are stiffer rear springs to offset a "push". If you are fishtailing or "loose" you need to install a bigger front bar or stiffer front springs to offset "loose". This would be the simple condensed version of setting up a car to go around corners. Front end alignment setup will also change how a car handles. Shocks will also change how it handles. The list is quite large for things that will effect how a car handles. For a street car I would stick with the standard alignment and balance the car with sway bars and shocks.

The factory built our cars to "push" on purpose because it is the safest condition for everyday drivers when a car loses it's cornering ability.


Chuck
 
I understand the physics of increasing front roll stiffness will increase the handling more towards understeer. But, going from no bar to a bar on the front will dramtically improve the handling and grip of the front end by keeping the tires more in the middle of their travel thus increasing the tires foot print.

FWIW, I installed an 1 1/8" ADDCO front bar on my 68 Barracuda which did not have a bar. Much improved handling; the car responds better and stays much flatter through corners.
 
we put a mopar front bar on a 73 scamp with a 383 yes the car stays much flatter,,not so much body roll...its simple to put on,,and well worth the bucks
 
dgc333 said:
I understand the physics of increasing front roll stiffness will increase the handling more towards understeer. But, going from no bar to a bar on the front will dramtically improve the handling and grip of the front end by keeping the tires more in the middle of their travel thus increasing the tires foot print.

FWIW, I installed an 1 1/8" ADDCO front bar on my 68 Barracuda which did not have a bar. Much improved handling; the car responds better and stays much flatter through corners.
Click to expand...


Although your car stays flatter going around corners it may actually corner no better or could very well be worse if it was put on a track and checked. I try not to use the word handling too much because it is a wide open term as far as what it means to certain people. I have actually had circle track and road race cars that "handled" better in the corners being it has easier to drive but it actually had slower lap times than the same car with a setup that I would say handled horrible because it took a lot of effort to drive thru the corners. Vehicle feel is not a good indication of how well a car goes around corners, althought vehicle feel is a good indicator on how well a car handles. They are two different things, at least to me they are.

Vehicles that corner flat can give a false impression that the car is cornering better. It "handles" better to the driver because it doesn't "whale" around and for an everyday driver a vehicle that responds better to driver inputs will be a nicer driving car without a doubt. I was speaking in terms of performance cornering to the limit the tires breaking loose. Not actually a better feeling "handling" car. You are right a better handling street car is more important than a street car that can run a fast lap around a track because that car will most likely drive and "handle" like crap on the street.


Chuck
 
It depends a lot on what is the limiting factor with the setup. On a stock nose heavy A body, a front sway bar will help, as will lowering the car at both ends. Obviously more rubber is a good thing as well. There is a difference between how you would set a car up for autocross vs. circle track vs. street. Wheel rate and roll center are big players for transitional handling, more so than pure lateral grip.

In general, I would add a front bar first (like the factory did), and then consider a rear bar to dial out some of the push. When I added a factory bar to the front of my 72 it was like night and day. One of the best bolt-on mods out there, but like with the engine, there is no one part which will create an "instant race car".
 
Got the same deal on ebay as well. Front and rear ADDCO bar for the little a body. So are you saying I should install the front bar first, then add the rear later if needed? The kit that I got from Ebay came with a handling book from ADDCO. I have not read it yet but I bet it will helpful info.
 
Yes, as far as safety is concerned if you are going to add one at a time it is better to add stiffness to the front and work your way back. But you can do both at once and you will be fine. I just would not put a rear bar on without a front bar, you could create a lose condition if you did that.


Chuck
 
Does anyone know of any place that will make a sway bar to fit your car? i have an alterktion for my 64 and need a custom sway bar made. can a local shop do it?
 
340mopar said:
Yes, as far as safety is concerned if you are going to add one at a time it is better to add stiffness to the front and work your way back. But you can do both at once and you will be fine. I just would not put a rear bar on without a front bar, you could create a lose condition if you did that.


Chuck
Click to expand...


Agree, I am putting on a front and a rear bar. And sitting fairly low and level is key for corning, but not the 1/4. I am leaning more to a street car package. The rear sway bar is already in place and the front will go on when I finish the brake conversion and put all the new parts with it including new torsion bars.

Question on the rear sway bar, I have seen them mounted and some sit above the pumpkin, and some that mount below. Which is better? And which models are which as far as mounting goes?

I went with a larger B body ideler balljoints etc kit. Also the old 273 vintage 64 bars are tired so I got a set of bars for .870 with the 110 spring rate. The 2b cars used .840 with a 101 rate. I think this was like the 68-71 318, 340, cars and the big block cars had a larger bar. And I think back in 64 the 273 used the slant 6 bars at
.830 at 92 lb rate. I also am still up in the air on the deciding which rear laefs to get. I dont want Super stocks, and I want the car to sit level, the old springs are tired. I think the new JCs from what I have heard are only 4 leaf but have about the same rate and ride height as the 5 leaf they used to carry. I may have a set made too. Just would like to see a few cars with the springs on the get a feel for the stiffness and height.

I also want to note that the bars have a right and left. So I think if I am correct is for a stronger rate on one side for engine torque?
 
Tired springs? Review Hooke's Law. The rate never changes, so have your leafs re-arched or turn up your torsion bars.
 
yes, the pass side is indexed different to account for engine torque, but not a higher spring rate. if you put them on opposite sides, you would never get it to sit right.

the rear sway bar that mounts above the rear axle mimics the old e-body trans am style. i have put front and rear firm feels bars on a-bodies and they work nice, just had to modify the fuel lines a bit.

just get your springs re-arched and add poly front eye bushings. they help controling rear axle movement (thrust angle alignment) under hard acceleration. lube them and they won't squeak.
 
fstfish66 said:
dodge nut bill has a sway bar now for the alterkation,,,,you lucky dog,,,
Click to expand...


does he have them for early A alterktions? if so, im gonna get one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top