Question: Rear sway bar for 66 327?

[jackfit]

I would like to know if putting a rear sway bar on my 327/350 66 vette would do any good. It did not come with one and if there is no advantage in corners for keeps the car flatter, then I will not install it. Thanks for your anwser. Also, if my front sway bar is 43 years old, other than the bushings wearing out , does the bar itself loose the ablility to fight the sway of the car? If you have installed a rear bar in a C2 sb, did it work?

Jack

 

[bradfordsvettes]

I put one in my 69 I liked the difference myself I put a big block one in It may have been overkill but have a small block sway bar if I happen to change my mind Steve

 

[jackfit]

Thanks for the info, please see my additional question on sway bars? Do they loose the ability to fight sway after 43 years? The bar has no bends or damage to it.

 

[bradfordsvettes]

my guess is that it my loose a little but if it isn't broken it will still work fine it is a sort of torsion bar and they are used as springs in many vehicles.The lose would be minimal in my book and would not mater unless it was for all out competition. just adding one where one wasn't would shurly make a difference Steve

 

[jackfit]

Thanks, I will install the big one on the rear.

Jack

 

[JohnZ]

Thanks, I will install the big one on the rear.

Jack

BAD idea! If you install a rear stabilizer bar without correctly increasing the size of the front bar to compensate for the change in roll couple distribution and keep the chassis neutral, you'll dramatically increase oversteer, especially in transient maneuvers near the limit. When the rear end breaks loose, you won't be able to catch it - that's VERY exciting. :eyerole

Most "catalog engineering" of chassis components turns out poorly, especially if you don't understand chassis dynamics and the component balance required for predictable chassis behavior.

 

[JohnZ]

Thanks for the info, please see my additional question on sway bars? Do they loose the ability to fight sway after 43 years? The bar has no bends or damage to it.

No, they dont' get "softer" with age - they're forged steel. The best approach is to replace the rubber grommets on the end link bolts with polyurethane grommets - that will reduce initial deflection and make the bar more efficient, without changing its rate.

 

[bradfordsvettes]

No, they dont' get "softer" with age - they're forged steel. The best approach is to replace the rubber grommets on the end link bolts with polyurethane grommets - that will reduce initial deflection and make the bar more efficient, without changing its rate.

how can you explain torsion bars that start to sag with age? :confused Steve

 

[JohnZ]

how can you explain torsion bars that start to sag with age? :confused Steve

Suspension torsion bars (like older Mopars) are under full-load stress 100% of the time, carrying the car's front end weight (except when the car is on a lift). Stabilizer bars have zero torsional stress when the car is sitting or going down a relatively smooth road - they're only stressed (lightly) when going around a corner or when going slowly down a really bad road with lots of suspension deflection; that's why they essentially last forever.

 

[jackfit]

Thanks again, I will take your advice. If you did change the front bar to the correct size and then added a rear bar, would the car handle any better than just putting new polyurethane bushings in the front.

Jack

 

[bradfordsvettes]

Suspension torsion bars (like older Mopars) are under full-load stress 100% of the time, carrying the car's front end weight (except when the car is on a lift). Stabilizer bars have zero torsional stress when the car is sitting or going down a relatively smooth road - they're only stressed (lightly) when going around a corner or when going slowly down a really bad road with lots of suspension deflection; that's why they essentially last forever.

Well I guess you learn something every day I would have thought that they would get some fatigue over the years .You are probably right about the sway bar addition , I liked the way it felt when I put it on my car .I have been working on cars for 35 years but do not claim to know everything and have never autocrossed or really investigated the remifications of random installs Steve

 

[JohnZ]

Thanks again, I will take your advice. If you did change the front bar to the correct size and then added a rear bar, would the car handle any better than just putting new polyurethane bushings in the front.

Jack

The engineers spent a lot of time and development effort to make the stock small-block Corvette chassis quite neutral and predictable at the limit. If you intend to autocross the car, it might benefit from the stock big-block rear bar and the stock 7/8" big-block front bar, but you'd have to work it pretty hard to tell the difference.