Sway Bars

Rex Schimmer · February 18, 2009, 09:42:31 PM

Jl222, you are right about traction challenges with stiff springs, for good traction you want the suspension to be compliant but if you are running your car very low to the ground stiff springs are needed. And some springs are better than none.

Rex

Bob Drury · February 19, 2009, 08:49:22 AM

Dave Macdonald spun his to 311..................... and no loopedy loops.................... Car weighs 6200# and runs stiff springs..........................

jl222 · February 19, 2009, 10:51:39 AM

Quote from: Bob Drury on February 19, 2009, 08:49:22 AM
Dave Macdonald spun his to 311..................... and no loopedy loops.................... Car weighs 6200# and runs stiff springs..........................

Don't forget about Lindsleys and Leggitt 333mph + and solid suspension. When I asked Les how much weight he had in it he said ''more than you would believe''.

JL222

1 fast evo 2 · February 19, 2009, 01:38:36 PM

O.K. guys I have a similar question for you.
I understand the basics of swaybars in a road race situation, but what would be reccomended in my car for running at mile/Bonneville events. My car is an allwheel drive- 4 cylinder- turbo charged -moderate power (when compared to alot of the folk on here ) (around 1,000 awhp) - the car has independent rear suspension-coil over shocks. So I was thinking of adding a rear swaybar to the car to try and increase its highspeed stability.
Do you think this would help or make it worse.

Bob Drury · February 19, 2009, 01:39:43 PM

Boy of boy, I sure did enjoy Les' 15 minute warm ups in the pits..............

Bob Drury · February 19, 2009, 01:49:18 PM

Fast Evo, I don't claim to be an engineer, and I stayed at home last night, but a lot will depend on the downforce of the car. Does it have a spoiler? Whats the wheel base? How heavy is the car?
You will find on this thread and many others that we all have different opinions on everything from aero to weight bias to tire widths, etc.
Someone paraphrased a statement from Mike Cook (Mr. Salt) recently who said forget what anyone else says, every car handles differently and you just have to try it out and see.
Thats part of the fun................and by the way, as soon as you have it figured out on dry salt, a thundershower will hit. Then you get to start over!!! Thats why we race for big bucks............

John Burk · February 19, 2009, 02:18:01 PM

In theory the most spin resistant suspension would be a front anti-roll bar and independent rear suspension with a z-bar .

jl222 · February 19, 2009, 02:25:45 PM

Quote from: 1 fast evo 2 on February 19, 2009, 01:38:36 PM
O.K. guys I have a similar question for you.
I understand the basics of swaybars in a road race situation, but what would be reccomended in my car for running at mile/Bonneville events. My car is an allwheel drive- 4 cylinder- turbo charged -moderate power (when compared to alot of the folk on here ) (around 1,000 awhp) - the car has independent rear suspension-coil over shocks. So I was thinking of adding a rear swaybar to the car to try and increase its highspeed stability.
Do you think this would help or make it worse.

With 1000 hp and a slippery car you could go well over 250mph. Like Bob says I would make sure the car has downforce and enough weight to keep from flying. I've seen a few small cars fly at bville on utube for no apparent reason but I believe lift.
All wheel drive should help in the traction dept.
I would like an anti-roll bar on the 222 car only for help in a spin.
You don't want to go to bville,fly the car and say ''I should have done that''

Good Luck JL222

1 fast evo 2 · February 19, 2009, 03:14:27 PM

Well JL222- The car I am racing now is pretty stable in the lift dept. ( I've had it to the A2 tunnel), but it wanders around alot at high speeds,it hasn't and hopefully never will see the salt. I suppose I should of asked it as a 2 part question.

1-would a rear bar help with high speed stability on my EVO= boxy not very aero, 100 inch wheel base, awd, to be raced on asphalt only ?

2-would a rear or front or both bars be beneficial on the car I plan to take to Bonneville, which is an eagle talon= small, way more aero, short wheelbase (94 inches ), will also have coil overs. This car will also start running in G/production supercharged.

I hope this question comes across right as I am just trying to get some info from the people who have done it before and tried different things.

jl222 · February 19, 2009, 03:36:21 PM

Quote from: 1 fast evo 2 on February 19, 2009, 03:14:27 PM
Well JL222- The car I am racing now is pretty stable in the lift dept. ( I've had it to the A2 tunnel), but it wanders around alot at high speeds,it hasn't and hopefully never will see the salt. I suppose I should of asked it as a 2 part question.

1-would a rear bar help with high speed stability on my EVO= boxy not very aero, 100 inch wheel base, awd, to be raced on asphalt only ?

2-would a rear or front or both bars be beneficial on the car I plan to take to Bonneville, which is an eagle talon= small, way more aero, short wheelbase (94 inches ), will also have coil overs. This car will also start running in G/production supercharged.

I hope this question comes across right as I am just trying to get some info from the people who have done it before and tried different things.

Evo
I don't know for sure but I can't see how they would't help. Don't they come from the factory with anti-roll bars?

JL222

RICK · February 19, 2009, 05:18:44 PM

I was driving that black brick shown in the 'avatar' with no wing, no weight{ballast}, and no sway bar.It went straight as a string up to 150, then you could feel it pick up and float. I white knuckled it from side to side,,,, almost felt like torqe steer. I'll add weight, wing, and bar next time.

RICK

jl222 · February 19, 2009, 05:33:52 PM

fast Evo

More caster might help also.

JL222

Jerry O · February 19, 2009, 05:39:58 PM

Tony, If you do decide to run a Anti roll bar, try and make it adjustable. a lot of race cars have a bar with ams that run parallel to the ground. The then run adjustable links down to a point on the lower control arm. If you do this you can have several points on the arms that you can move to. Moving the link closer to the bar will make the bar stiffer and moving away from the bar will give you a softer bar (more mechanical advantage. Because all cars are different, spring rates, cg location, roll center heights and off set; it will be pure luck to have the proper bar dia and length. A adjustable bar will at least get you closer. Or you can set the car on a jig and measure all the points and spring rates and do the calculations and come with a bar that will be much closer. I am building a streamliner and I have a anti roll bar on the rear. I did this for safety reasons. I don't want any chassis roll in the car with a track width of only 23 inches. If the car were to spin and the chassis rolled over I am sure it would dig in and put me on my lid. ( don't want to see blue, white, blue white and so on). Hope I didn't confuse you, I'm not very good at describing things some times.

maguromic · February 19, 2009, 06:24:00 PM

Thanks Jerry, I am going to fab up some blades so I can adjust it easily. I was looking to see what others have done on the salt. Steve Conover is helping with the chassis and aero set up . You might remember him from your Indy and IMSA days.

jl222 · February 19, 2009, 07:19:49 PM

Jerry O

Allright a streamliner with suspension!!

JL222

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