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Larger front sway bar????

Lowhound

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Im working on a 70 Bee. Just curious if anyone knows how much inprovement I could expect if I from a 1 inch to a 1 1/8 front sway bar. Ive added poly bushings throughout,US tool frame connectors,7/8 rear sway bar, LCA stiffening plates,new leafs,gas shocks.Would a 1 1/8 front sway bar be OK for this set up or should I go larger?
 
I doubt that it will be noticable. With all you have done/are doing you really have to do them one at a time to see a difference with each thing.

The frame connector probably do more than any one single item.

The poly bushings, are good too.

The rear springs are good IF you buy from the right company, I hope it was ESPO and NOT Mopar Performance.

The rear sway bar is a waste of money on a leaf spring rear car. They are for coil spring cars.
 
I doubt that it will be noticable. With all you have done/are doing you really have to do them one at a time to see a difference with each thing.

The frame connector probably do more than any one single item.

The poly bushings, are good too.

The rear springs are good IF you buy from the right company, I hope it was ESPO and NOT Mopar Performance.

The rear sway bar is a waste of money on a leaf spring rear car. They are for coil spring cars.

have you ever put a rear sway on a leaf spring car? when you think about it it seams like it would not make a big difference, but it does.

I also doubt you will notice much of a difference going from 1" to 1 1/8 up front. Your car should handle like a dream, if it does not, then there is some other problem.
 
have you ever put a rear sway on a leaf spring car? when you think about it it seams like it would not make a big difference, but it does.

I also doubt you will notice much of a difference going from 1" to 1 1/8 up front. Your car should handle like a dream, if it does not, then there is some other problem.

No, I never have because suspension people have never rcommended it.

I am suprised anyone even makes on for the application. Likely those that do are doing so per buyer request because they THINK it will do something for them and they are simply cashing in on it.

I have never heard ANYONE say they have used one let alone that it made any difference until your post. If you understand geometry it makes no sence. The only possible way I can see it helping is if you have COMPLETELY worn out/sagging springs.
 
No, I never have because suspension people have never rcommended it.

I am suprised anyone even makes on for the application. Likely those that do are doing so per buyer request because they THINK it will do something for them and they are simply cashing in on it.

I have never heard ANYONE say they have used one let alone that it made any difference until your post. If you understand geometry it makes no sence. The only possible way I can see it helping is if you have COMPLETELY worn out/sagging springs.

I meant no disrespect in my post, I felt the same way about rear sway bars until a friend talked me into putting one on my 68 dart, it reduces body roll considerably and I was able to take corners much faster. I recently put a sway bar on the front of my truck, which is a straight axle, and it made a significant improvement as well, I understand math, and it doesn't make much sense but it works.
 
1970 dodge challenger ta/ 1970 aar cuda, both had rear sway bars. Just pointing this out.
 
So did 72-74 Rallye Challengers and Chargers, as well as a lot of very late B bodies (Cordoba, Magnum, etc)
 
Well, if I am wrong I am wrong. Even though I sold these cars new I never cared for E bodies from the day they were new and paid little attention to them. I was not aware they had a rear sway bar.

I apologize for my ignorance on this.
 
I forgot to mention in my post,Im also adding a new or remanufactured steering box. Any suggestions? Are there any from an old cop car that would fit correctly on my Bee? Do they have the same ratio as mine or are they a quicker ratio than I presently have? Or would it be overkill & a waste of money that I could put toward something else? I appreciate all the replies so far. I just hate to look back & say, "I wish id done it this another way"
 
No, I never have because suspension people have never rcommended it.

I am suprised anyone even makes on for the application. Likely those that do are doing so per buyer request because they THINK it will do something for them and they are simply cashing in on it.

I have never heard ANYONE say they have used one let alone that it made any difference until your post. If you understand geometry it makes no sence. The only possible way I can see it helping is if you have COMPLETELY worn out/sagging springs.

Rear sway bars on leaf spring cars most definitely 100% improve handling. No questions about it, not in certain cases, ALWAYS. Not sure where your coming up with this info or what type of geometry proves this works on a coil spring car but not on a leaf spring car.
 
Rear sway bars on leaf spring cars most definitely 100% improve handling. No questions about it, not in certain cases, ALWAYS. Not sure where your coming up with this info or what type of geometry proves this works on a coil spring car but not on a leaf spring car.[/QUOTE]

Coil springs buy design have no side strength. They are designed to support weight vertically and have little strength sideways, unlike long stacked leaf spring do and bend over upon cornering unlike leaf springs. It is a matter of leverage which is understood in geometry.

I have alread apologized for my lack of knowledge about sway bar application on certain Mopars but if you don't understand the rear suspension difference and can't see how it is a BIG improvement for a coil spring car vs. a leaf spring car then you need to go talk to a spring shop.
 
Here's my 2 cents worth. After I installed a 7/8' rear sway bar to go along with my 1-1/8" front bar, there was a noticable difference in body roll. The car can now be driven harder into a corner without the rear tires touching the wheel lip. I added the rear bar about 6 months after the front. The bars are ADDCO products and have been a definite upgrade to the suspension, more noticable then the poly graphite front end kit. I'm not an engineer or a car salesman, but I can tell the difference in a "seat of the pants" kind of way! You can drive the car hard without sliding across the front seat, or feeling like the *** end is going to come around.
 

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Coil springs buy design have no side strength. They are designed to support weight vertically and have little strength sideways, unlike long stacked leaf spring do and bend over upon cornering unlike leaf springs. It is a matter of leverage which is understood in geometry.

I have alread apologized for my lack of knowledge about sway bar application on certain Mopars but if you don't understand the rear suspension difference and can't see how it is a BIG improvement for a coil spring car vs. a leaf spring car then you need to go talk to a spring shop.

Side strength, really? Coil spring cars use a 3 & 4 link trailing arm design that locates the axle vertically & horizontally. A muscle car sway bar does nothing for lateral (sideways) movement, the bushings in the mid section of the sway bar would allow the bar to slide sideways. A sway bar is designed to keep the axle equidistant from the frame vertically on each side.

It is not certain Mopars that use rear sway bars on leaf springs. Virtually all automotive manufactures use rear sway bars with leaf springs on vehicles they reduced body roll.
 
From the late 60's, all cop cars (Mopar included) had rear sway bars.
They started including them on sport suspensions in 1970.
And the leaf spring vs coil spring business is hog wash.
My dad's 68 Coronet cop car had one. The LAPD were supposedly the only people to get them in 68.

You need to balance the bars. Just putting a bigger bar up front with no rear bar will just make the car push (understeer) even more.

Even the A-38 Police Package A-Bodies had a rear bar.

Chargers/Cordobas could get the rear bars.

Even NASCAR uses them.

Dodge Dart with a rear sway bar off a Dippy cop car...

RearSwayBarResults.jpg


Rear sway bar of a Dippy cop car..

RearSwayBar.jpg




My brother put a 1 1/2 inch rear sway bar from a Ford Dually on his 1 ton Dodge van... huge difference

SwayBar-1.jpg
 
Roll bars do one thing...they control the roll stiffness of the car.

They work just as well on coil springs as leaf springs. As mentioned earlier, putting a big bar in the rear will make the car want to over-steer...larger in the front makes the car want to under-steer.

Trial and error or experience is needed to know what bars work on your cars...depends on engine size, size of tires, spring rates, etc.
 
http://www.hotchkis.net/rear_sway_bar_set_6670_bbody.html

My SRT 10 came stock with a rear sway bar and I can say that is does make a difference in the handling of this 5,000 lb truck. It can take a curve that a corvette owner would be proud of.

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/chassis/hrdp_0909_mopar_suspension_bolt_ons/

After driving this truck and then driving my coronet, I am definitely putting one on the Coronet.
Without saying, improving your braking, type of shocks, and tires along with the sway bars complete the handling package.
 
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I'll Be using one on My Coronet also......dunno where the bloke got the idea that a rear swaybar does nothing from....You'll get more value from a rear bar before You any value from an up-rated front bar....
 
I have a '68 satellite and originally thought I didn't need a rear sway bar, so i just installed a 1-1/8" front bar from Hotchkis. The car felt like it suddenly developed understeer. So I finally added on a 3/4" rear bar from Firm Feel that looks very similar to the frame hung cop car rear sway shown in an earlier post. Now the understeer is gone and the car feels more balanced. I haven't pushed the car hard in corners yet. I'm glad I added the rear sway bar.

When you add the front sway, don't forget to add the welded lower control arm boxing plates. If you don't, the additional stress transferred from the front sway bar will likely bend your LCA's....you can buy them pre-made through Mancini or make your own.
 
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