For those of you who I envy that are out there driving your hopped up Model A, does the car have or need a sway bar? I am building a frame for a '31tudor sedan with a Nail Head and hd 9" and at a point to either make provisions for one or not. Thanks in advance.
It depends entirely on what suspension you are going to run. If you're sticking with Model A front and rear springs, no you dont need a sway bar.
The front suspension is a suicide shoebox ford, the rear is coil overs & four bar w/a watts linkage. If I need to run a sway bar I am hoping to run a rear one and hide it under the seat. Also I am thinking a rear sway bar might help counter the torque. Thanks for your input! Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Danny at Bruce's Rod shop in Texas has one in his car.....If I remember correct....with a buggy spring on the rear
Like always, no pic's then who knows what we are talking about, hence answers maybe way off beam also.
speedway has a kit that my Dad used on his A. It is a 3 piece unit that is hidden in a 2 inch square tube, only the links are visible. I am not as familiar with watts link, but on his other A with coil overs and ladder bars, it gets a significant amount of body roll and we are hoping that this chassis combination will help.
Unless he's confusing a <1948 Ford with a Shoebox, this post makes no sense to me. Not sure how, or why anybody would retrofit a Model A with a Shoebox IFS setup. I hope the former is the case, rather than the latter. Pictures please.
To sway bar, or not to sway bar that is the question... I'll explain this differently using pictures. For the guys who have driven hot rodded model a's, do the cars need sway bars to have decent road manners? I am building my own frame from scratch (2x3 & 2x4 tubing) for my 1931 Model A tudor sedan. Rockabillybassman: The front suspension is a '50 Ford sedan front beam axle with split bones that will be set up suicide style with cross steer and a leaf spring. Something like this: The rear is going to be a four bar set up with coilovers and a watts linkage that will look something like this: With the girth of a Nail Head and four people in the car, will it need a sway bar so we don't get sea sick going around corners? Thanks for the input!
I've got a 29 RPU with no sway bars, and it seems to handle fine, for a buggy spring car with way oversize tires. However, I've got a 40 coupe with stock suspension, and I'll say that adding the front sway bar was a world of difference. Maybe cause it was a little top heavy in comparison to the A? Whatever the case it felt like it would hug the turns. Jim Jacobs has a front sway bar on his 34 tudor, it is cleanly done and I'm sure there's a benefit. When you're done, make sure to post a pic with 4 people in the sedan! TP
Don't know how to tell you this, but a 1950 Ford sedan didn't have a straight axle. Last year for that was 48, in 49 they went to coil springs. Now, what do you have ? Don
That's what I thought. It is a <1948 I-Beam. It is not from 1950 (or '49), and that makes it NOT a shoebox.
OK, now we're getting somewhere. The suicide beam axle is NOT shoebox, and if it's well set up it will not need a sway bar. The rear end will probably benefit from having a sway bar. The sway bar has a totally different function from the Watts linkage, which is there purely to keep the rear axle from shifting sideways.
Don, it's a solid beam axle similar to the one in the picture. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Be aware, not all beams are created equal. Later ones have less distance between the kingpin and the spring perch boss. Depending on your front suspension setup (like with spit bones), and the quality of the drop, if any, this could limit turning angle. Have a look here and see if you can pick your beam out of the lot: http://www.droppedaxles.com/FORD_AXLES.html Generally, an anti-sway bar is not necessary with a transverse leaf spring, unless you are a total hoon.
What is the distance between the holes where the perches go through the axle ? That will tell us what year you really have. If it is a later axle ( 42-48) you may have a problem finding the right width front spring, or if you do it may cost you a bit more. Are you mounting this suicide style (spring behind axle) ? Don
I wasn't going to chime in but it got the better of me! I really like an anti roll bar in the rear of a chassis car with an axle! It sorts weight transfer on a rear transverse spring , is equally impressive with coil overs and with the correct bias nearly eliminates under steer. Rockabilly Bassman, your wrong!
Not trying to be dick but, where is he wrong? Isn't it a matter of opinion? Seems like he agreed with you anyway. The rear could benefit from a sway bar, if one was so inclined.
What different function does a sway bar have than a watts link. I am under the impression that a watts link is a souped up swaw bar, better because as suspetion travels, track doesn't change. Were talking rear here.
A Watt's linkage is a locator only. It allows vertical movement without moving the rear suspension in an ARC like a regular panhard bar.
What Tudor said, watts linkage controls lateral movement only! Walls, yes it's an opinion, its the difference between driving a billy cart and a go cart! The transverse suspension works good but there is no feature to assist in body roll and weight transfer, Even in a traditional designed chassis a bar can be installed, work, is hidden and makes real driving, ie road trips markedly better, so to say that if your running a Model A transverse front and rear suspension that you dont need a sway bar is incorrect or even wrong! another 0.02 cents worth Wayne
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