I am installing a Mustang II front end and I have not been able to find any reference to what is used for a sway bar. The stock bar is too big of a diameter (makes it stiffer) and the arms are way too long (makes it softer). Besides I don't have the room for it. Some of the quad racers use an adjustable sway bar such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNN24CF51k I like the idea of an adjustment and would not mind building one but no idea where to start from. My car should come in about 24 to 26 hundred lbs with a 60/40 forward bias. Not the best for road racing but great for burnouts. So what do you think?? Maybe one from a 3000 lb front wheel drive (forward bias) and bend it around to fit?? I am wide open to suggestions............Terry
Terry, Bit confused by your question. You state some conflicting information at first then sort of go off on a tangent about weight distributions. Have you calculated the roll stiffness you desire? Adjustable anti-roll bars are fantastic for changing roll stiffness rates and even on something like the quad bike you referenced where you can have differential rates for something like oval track racing. I'm imagining that you aren't oval track racing, probably not doing much racing at all so there really isn't much need to adjust your anti-roll bar. I know everyone here is concerned about cost, and adjustables are not cheap by any stretch compared to a fixed, standard bar. How about telling us what it is you have, what dimensions you have to work with, did you use a kit and if so, whose kit, springs, shocks, tires, etc and what your intended purpose is. Without that information we can't help.
Jim Meyer racing in Oregon sells one for a MII without the dip in it. http://jimmeyerracing.com/products/ifs_options_sway_bar.shtml Most guys go with heavier than the stock one though as it is pretty light by looking at the two I have at home.
That is exactly what I want to know. I do not want to spend the rest of the summer building and testing sway bars. I am looking for a base line to start from. How would you calculate the roll stiffness?? Wouldn't the weight distribution have an effect on the sway bar? A GT 40 that is heavy in the rear requires two sway bars. Heavy one in the back, a light one in the front. A '76 Olds is heavy in the front and uses a heavy bar in the front and none in the back. I am trying to find out what has worked for others. Sorry that I am confusing the issue...........Terry
Not everyone sells just an original----I've been running a chassis engineering M2 sway bar kit on my 48 Chev. p/u for years. It's a nice set up and fit my M2 perfectly. As far as the handling, if it's a stiffer ride, I sure don't notice it. I DO notice the lack of body lean. Big difference there. BILL RINALDI
I ran across this post today and this guy installed a sway bar on the rear of his '32. I think this is the way I want to go only on the front......Terry http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=844291&highlight=art
X3 on the Chassis Engineering bar....pretty much bolts on. The splined bar setup you like is expensive and will require some fabrication and there all different rates of those bars, which is kinda overkill for stock MII front end.
Two months into this project and I have found that nothing is cheap unless it is my sweat. I want the front end as far forward as I can so that means the sway bar will cross over under the radiator, maybe even as far back as the engine. I am just trying to get a grip in my mind as to what I need. I don't want to have the same as everyone else but not so far out in left field that it won't work. Right now I am thinking that I will start out with a 3/4" sway bar and bend it around to fit the space I have available and see if it works. I was trying to avoid the "by guess and by golly" method is all.............Terry
If you are hellbent on a lighter sway bar for what ever reason what about first generation Pinto with the little Cortina engines for a donor for the sway bar? If they even had one they may be somewhat smaller than a V8 or V6 Mustang II though. You still have to have that dip in the middle to deal with though.
Is this for the Jeep, the motorhome or the trike? Or a mystery project? Lots of FNGs come on here and ask questions without supplying any real informative meat. Sometimes it's because the project is OT, sometimes because they don't realise that if you fess up to what you're building it can help people provide meaningful help.
Go to your local circle track supply shop , they have lots of choices for you to choose from. Bring lots of weights , measurements , and dimensions from your car with you. There's bound to be someone there with the correct knowledge to help you. sounds like you want something universal-ish...
Give Speedway Engineering a call 1-800-993-8880 for sway bars. We use a few different bars in 500-700# per 5* range on a 1400lb frontend competitive PT car
Thanks "yellow dog". I picked up quite a bit of info from Speedway's on-line catalog. And your quote of 500# per 5* is the kind of info I was looking for. Nothing worse than trying to talk to a counter person if you can't tell if they know any thing. I don't want to end up with a bunch of sway bars hanging from the wall, not to mention the money involved. Thanks again.......Terry
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