Front sway bar removal - why?

[TexasBlownV8]

Does removing the front sway bar do anything other than remove some weight up front? During lauching, does it affect front suspension movement?

Seems that other than weight savings, it would otherwise keep the front more straight from side-to-side, but could work against the lopsided squatting that typically takes place during launch.

I'm using D-Specs adjusted to full soft up front during launching, so there's a decent amount of rear squat, and the front of course rises up some during that time, as desired. Would leaving the front sway in hinder the front movement? Will they travel the full length of strut extension, or would they cause the strut to not be able to extend all the way out?

(Right now I have the front swaybar off, but need to put it back on for some upcoming corner-carving.)

 

[Miracle]

Subscribed... I am curious of this myself.

 

[Matt D]

Removing the sway bar end links helps weight transfer. Removing the whole sway bar assembly does that because the links come out and it saves weight. It will hurt your corner carving track times

 

[TexasBlownV8]

Removing the sway bar end links helps weight transfer.

How? If the entire front 'lifts' at the same time, with both sides lifting equally or very close to equal, how would the sway bar inhibit such movement? (other than perhaps keeping both sides lifting the same)

 

[Matt D]

How? If the entire front 'lifts' at the same time, with both sides lifting equally or very close to equal, how would the sway bar inhibit such movement? (other than perhaps keeping both sides lifting the same)

The sway bar enlinks connect to the strut causing the suspension to limit it's travel helping plant the rear ass end down

 

[US-1]

How? If the entire front 'lifts' at the same time, with both sides lifting equally or very close to equal, how would the sway bar inhibit such movement? (other than perhaps keeping both sides lifting the same)

The sway bar enlinks connect to the strut causing the suspension to limit it's travel helping plant the rear ass end down

As Matt said, the end links act as a "travel limiter". They limit the amount of front end lift your car is capable of achieving. You want full strut travel for maximum weight transfer (pitch rotation) and the links will not allow the strut to fully extend.

 

[Matt D]

If you really wanted to make it easy, install the sway bar back on so you have your handling then when you go to a drag strip un bolt the sway bar end links that way it can still travel. You will have gained some weight back but it makes it easy just to unbolt then remove and re install every time

 

[TexasBlownV8]

OK, so they DO limit strut travel. That's what I suspected.

So if you unhook just the end link, which end do you usually unhook , the top or bottom?
And what to do do to secure the sway bar and/or end links to prevent them from moving or getting in the way when racing?

I would think the upper end would be easier and more practical to unhook, and then tie it off somewhere so it doesn't flap around or drag too low. (same on both sides).

[I've gotten used to driving w/o a front sway bar; so no big deal, I'll put it on for the upcoming event and then remove it before going back to the track.]

 

[SloSVO]

I think that if your going to just undo one side you have to do both cause while driving, whenever the arm moves the bar will travel..

 

[duece05]

I actually can't tell much difference between having and not having the sway bar. Of course I don't do much if any corner carving.

 

[irishpwr46]

if youve gotten used to not having the bar, you will be that much better with it

 

[Chris06GT]

I have the sway bar delete....I can tell a big difference, mainly because I live on curvy roads......But, It did save weight, and the car squats like a child trying to shit...

 

[explict]

How much weight savings is in the sway bar removal? and is it really worth the time? (However long it takes?)

 

[duece05]

I have the sway bar delete....I can tell a big difference, mainly because I live on curvy roads......But, It did save weight, and the car squats like a child trying to shit...

that or my damned dog

 

[duece05]

if youve gotten used to not having the bar, you will be that much better with it

only thing it would make me better at is getting into the drive way........lol.

I like WFO in a straight line for about a 1/4 mile.

 

[jroc07gt]

i removed mine and i dont really notice it missing but the front end does lift now

 

[Freaknazty]

How much weight savings is in the sway bar removal? and is it really worth the time? (However long it takes?)

right around 25lbs total and takes about 2 beers worth to unistall it very simple

i removed mine and i dont really notice it missing but the front end does lift now

+1 mine came off when the car had 1k on it and hasn't been back since

 

[Vapour Trails]

Yes it does something else besides saving weight; it makes the S197 handle like a shopping cart with a jammed wheel.

 

[TexasBlownV8]

As Matt said, the end links act as a "travel limiter". They limit the amount of front end lift your car is capable of achieving. You want full strut travel for maximum weight transfer (pitch rotation) and the links will not allow the strut to fully extend.

That's what I was thinking, but is it really true on these cars?
While the car was raised off the ground yesterday and was I putting the sway bar back on, I checked to see if the sway bar would travel only a certain amount. With the car raised by the body, with the front wheels hanging all the way down (i.e., front struts fully extended), I was curious where the top end link stud/bolt would travel vertically, when not connected. It seems the top of the end links can travel farther than the struts.

So, how can the sway bar limit travel? Other than providing some resistance via the mounting bushings, and tieing both sides together, I don't see the 'limiting' point, but this isn't at the track, neither

 

[Bkid]

Yes it does something else besides saving weight; it makes the S197 handle like a shopping cart with a jammed wheel.

I do not drive those.
I am pulling mine off now.