Thumper Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I have heard that for alittle better traction and less weight people remove there front sway bar to help the front tires lift up during the launch. The theory is there but i'm worried about high speed stability. I have poly bushings in all my suspension with aftermarket struts and springs. My trap speeds will be 110+ The car will be driven to and from the track on the highway at highway or greater speeds. If I remove the front sway bar will my high speed handling become more vague and wander more? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 So... you're going 100+ toward the lights and the driver in the next lane crosses into your lane, would you want the front anti-roll on or off the car at this point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 I know there will be a difference in response and handling but what i'm trying to ask is how much of a difference will there be? Will it be unsafe to drive on the highway? If I went by your logic then I should install big brakes, a parachute, automatic fire system, and a 12pt roll cage just incase the car on the other side goes into my lane. I do believe that most if not all fast camaro's and mustangs do not run a front sway bar. It promotes more lift and less weight. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I think I'd keep the bar and opt for adjustable illumina's instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I know there will be a difference in response and handling but what i'm trying to ask is how much of a difference will there be? Will it be unsafe to drive on the highway? If I went by your logic then I should install big brakes' date=' a parachute, automatic fire system, and a 12pt roll cage just incase the car on the other side goes into my lane. I do believe that most if not all fast camaro's and mustangs do not run a front sway bar. It promotes more lift and less weight. Thanks[/quote'] Jesus dude, take a deep breath or something. Don't ask the question if you don't want an answer. There are lots of different ways to remove weight from a car. Removing the sway bar isn't the only one. Think about what else you can remove or lighten before you start altering the suspension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I do believe that most if not all fast camaro's and mustangs do not run a front sway bar. It promotes more lift and less weight. Thanks You're not drag racing a live axle car (unless you've done a swap). If your IRS rear suspension is setup properly and you're running a LSD your Z should launch straight and square. You're not battling the lateral location problems caused by alive axle. With a straight and sqaure launch a front ARB has no effect on how the front suspension behaves. If I went by your logic then I should install big brakes, a parachute, automatic fire system, and a 12pt roll cage just incase the car on the other side goes into my lane. No, my logic didn't go that way, yours did. You asked our opinion and I offered mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterZ Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Yo dude! Take off one of the sway bar end links and drive down the freeway (or whatever deserted road) at whatever speed you want for testing. Then you can have your own answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Well, my car is a S130. Big difference. But when I got the car the bushings for the front sway bar were shot, like I'd hear the sway bar bouncing up and down constantly. I looked under the car and there was a good 6 inches of vertical play in the bar. So off it came. I still havn't bought new bushings. I've had the car up to 100-110 (speedo goes to 85, so i can't say I KNOW how fast i've gone) and the car seems to handle fine. I agree wtih peter though, take it off and drive down the freeway. Be your own judge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 I didn't mean to come off as rude. I had my gf read it and she agrees I should have eaten before I replied. I appreciated john's answer. What I tried to say is that if I wanted to be safe that is what I would do. My question was not about safety in drag racing but in how stable the car would be at highway speeds. I had the ghetto beast with no sway bars, and very very old/bad supsension on the highway and hated it. I didn't even like going 65 over bouncing road. I think most of it was bad bushings and struts. I'm mostly looking for someone who has an earlier z running without a front sway bar. Thanks for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 I think I'd keep the bar and opt for adjustable illumina's instead. They are adjustable illumina's and they are set on the softest setting on all four corners. I guess another thing I should mention is the sway bar is a aftermarket 1 1/8" sway bar so heavier and stiffer than stock. What I might do is trade with my friend and sell the aftermarket one for an oem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I have the solid axle conversion but I have no front sway bar, car handles fine at 120+ mph in the 1/4, feels so good I think I'll go faster. If you are going all out drag, ditch the front, keep the rear, as long as you have IRS, ditch 'em both if you have the solid axle conversion. If it's street strip, I'd keep them both, build more motor if you want to go faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Thumper, I assume you still have an IRS so I'll avoid any live axle stuff. If you have illuminas you should have them on the softest setting in the front and the firmest in the rear when you're at a drag strip. The rest of the time you'll probably find a 3 setting to work well unless on a crooked track. When it comes to 'avoidance maneuvers' the stock sway bars are ok but allow significant body lean when on a crooked track. I have video of my car at Texas Motor Speedway and it is very obvious I'm stock. If you are planning on using your car as a daily driver in addition to track periods I would definitely leave the sway bars in place. I drive with the assumption that every other driver on the road is out to kill me and I'd never compromise my ability to duck 'n run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbc3 Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I'll give my .03... I drag raced my Camaro and had taken my front sway bar off. It allows the front to come up much faster, transfering weight. I had the QA1 12 way adjustable shocks and taking off the sway bar helped alot more. It improved my 60' times by >.1. The handling on the street was not great. Cruising on the highway was no big deal but the curvy back roads sucked. I'd say, try it on the drag strip... see if it's worth the trouble un-connecting and connecting it back up. You may see some improvement. I have an R230 rear and do not have a rear sway bar so you will not see me trying it, no sway bars at all really stinks. I tried it once in the Camaro, it was scary at the top end of the track, the car began to sway and every movement of the steering wheel as exagerated. Jody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 A 1 1/8" front bar is a bit too heavy for just about anything. If you want to try a compramise go something lighter, say around 22mm. Having said that, I know bugger all about drag racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 What I'm getting out of this is that it's the stiction of the sway bar that keeps the suspension from coming up, not so much the weight of the sway bar. I guess that makes sense because the poly end link bushings are pretty bound when installed so they are going to resist drooping. You could get some rod end sway bar end links to reduce stiction and shim under the middle bushings to get the preload out of those bushings. EDIT--If that is the reason for removing the sway bar, TC rods and control arms with rod ends would probably help out at least as much as the sway bar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifton Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 If you are only running 110 mph I wouldn't bother.There are Supras and Vettes running 140+ with bars and IRS. If your car is neutral or understeers a little it will likely oversteer. You may not push your car hard if you are even thinking about rermoving it so that may not be a concern. Also weight will transfer to the rearregardless, even if you had no suspension. If you plan to make much more power you may end up with traction problem in second gear roles. If so I would get a softer compound tire. Falken azenis, Nitto Dr's, or RA-1's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 If as Jon mentioned stiction in the sway bar bushes is a problem, using poly bushes, I've had good results from wrapping the bar pivot area with Teflon tape than applying the special poly grease over the tape. The sort of Teflon tape plumbers use as a thread sealer. Virtually eliminates stiction, providing the bushes are not too tight in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spork Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 well, I'm running a zx with the stock style IRS in the back...and I've kept my sway bar (front and back). If it's still used on the street, it's probably a good idea to keep it bolted on. By the way, I've been trapping at 125...the faster you go, the more you want to be able to control your car. I second the motion of building the motor up more before pulling items like the front bar off to save a few lbs and lift the front end up. I'd personally like to keep my front end from coming up too much as you end up catching a lot of air that way. You want weight transfer, but too much movement of the suspension translates to power being used to load/unload the suspension instead of propelling you forward...just my .04 (sorry Jody, I had to one up you on the value of advice...lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jap tin Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 I go with Dr Hunt. Ditch the sway bar for drag racing. Weight is BAD. Looking at a B/ED to go with my Z, mag, carbon and ti , OH MY !!! 1420# with a 225 driver 30 # of shot and a iron block. 6.91 with a 356 sbc with one gas carb. How could I say no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 I must agree with the ones who say to ditch the sway bar for drag racing use. The ones who for it to remain are not drag racers. They KNOW how to make a car handle where it matters, but in all honesty, it doesn't matter on the drag strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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