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Author
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Topic: What size front sway bar?
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streetstang67
Gearhead Posts: 397
From: SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 11-30-2003 09:57 PM
 
I'm replacing my stock front sway bar for a larger one to decrease body roll. I've found some good articles on sway bar diameter and all of them basically say that "bigger is better to a certain point, and the only way to find out the best for your car is to test different sizes". Well, I'm not going to buy several sway bars to see which one I like best, so which one do you have on your stang? I know bigger helps reduce body roll, but also increases understeer. I don't want to put myself in a situation with way too much understeer. What do you suggest?------------------
'67 coupe: 289 bored .030 over, c-4 tranny
Holley 600 carb, edelbrock performer intake, hooker comp headers, dual flowmaster exhuast
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jkilroy
Gearhead Posts: 1811
From: Vicksburg, MS
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 11-30-2003 11:14 PM
Do you already have a rear bar? If not don't even think about upgrading the front bar until you do.------------------
Jay Kilroy
68' Fastback GT 390
"No such thing as a cam thats too big"
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V-8
Gearhead Posts: 324
From: TURKEY/Istanbul
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted 12-02-2003 03:38 PM
hi;
my car 67 mustang 351w with hand made eleanor body kit.
in originaly front 7/8 inc.
��put 1 inc countor sway bar front,3/4 rear with polyurutan bushings.i also put subframes and I LOWER UPPER CONTROL ARMS 1 INC it was a shelby trick and lowered 1 inc rear. handling the car get so easy, like race car.
ooops also i put 17 edelbrock rims...245/45/17 kumho's
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ukracer
Gearhead Posts: 192
From: South Wales UK
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 12-02-2003 03:55 PM
The argument that a bigger front ARB causes understeer is not always true. As the Mustang has pretty horrible front suspension geometry (generates positive camber in roll) anything to reduce roll helps cornering power. I have 1 1/8" on my 69 with 3/4" rear bar and race type springs/tyres/settings and it does handle like a racecar (in fact, I do race it!) These cars can be made to handle and corner as well as almost anything if you want it. Depends how serious you are, but I find mine is sweet to drive on the road and all my friends agree and want the same done to theirs. HTHCheers, Martin. (corners are GOOD)
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 12-02-2003 04:30 PM
Would a late model torino such as mine have better front suspension setup that the earlier mustangs, wanting to make my car into a g-machine if possiblestaying with 15" rims(for now), but 1 1/8" up front and a 7/8" in the back, higher rate springs and better shocks, with poly bushings everywhere there used to be rubber [This message has been edited by Dubz (edited 12-02-2003).]
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ukracer
Gearhead Posts: 192
From: South Wales UK
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 12-02-2003 05:15 PM
Dubz, without knowing the Torino suspension I can only guess that Ford (as other manufacturers at the time) built massive understeer into all it's cars after Ralph Nader's complaints. Maybe you can look into doing a Shelby-drop type change to help things but you are already going the right way with the changes you have made. However, quality tyres and static settings make a big difference as I have found myself during this season. As an aside, I was at Goodwood for the Revival meeting earlier this year and there were two Galaxies racing along with 3 Falcons among the European thoroughbred Sportscars and believe me, you would have loved to see the one Galaxie blasting around at the front of the pack (2nd to a Falcon). That is one big car to chuck around a racetrack! Just goes to show what CAN be done.
Cheers, Martin.
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V-8
Gearhead Posts: 324
From: TURKEY/Istanbul
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted 12-04-2003 03:36 PM
��also put 4 kyb and 1 inc drop countor front springs.
mustang front geometry isnt good.but with those and other changes it get very very easy to me.and the most important handling trick lowering upper arm 1 inc,i did them.[This message has been edited by V-8 (edited 12-04-2003).]
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 12-31-2003 03:53 PM
Thought i would bring this thread back, would a 1 3/8" front sway bar and a 1" rear sway bar be too much for my 3700lb car?I also don't really want to have to buy multiple sway bars to find what i like best. Biggest front sway bar i've ever heard of is 1 3/8" for a Mustang/Capri so if a small car like that can use a big bar without ill effects i think my car "should" be fine, but not too sure. Car is 3700lb (Ford Gran Torino)
body/frame construction
114" wheelbase
63.4" front tread/63.5" back tread
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1974 Gran Torino
351W with rpm air gap intake, Holley 670 carb, 1" 4 hole spacer
Planned : Summit cam, cheap headers, milling cylinder heads, and alot of non engine stuff
My Page
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ukracer
Gearhead Posts: 192
From: South Wales UK
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 01-02-2004 12:13 PM
Hi again Dubz. As I have no real experience of your car I can only make an educated guess and say that the 1 3/8" front bar might be OK but I would definitely NOT go to 1" at the rear. It is always much safer to have the front wash out (understeer) at the limit than to have the rear come unstuck. It will happen at speed just when you don't expect and will be near impossible to get back under control unless you are on a very wide road! By all means try it but find the limits safely if you are going to push it to the limit. It would be safer and better to fit stiffer springs which will help anti-roll in themselves and make the handling much firmer. It just depends what you want to do with the car. I have 'stiff' suspension on my Mustang but I (and my friends) think the ride is fine. Firm but not harsh. Sporty you could say.
The stiffer the springs are, the less you need to rely on sway bars - they work with each other. HTH
Cheers, Martin.
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 01-02-2004 02:12 PM
so a 7/8" rear would be the biggest you would say?------------------
1974 Gran Torino
351W with rpm air gap intake, Holley 670 carb, 1" 4 hole spacer
Planned : Summit cam, competition headers, milling and cleaning up heads, and alot of non-engine stuff
My Page
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ukracer
Gearhead Posts: 192
From: South Wales UK
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 01-02-2004 05:25 PM
Hey Dubz! You really like putting me on the spot don't you! There really is not set formula for these things so it's a trial and error job unless you can find someone with the EXACT same car as yours and has 'been there'. There are just too many variables to say what will definitely work which is why I try to put people off rear bars too early on. They can be dangerous. But ok, I'll stick my neck out and say (usual disclaimers apply here) that the 7/8 would probably work as long as you have the big front bar on there first. The rear of the car is not jacked up in the air is it? Tyre sizes about the same front and rear? Do you drive like a looney? (J/K!)
Cheers, Martin.
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 01-02-2004 05:42 PM
I allways like putting people on the spot :PWell my car came stock with a 1" front and a 5/8" rear, so if i were to keep the same sort of balance i would need to keep the cross sectional area close to the same ratio correct? I think that would be what would determine stiffness. so here is my math
1" bar = .785 inches^2
5/8" bar = .307 inches^2
ratio = 2.56 front to back and what the largest available aftermarket ones which are suggested also in a write up someone did on rancheros and torinos
1 1/8 = .994
7/8 = .601
ratio = 1.65 front to back so if i went with the custom front bar (which someone else has decided to get fabricated)
1 3/8 = 1.485
1 = 0.785
ratio = 1.89 front to back
Anyway, i guess i'll just go with poly bushings for now and stay with my wimpy sway bars till i find more torino owners who have tried different setups
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1974 Gran Torino
351W with rpm air gap intake, Holley 670 carb, 1" 4 hole spacer
Planned : Summit cam, competition headers, milling and cleaning up heads, and alot of non-engine stuff
My Page
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