Front sway bar

[orangefox]

Would you run a front sway bar on a drag race only vehicle. Yes or No?

[GoldenPlump]

I've always heard to not use the rear one on Datsun Zs as it helps the IRS plant better.

Not sure when it comes to a solid rear end though.

[Old Man]

No

[orangefox]

No

Reasons?

[Novi2KGT]

Hell, mines more of a street car and I don't have one

[bluchev]

what happens when you dont run one? is it unsafe?

[orangefox]

All I know is today was my first time without it and the front end of the car twisted like a pretzel out of the gate and finished off my left front shock. It now rests on the lower control arm rubber stop!

[SDK]

Isn't it just a wieght issue.

[orangefox]

Isn't it just a wieght issue.

That is why I took it out, to save weight.

[SDK]

The front is supposed to sit on the springs they carry the weight. If the shock broke then get new shocks. I don't think the sway bar has much to do with caryring the weight of the car.

[orangefox]

The front is supposed to sit on the springs they carry the weight. If the shock broke then get new shocks. I don't think the sway bar has much to do with caryring the weight of the car.

I know the swaybar doesn't carry the weight of the car at all, I was more concerned with whether it actually had any benefit to body roll or what not when launching.

[bluchev]

so.....whats the verdict? if you took off the front sway bar on say a 72 chevelle would it make the car unsafe handling?

[oriosmit]

Removing it also allows the front to rise significantly higher allowing more weight transfer to the rear.

Your shock broke for reasons other than the removal of the sway bar.

Running one in the rear however is beneficial because it helps keep the load applied evenly to both rear tires. A drag bar for instance won't give you those right rear squatting launches. With a dedicated drag bar in the rear you would not need an air bag also.

[Fosters]

I haven't ran one in a while. basically, makes frees up the nose of the car and lets the suspension do it's thing, without being tied to the frame of the car. I've never heard of a shock break due to no swaybar. Your car will feel more like a minivan mainly due to the same reason - since your nose can now move higher when accelerating, one side can also go higher and the other can go lower when you're cornering. It's a bit unnerving at first, but you get used to it. One thing, after (drag rate) coilovers, my car feels just as stable as it did stock, with the swaybar, and it still lifts just as much if not more now.

do this: remove the swaybar endlinks only, drive it around, see how bad you hate it/like it. decide whether you wanna go all the way, remove the swaybar too - that'll be the weight savings part, which alone is worth it if you ask me - 30 lbs off the front of your car is not easy to get usually...

[Grenade]

I always remove the swaybar when I'm being serious about a time. If I'm being half-assed, and trying to get a street trim time, I leave it in.