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1968 Vert:
Does the small diameter Front swaybar seem to make the ride stiffer?
My car doesn't have one...wondering if I should install one for stability on "Loo-z-anna Hick Highways".
(Too much spine pain/need a smooth ride/I have installed Sensatrac shocks which ride smoothly)
A stabilizer translates the compression of one side of the vehicle to the opposite. With a stabilizer, your vehicle will lean out of the curve less.
The stiffer (thicker) the stabilizer, the less your vehicle will lean. The stabilizer also ensures that the wheels lose traction due to the vehicle leaning.
As far as I know, every Corvette was equipped with at least one stabilizer at the front. With the Gyhmkhana option, one at the rear as well.
It certainly won't make your ride any smoother. But your passengers might get sick less quickly when you take fast, sharp turns on your "Loo-z-anna Hick Highways".
Someone has removed your sway bar since all cars had a front one originally. A sway bar doesn't make the ride more stiff. You can get an Addco bar from Summit with all the necessary bracketry for around $200. Its a worthwhile addition as it will restore your car's handling to the way it was designed originally.
If you like the way it ride & handles, I think I would leave it alone.
The stock front springs have a 97# rate at the wheel.
Pretty much the same rate at the rear.
A front sway bar will make it handle better, but honestly under 50% of max speed in a corner I doubt if you could tell the difference. Maybe even 2/3 of max.
But past that it may actually oversteer very badly and will try to spin out in a turn, so drive it very carefully that way.
It will feel like it is falling over on the rear tire, because it is.
With a sway bar you would feel zero difference on a two wheel bump. It has no effect at all.
But on a one wheel bump, or a turn, the car twists the bar, and you will feel it.
Even the stock SB small 7/8 bar will have a rate of 185# at the wheel. So your one-wheel-only-bump wheel-rate triples to 282#.
I am sure you could feel the difference if you have bad back. (I have been there with back pain)
But having soft shocks is even more important.
As long as they do not pogo or oscillate, that would be too soft.
Good luck figuring out what feels good for your back!
Sway bars do contribute to how the car handles. A thicker bar will induce some understeer. Compared to the larger bar, a small diameter bar will lean towards neutral of oversteer.
If you could drive another Corvette with a sway bar, you can compare how they handle. My assumption is that a sway bar will contribute to having a balanced handling car.
I run a heavy gymkhana front bar. The car came with it. I now have poly bushings and end links on it. I also run a 3/4 inch rear bar. Car came with a 7/16ths rear bar. Car handles like its on rails. I run chopped gymkhana springs in the front. A VB&P mono spring rear.
Bet none of this sounds good to you. Yet I find the ride quality at speed to be good. Low speed, not so much. But it's a toy and handling is paramount.
What is right for you? Only you can answer that.
Would I run a Corvette without sway bars front and rear? Absolutely not a chance. Twisty roads are to much fun!
Super soft ride? Hummm.
Thanks Members for all the great answers.
So...someone removed the front swaybar back in the day...I think I'll leave it omitted since 90 mph curves aren't happening any more, and potholes which we have in abundance would possibly make the ride slightly rougher with a swaybar.
I think I'll spend the money on a bump steer damper...driving around New Orleans I found myself in the oncoming lane after hitting a "superpothole" near the Superdome.
The original damper was worn out and rebuilding it without the correct seals didn't renew it.
Thanks again.
Last edited by doorgunner; May 31, 2024 at 08:34 AM.
Rookie Question Swaybar
