redwingvette

Looks simple enough. Let us know how you like it after your cruise. Does it take out some of the body roll on hard cornering?
Thanks for posting this.

Glassbowtie77

I don't know yet, it was one of My winter projects and I haven't driven it yet because I'm still working on other stuff on the car. Right now there's no dashboard in it because I'm replacing all the vacuum lines for the Heater/AC duct,replacing the bushings in My shifter, and fixing up all the butchered up wires under there from the PO's that cut them up and taped them back together putting in stereos and speakers. It's absolutely amazing what a mess someone can make out these cars when they think they know what their doing but they really don't. Once Spring comes and it's warm enough I am going to re-dye everything and put it back together. Hopefully I'll be able to drive it again by then and check out all the suspension mods that I've done.

sly vette

I put the heavy sway in the front along with a support for the shock towers.... very flat on turns.
Good enough for me!
Probably all you can do with the rest of the suspension stock.
Oh yeah a big improvement was made with Bilstiens on the corners also!

ptroxx

well it sure seem like it has taken out a lot of the body roll..... im on a cruise right now and is great...

ptroxx

OK well Update........

After putting on the new sway bars the car sure seems to hook a lot better.. a lot less roll in the turns...

so here is the story.. I was on my way home from a gtg and I was following my friend in his C5.. we took a corner at about 30 +and I lost it... Did a 900 yes 2 1/2 time around.. I would have gotten straight again but it stalled on me.... MAN, good thing no one was comming the other way.....
There was a new 300Z behind me and he was far behind and was stopped so no one else cold get buy.. And no one comming from the other way... Thats why I didnt it a such a high speed.. cause I cauld see no one was there.....

I DIDNT do this on purpose.....Complete mistake..


Oh well.. Good thing Im alright ... But I did have a littl esmile on my face.. =)

Guess I need to do a little lowering now and some wider tires...

RIJVETTES

Rear sway bars may be appropriate for some vettes, but they are not always necessary or an improvement. They comprmise the independent rear suspension and can make the car very loose- the rear end will have more of a tendancy to come around. Not a good thing for a street car. If you absolutely gotta have a rear sway bar on a small block C3, its probably a good idea to make it real skinny. Check out the tiny one on the C5 next time you get a chance.

ptroxx

Yeah its only a 3/4 in bar... middle of the pack.....Im thinking after I lower the car a few inches....and get some bigger rear tires///

I was pushing it a little around the corner.....

It sure seem to take a lot of the body roll out..

I like to drive the windy roads here in Calf coast and in the Napa Valley so well have to see on the next cruise.....


Good thing I only paid 30.00 for the new VB&P bar....

Ganey

77 FE-7 bars: Front 1 1/8" & Rear 7/16".
The FE-7 is an excellent setup. See FE-7 handling under 77 Facts on my website.
When adding a rear bar the front bar should be increased.

mrvette

I went the 1.25 front and .625 rear bars with urethane some 13+ years ago when first got this '72 vert.....and I changed my mind after doing a similar flip out, and escaped unscathed also.....IMO, take that damn heavy rear bar outta there the factory size is good enough....it's what I got now....the front on my car is rather small too, about 3/4 mybe 7/8 forget which....

the ride improved a LOT with ditching that heavy rear bar, but adding four Bilsteins helped a lot too.....I have a VBP plastic rear spring , and 460 coils in front....

the sway bar bushings are rubber....

VIPERBARON

Install of the rear anti-sway is a snap. The frame should already have the bolt holes & thread/nuts installed. Mine was a 10 minute deal, by myself. The trailing arms will easily accomidate the linkage bolts. Just like it's built for the thing!
Since I'm still in the body-off rebuild mode of this project, I have wondered how this will affect the rear suspension. The independent rear setup is overtly complex as it is and with the new 7/8 anti-sway, it may become problematic in nature that defeats the intent of independent suspension?

ptroxx

Car didnt come with a rear sway bar....But I think my fron is a 7/8.. and my rear now is a 3/4..... I would like to increase the front a little maybe to a 1in.
I have a brand new set of KYB shocks on aswell.. I do think lowering the car a few inches will also help. and a new set of wider tires for more traction..

And If I dont like it.. I guess nothing really lost....I only paid 30.00 for the rear VB&P sway bar.
But either way I want the car lowereed...It sits to high for me...

ptroxx

I have ben told that about the rear set up....so we will have to try it for a while and see...But like I said I really want to lower the car a few.....just sits to high

jnb5101

there was an extensive post on the relationship between the front and rear bar size, and how they changed over and understeer. i believe it was about a year ago. a search should find it.

flynhi

ptroxx,
Do an archive search on this. It has been discussed many, many times.

Bottom line: An overlarge rear bar will cause massive oversteer and spinning unless you have very wide and sticky rear tires.

My experience with a 383 vert: 1 1/8" front bar with maximum 5/8" rear bar with Bilstein HDs and 17" Bridgestones. This is a fairly stiff ride but corners very well.

For a softer street ride, use rubber bushings and no rear bar.

ptroxx

Im not really worried about the ride... I want better cornering...I go on a lot of country roads and want to be able to handle better in the corners.
I have a 3/4 in the rear and a stock on the front... Im gonna go up to a 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 in the front. and some wider tires.

I have new shocks all around....
I want to lower the car atleast 2 inches aswell..

ptroxx

whats the best way to lower the front..

VIPERBARON

VBP has a set of 460 springs that lowers the front by 1 inch. $76

ptroxx

Yeah But I need more that an 1 in... I would like to see it lowerd almost 2 inches???

As you can see it sits real tall off the ground... I want it lower...

OregonVette80

nope. my 1980 has front & rear sway bars. The factory rear is very skinny, perhaps a 1/2inch or 3/4th maybe??

FWIW

OregonVette80

BEST POST ON THIS THREAD. Also, read skunkworksvette (i think) posting on the rear sway. From the factory, my 80 had the sports suspension (with the 1&1/8 in front and the very skinny rear swaybar). The rear sway bar is about the same skinny size as the C5.


BTW...If your front is too high, install the 550# front coils, if they are still too high, you can cut a portion with a metal hack saw if you really need too. Did you say you have the VB&P rear mono-spring? Is it a 360 or the 420?