Remove Front Sway Bars - Yes or No???
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 419
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From: Bel Air Maryland
Remove Front Sway Bars - Yes or No???
Recently, I decided to take my 92 C4 off the street and dedicate her entirely to drag racing. The only exception being when I drive her to and from the track (60 miles round trip). My local Corvette tech, who is not an expert when it comes to drag racing, suggested that in conjunction with a suspension conversion planned for this winter I should also consider removing the front sway bars. Question --- How much (or how badly) will doing that effect my ability to drive the car to the track?
Thanks ..... WS
Thanks ..... WS
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From: Overland Park Kansas
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From: Lansing MI
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From: Lansing MI
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,216
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From: Michigan
Mono springs act like a sway bar, but honestly I removed them in my c3 and foxbody and drive them on the street. Just don't drive like a dork but you'll prob have skinnys up front anyway sooner or later.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
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From: Mystic CT
There is no way the spring is a sway bar each wheel can do it's thing without affecting the other. Run into me with skinnies up front I will insist the cop cite you for defective equipment unsafe to use on a public road. and will win easily. My neck and back will spasm for the next 30 years and you will pay for it so choose carefully as those are the choices many will offer.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 202
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From: Crescent City, IL IL
Recently, I decided to take my 92 C4 off the street and dedicate her entirely to drag racing. The only exception being when I drive her to and from the track (60 miles round trip). My local Corvette tech, who is not an expert when it comes to drag racing, suggested that in conjunction with a suspension conversion planned for this winter I should also consider removing the front sway bars. Question --- How much (or how badly) will doing that effect my ability to drive the car to the track?
Thanks ..... WS
Thanks ..... WS
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,192
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From: near the thumb in the mitten
As long as you run front transverse leaf spring you should be ok. If you move to coil overs you will need to drive smart. When stabilizer bar is removed it frees front suspension, increases weight transfer, and can increase free travel. Rear bar can help with how car launches it really depends on what your goals are.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
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From: South Dakota
I thought the improvement for drag racing was due to the removal of the sway bar to allow the front to rise easier.
That is only from the force it takes to rotate the bar in the frame bushings.
So removing one side end link will not be a good test since it will still be acting on one end link to try to rotate the bar.
The overall effect of removing the sway bar or disconnecting/removing the end links is a very slight change and you may not notice it very much.
The weight loss may also be a slight factor, but that also is something that you won't notice much difference either.
As for driving it on the street without a sway bar, it is not a problem if you take it easy. It will not corner like it should, but it should not be a problem in normal driving. I have had some failures like a broken bar and broken/loose end links before and it is not a huge change to normal driving.
That is only from the force it takes to rotate the bar in the frame bushings.
So removing one side end link will not be a good test since it will still be acting on one end link to try to rotate the bar.
The overall effect of removing the sway bar or disconnecting/removing the end links is a very slight change and you may not notice it very much.
The weight loss may also be a slight factor, but that also is something that you won't notice much difference either.
As for driving it on the street without a sway bar, it is not a problem if you take it easy. It will not corner like it should, but it should not be a problem in normal driving. I have had some failures like a broken bar and broken/loose end links before and it is not a huge change to normal driving.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,216
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From: Michigan
There is no way the spring is a sway bar each wheel can do it's thing without affecting the other. Run into me with skinnies up front I will insist the cop cite you for defective equipment unsafe to use on a public road. and will win easily. My neck and back will spasm for the next 30 years and you will pay for it so choose carefully as those are the choices many will offer.
LOL Lower mass wheels accel faster and anything that accels faster decels faster as well. It's upon the user to use common sense n not lock it up, most vehicles the brake ratio is more forward bias and the corvette is less.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
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From: Mystic CT
The article was unreadable as would not magnify to a useful level but what little I got a blurb from GM engineering to explain away a cost saving measure. The diagram was hilarious suggesting that sort of movement at the center that still did not do the same as a well designed anti-roll bar system. In essence it is 2 semi-elliptical springs from before the 50's. If they are so good why does DRM and others make coil over kits that make the car wildly better and why with the cross spring do they go so far as to offer a 32mm anti-roll bar?