Sway bar and spacers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
From: airmont new york
Sway bar and spacers
Im trying to find out if anyone has put spacers in between the u clamp and top plate on the frontsway bar on a 1984 c4..i read it softens the front suspension..good or bad or just wrong???
thanx in advance
thanx in advance
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The Spring and shock absorber rates are what governs the ride feel, try changing to non Z51 to shocks to begin with.
After that if still not happy go to a softer 85 on front and rear spring, HMP front and NYR rear is what I had on my 85.
The rear spring and shocks make the most difference as we are almost sitting on the rear suspension, so check your spring 3 letter code.
Cheers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
From: airmont new york
Hi
The Spring and shock absorber rates are what governs the ride feel, try changing to non Z51 to shocks to begin with.
After that if still not happy go to a softer 85 on front and rear spring, HMP front and NYR rear is what I had on my 85.
The rear spring and shocks make the most difference as we are almost sitting on the rear suspension, so check your spring 3 letter code.
Cheers
The Spring and shock absorber rates are what governs the ride feel, try changing to non Z51 to shocks to begin with.
After that if still not happy go to a softer 85 on front and rear spring, HMP front and NYR rear is what I had on my 85.
The rear spring and shocks make the most difference as we are almost sitting on the rear suspension, so check your spring 3 letter code.
Cheers
cheers to u too!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,092
Likes: 1,972
From: St. Charles MO
The spacer would create a looser fit of the D-bushings around the swaybar. This would be helpful if and only if the bar is somehow currently in bind in those two bushings. To determine this, disconnect the bar from the two end links and then see if you can move the arms up and down reasonably easily. You should be able to do with with your muscles - no jack or other leverage required. If this is the case, then this isn't your problem and the spacers will just create slop and non-linearity in the roll response. You should consider doing the same for the lower control arms: they should take minimal effort to move once disconnected from the upright. You may have bind somewhere in these parts causing your perception. Frequently, the kind of thing you're describing comes from poor damping (too much or too little, or too much compression and too little rebound or vice versa). Verify that your new dampers work properly. KYBs honestly aren't great shocks, but they should be able to cope better than this with a stock spring rates.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
From: airmont new york
The spacer would create a looser fit of the D-bushings around the swaybar. This would be helpful if and only if the bar is somehow currently in bind in those two bushings. To determine this, disconnect the bar from the two end links and then see if you can move the arms up and down reasonably easily. You should be able to do with with your muscles - no jack or other leverage required. If this is the case, then this isn't your problem and the spacers will just create slop and non-linearity in the roll response. You should consider doing the same for the lower control arms: they should take minimal effort to move once disconnected from the upright. You may have bind somewhere in these parts causing your perception. Frequently, the kind of thing you're describing comes from poor damping (too much or too little, or too much compression and too little rebound or vice versa). Verify that your new dampers work properly. KYBs honestly aren't great shocks, but they should be able to cope better than this with a stock spring rates.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
From: airmont new york
I did disconect the end links and i was able to move the bar having to use some force but think it was correct..Only thing i havnt changed up front are the upper ball joints. .I wll do this soon..see what happens then..
thanx for your help and HAPPY 4TH
thanx for your help and HAPPY 4TH
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
I agree with above that shocks should match spring rate to get proper dampening. The purpose of the shock is to prevent loss of road contact that you are experiencing.
If running the Z51 springs I doubt that the KYBs match the needed shock damping rate.
I don't know were to find shock damping rates vs spring rates but such info would allow you to match up your suspension.
If running the Z51 springs I doubt that the KYBs match the needed shock damping rate.
I don't know were to find shock damping rates vs spring rates but such info would allow you to match up your suspension.
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