H82BFST

How many of you guys remove your front sway bar when you go to the track?

Have you seen any benefits in your 60'?

Thanks

ITSovr4U

ttt

Jackal

Ive seen a C4 Calaway TT do this for drag racing, but that is about it. I think he said it gave him a tenth on his 60'.

jschindler

If you understand how a Sway bar operartes, you will see that unbolting it will only help if you have made changes to the shocks to allow a significant amount of front end lift during the launch. A sway bar allows the suspension (front in this case) to move freely up and down within the limits of the spring and shock capabilities if both front tires are moving up and down together (as opposed to one side hitting a bump or dip in the road that the other side is not hitting).

With stock shocks and springs, the sway bar is not the limiting factor in up and down motion of the suspension under drag racing conditions.

H82BFST

:thumbs:

Thanks for the info!

I've been able to get 1.6x 60's with the sway bar so I'm not really concerned about that. My bigger motivator is to save those last few lbs from the front. :)

jmX did you happen to weigh the front bar and brackets when you were putting together your writeup on the sway bar swamp?

Front sway bar removal is very common practice among FBody guys, etc... I just wanted to see how some of you 11sec+ guys run, with or without and what your impressions are...

gary brown

Hmmm...well, I think I obtained different results when removing my front sway-bar.

We did a little before and after photography on this issue.

A friend took a series of pics of my launch with the front sway bar on. After removing the bar, we took another series of pics and it was clear to both of us that the front end was noticeably higher at launch AND I was getting slightly better - and more CONSISTENT - 60's.

Pictures don't lie and neither does the data. Just my .02 cents.

Having said that, now I am thinking about getting adjustable shocks to further enhance my ability to dig in on launch.

Hope this helps.

Gary

H82BFST

Gary, can you post those pictures or email them over to me. Since we run very similar times, I'd be very interested in seeing them.

NEPTUNEBILL

I don't think you have to take it off, unbolt the left front side and put the bolt back through so you don't loose it,

kh24

I leave mine on and I have no problem getting sub 1.53 60fts all day.

H82BFST

What if you could get a 1.47 60 instead of your 1.53 with the front sway bar removed? Point is, how do you know you can't do better...

BLUBYU2002C5

The only way is to try it, if it works then leave it off, if it doesnt then but it back on, Thats what test & tune is for.

but just so you know i have pulled the best of a 1.44 60' time with the sway bar on, havent taken off yet, but i plan on it in the near future to see what happens, worse case ill just lose a few pounds :D

kh24

Brenteb02 has tried it and gained nothing. Wow 1.44 those hoosiers must hook like crazy, although with the tire being 2" taller over an et street it makes you loose a little with the gearing. I bet it evens out.

BLUBYU2002C5

Your are correct the hoosier do hook like crazy, i lost approx. 4-5 mph being on a 28" tire vrs a 26" tire, but with a low 1.4x 60' times I pulled my best E/T!!!

I was on 26x10.5x16 e/t streets prior to the big ol hoosiers and the mph was much better, but I could only get a 1.6x-1.7x 60' time due to spinning out the gate. By next season I will try and launch off a e/t Drag 26x11.5x16 and see if i can grab a decent 60' time ad get my mph back - then I should be able to see some crazier E/T times!!!!!!

JR-CRUZN-C5

Front sway bar comes off in April each year and goes back on in November!!
see my sig for mods.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If your intertested give me your e-mail address and I wil e-mail you a photo of my launch showing about a 6 - 7" front end rise!!

JR :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod:

H82BFST

Hey John. How did you do at the track? I just dropped you an IM

gary brown

H8 - my friend has the pics but he is currently serving overseas. :flag

Sorry. Perhaps one of these days I will get brave and learn how to use a digital camera! :lol:

Gary

REDGAR

Took mine off and keep it off. I found no real measuarable gain from doing it with the 60' but my 60's are more predictable (consistent) and that is most important for a bracket racer.

msuc5vette

I can tell you from my cam install that when I removed the sway bar there was significant load on the A-Arms from the sway bar. You have to use a jack to get the ends back on if the center points are bolted in.

I haven't removed it for the track, but I am 99.9999% sure it restricts suspension travel.

jschindler

But, is it the limiting factor? With stock shocks, the suspension is not going to rise enough for the split second the car is trying to lift. The shocks are not letting the suspension move fast enough to reach the end of the sway bar's limits.

Try this, jack you car up under the front sub-frame with everything hooked up to the point where the tires are just barely touching the ground - or, for that matter, when the tires begin to unload. Now, with someone helping (a video camera would help), launch the car as hard as you can. Does the car rise to the same amount as what happened when you jacked it up? I seriously doubt it (again - assuming stock shocks).

jschindler

One more thing. If what you say about the sway bar "loading" the a-arms and you have to jack the car up to get them back on, that tells me the sway bar is actually going to help the car "lift" under acceleration. Isn't that the whole point here?