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#1
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Factory sway bar sizes front and back
Does anyone have a list of factory sway bar sizes over the years?
I would like to put a rear swaybar on my tempest and the front one is really small. I found a WS6 sway bar and another that just a little smaller not sure what from for possibly the front but don't want to ruin the nice ride quality by over doing it. At the same time I don't like feeling like I will tip over going around corners. |
#2
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Sway bars should have little to no effect on ride quality while driving in a straight line.
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My Pontiac is a '57 GMC with its original 347" Pontiac V8 and dual-range Hydra-Matic. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Bill Hanlon For This Useful Post: | ||
#3
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Generally you want the rear bar to be smaller than the front.
1 to 1 1/8" front, 7/8" rear would be fine for a cruiser Tempest. If you want to step it up a bit using factory style parts, a 1 1/4 front and 1" rear would work also. This may require some strengthening of the front bar mounting holes
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Ed 1968 GTO (Thanks Mom) 2006 Silverado 2007 Cadillac SRX 2015 Chevy Express 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ |
#4
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I went from the factory front bar on my '64 to a WS6 bar and the only thing that changed was the handling - not the ride. Prior to that I had added an NOS rear bar.
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#5
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Be aware that there is a downside going too big on a/roll bars. Bigger AR roll bars will make the ride harsher under some conditions
If the wheels hit a depression [ or raised section ] in the road such that both wheels on that axle deflect the same amount, there is no change in ride quality. If ONE wheel hits a bump or pothole, then the AR rate gets added to the spring rate to increase ride harshness on that side. I removed the 1.25" front AR bar on my 66 & went back to the factory 15/16" bar because the comfortable ride was more important to me than hurling around corners at great speed. |
#6
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Sway
I agree I just purchased a 67 GTO with a huge aftermarket front sway bar and after removing it the car went from riding like a truck to riding like a Cadillac. I will be installing a factory 15/16 sway bar in the near future.
KC
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#7
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what brand? if they come up for sale let me know...
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Mark.. The Goat whisperer "I spent a lot of my money on booze, crazy women, and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." |
#8
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Bar
I don`t know what brand it is but I think it was purchased from Ames.
I might be selling it with the links. Also removed the rear sway bar. KC
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#9
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Quote:
Last edited by rohrt; 09-18-2020 at 05:07 PM. |
#10
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This. Sway bar diameter absolutely has a direct impact on ride quality, since the sway bar is a heavy gauge spring which physically connects one side of the car to the other. Stiffer the bar, the more upset the suspension will become if you hit a bump on one side but not the other.
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1966 Pontiac GTO (restoration thread) 1998 BMW 328is (track rat) 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited (daily) View my photos: Caught in the Wild |
#11
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Quote:
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#12
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Quote:
Many race cars don't even have sway bars, because they sometimes handle body roll entirely with the springs. Obviously you can't get away with that on a street car, since the springs would have to be so stiff that you'd rattle your fillings out.
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1966 Pontiac GTO (restoration thread) 1998 BMW 328is (track rat) 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited (daily) View my photos: Caught in the Wild |
#13
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I finally measured mine last night. Look like the front is 15/16 as well. So no difference between the GTO and tempest..
What was the factory size of the rear? Last edited by rohrt; 09-21-2020 at 12:09 PM. |
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