Rear torsion bar recommendation

[FredDart]

I want to put addco front and rear swaybars on my 68 dart. The front bar will be 1 1/8. What rear bar would you guys recommend, is 7/8 overkill? I already have welded frame connectors and performer IAS shocks. The car handles pretty good without any bars, but I want to reduce body roll, especially in the rear (tires rub on tight corners). So should I go with 3/4 or 7/8 ?

Thanks

Fred

[FredDart]

Oh and the engine is a /6 for now, eventually a SB magnum.

Fred

[Jim_Lusk]

3/4 will be fine. Too much rear bar and you get oversteer, I think.

[moparrr07]

3/4 will be fine. Too much rear bar and you get oversteer, I think.

correct, although if your running a skinny (205 or less) low traction tire up front, your going to under steer into every corner anyways, so in that case it might be better to go with a bigger bar

[FredDart]

Im running 225/45/17 up front and 245/45/17 in the back. So since I have good grip in front, I should stick with 3/4 to prevent oversteer?

Fred

[moparrr07]

o thats right, your the green dart with the cottington wheels,

now the other scenario is that you also have grippy tires on the rear,

my advice would be to buy a front sway bar first and see how you like that, if it has a ton of under steer then go for the 7/8, just a little then go for the 3/4, or it might be fine without a rear bar, you never know, with bigger rear tires it might under steer already

also from what i hear, and ill need other people to back me up on this, but the addco sway bars are not really that good, most people buy sway bars from just suspention, its about the same pricing, do a couple searches and you will find people that have liked the JS bars

and remember, you don't want over or under steer but if you must have one, over is always better because you can correct it of your quick enough and continue motoring around the corner - and it is a heck of allot more fun

[FredDart]

I disagree with the on the oversteer theory, in the perfect world you want mild understeer, so you know the limit of your car. With the slow ratio of a manual steering box, you'll mostly end up in the ditch if you lose control after oversteering. I'll stick with the 3/4 rear bar

Thanks fot the hint, I just checked prices on Just Suspension bars and the are a lot cheaper than summit (100$ vs. 150$) Shipping to Quebec is relatively cheap too, only 15$!!!

Thanks

[moparrr07]

with over steer you can correct and still motor on around the corner, with under steer, you have to eeze into the brakes- thus slowing you down, knowing your limit gos both ways

[72polara]

Only set your car up for oversteer if you want to die early.  An oversteering car can be a bit of fun, but I really wouldn't do it for a car that gets driven on the street with any frequency.  For a street car, shoot for mild understeer.  The car will be more predictable at its limits.

The only situation where I'd dial in oversteer is if you're building a dedicated autocrosser or road racer and like oversteer.

[moparrr07]

in my car there isnt any corner that my car wont over or understeer at under 60, so i dont really worry about it

[FredDart]

also from what i hear, and ill need other people to back me up on this, but the addco sway bars are not really that good, most people buy sway bars from just suspention, its about the same pricing, do a couple searches and you will find people that have liked the JS bars

Just Suspension sells the Addco sway bars, I received my bars last week. A lot cheaper than summit, only 99$!

Fred

[moparrr07]

i dont think the just suspension has addco bars,

justsuspension.com: Prevent body roll and improve overall handling with one of our easy bolt on sway bar kits.

plus they don't mention addco once

[FredDart]

Well the instructions on the hardware box and warranty papers are Addco... And look at the part number, JS and Addco have the same one (150 for front sway bar 67-72 A-body, 675 for rear bar 7/8'') Maybe you meant PST? I think they make their own bars.

Fred

[aussiecoupe]

oversteer is fun and understeer can be very dangerous if your front brakes are better than rear (the case with most older cars) if you have enough practice you can get out of most oversteer situations