Sway bar
1st Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 107
RE: Sway bar
ORIGINAL: Oxnard Montalvo
I use a 1 1/4" hollow light weight sway bar from Cobra Automotive in Wallingford Connecticut. It was pricy and I had to grind an arc in the lip of the frame rails for added clearance, but this bar made a hugh difference over the stock 13/16" GT bar when combined with the Global West 150lb rear springs, urethane bushings, and heavy duty shackles. I find no need for a rear sway bar.
I also did the "Shelby Drop," installed 600lb front springs and a quick steer kit with the rollerized idler arm. The brakes were upgraded to power slot rotors, EBC red stuff pads and SSBC calipers. Shocks are the poor man's Konis, KGB Gas-A-just*.
Seems to some people that I broke the bank, so for now the Minister of Finance has shut down operations. She started screaming something about the Kid's teeth and braces or such, so I figured it was time to go covert and start using cash. His teeth are fine.
And how does it handle now?
http://www.cobraautomotive.com/index.htm
* Made in Siberia.
I use a 1 1/4" hollow light weight sway bar from Cobra Automotive in Wallingford Connecticut. It was pricy and I had to grind an arc in the lip of the frame rails for added clearance, but this bar made a hugh difference over the stock 13/16" GT bar when combined with the Global West 150lb rear springs, urethane bushings, and heavy duty shackles. I find no need for a rear sway bar.
I also did the "Shelby Drop," installed 600lb front springs and a quick steer kit with the rollerized idler arm. The brakes were upgraded to power slot rotors, EBC red stuff pads and SSBC calipers. Shocks are the poor man's Konis, KGB Gas-A-just*.
Seems to some people that I broke the bank, so for now the Minister of Finance has shut down operations. She started screaming something about the Kid's teeth and braces or such, so I figured it was time to go covert and start using cash. His teeth are fine.
And how does it handle now?
http://www.cobraautomotive.com/index.htm
* Made in Siberia.
4th Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,188
From: 1984
RE: Sway bar
And how does it handle now?
At speed so far the steering feels neutral, neither the front nor the back gets loose. It's tight. All four wheels seem to start squealing at the same time and the body roll is almost nil. The quick steer kit is outstanding. A flick of the steering wheel is all that's required to change lanes, half a turn for a left or right. There are two small drawbacks to this though. Turning the wheel while parking is a workout, and the rollerized idler arm doesn't bring the steering wheel back to center if you let go of it after taking a corner. Gotta do that yourself.
The brakes aren't quite bedded in so I haven't tried them to any extent. I'll have to know how well they'll work when I need them, I wouldn't want to hit a cat or anything, so once they're set I must try them hard.
The ride is a little harsh but not unbearably so. Still better than a Vette.
I decided to make the car like a Shelby from the bottom up rather than from the top down. To look like a stock '66 GT but handle like a Shelby. So far the results have exceeded the expectations.
I need to get the Minister of Finance, who's actual title is M.O.E. (Minister of Everything) to put her Minister of Finance hat back on and loosen the purse strings at the Central Bank. The main limiting factor at this point is the tires, and the 14" wheels are limiting the tire selection. All the tires I have found for 14" wheels look like snow tires. I don't want an "All Season Radial," I want a performance tire.
I'd like to get some 15" styled steel wheels. The larger wheels would enable the mounting of a real performance tire and let me keep it somewhat stock. Tires and Wheels and Galaxie brakes... Tires and Wheels and Galaxie brakes... Tires and Wheels and Galaxie brakes... *
* My son and I will come up with a song called "Tires and wheels and Galaxie brakes..." At first we'll just hum it at the dinner table to set the hook... Then... After a while we'll hear MOE say:
"What song is that?"
Dad: " It's just a little ditty we're working on."
MOE: "What's it's name?"
Son: " Tires and Wheels and Galaxie brakes!"
3rd Gear Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 622
From:
RE: Sway bar
ORIGINAL: 67mustang302
What size sway bar to use in the front/rear has more to do with how the suspension performs and what you want the car to do. If you already have balanced suspension and put a big sway bar up front and nothing out back, you'll get uncontrolable oversteer. Too much sway bar in the rear and not enough in the front generates understeer. For example, I had a bolt break that was holding the rear sway bar to the right leaf, so my sway bar became ineffective in the rear. With a 1 1/8" up front and none(non-functioning) in the rear, if I gave it basically any amount of throttle above the absolute minimum while turning,the back end would come out and the car would get nearly uncontrolable. I'm running 1 1/8" up front and 3/4" in the rear and it works well for me. You need to figure out what you need, rather than just slapping a sway bar on, otherwise you may end up flying off the road
What size sway bar to use in the front/rear has more to do with how the suspension performs and what you want the car to do. If you already have balanced suspension and put a big sway bar up front and nothing out back, you'll get uncontrolable oversteer. Too much sway bar in the rear and not enough in the front generates understeer. For example, I had a bolt break that was holding the rear sway bar to the right leaf, so my sway bar became ineffective in the rear. With a 1 1/8" up front and none(non-functioning) in the rear, if I gave it basically any amount of throttle above the absolute minimum while turning,the back end would come out and the car would get nearly uncontrolable. I'm running 1 1/8" up front and 3/4" in the rear and it works well for me. You need to figure out what you need, rather than just slapping a sway bar on, otherwise you may end up flying off the road
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 551
RE: Sway bar
ORIGINAL: 67mustang302
What size sway bar to use in the front/rear has more to do with how the suspension performs and what you want the car to do. If you already have balanced suspension and put a big sway bar up front and nothing out back, you'll get uncontrolable oversteer. Too much sway bar in the rear and not enough in the front generates understeer. For example, I had a bolt break that was holding the rear sway bar to the right leaf, so my sway bar became ineffective in the rear. With a 1 1/8" up front and none(non-functioning) in the rear, if I gave it basically any amount of throttle above the absolute minimum while turning, the back end would come out and the car would get nearly uncontrolable. I'm running 1 1/8" up front and 3/4" in the rear and it works well for me. You need to figure out what you need, rather than just slapping a sway bar on, otherwise you may end up flying off the road
What size sway bar to use in the front/rear has more to do with how the suspension performs and what you want the car to do. If you already have balanced suspension and put a big sway bar up front and nothing out back, you'll get uncontrolable oversteer. Too much sway bar in the rear and not enough in the front generates understeer. For example, I had a bolt break that was holding the rear sway bar to the right leaf, so my sway bar became ineffective in the rear. With a 1 1/8" up front and none(non-functioning) in the rear, if I gave it basically any amount of throttle above the absolute minimum while turning, the back end would come out and the car would get nearly uncontrolable. I'm running 1 1/8" up front and 3/4" in the rear and it works well for me. You need to figure out what you need, rather than just slapping a sway bar on, otherwise you may end up flying off the road
Here is what I run:
Global-West front with cut-down Granada v-8 coils.
1 1/8 Quickor bar
Koni's set dead center
Export/Monti-Carlo
Stock rear springs with 3 extra clips
3/4" Quickor bar
Koni's dead center
Traction Master under rides
Urethane bushings
The car is as dead neutral as any car I've ever driven. Has a little too much body roll but I've been the 750lb/250lb spring route and won't do that ever again. Anybody know where I can get 1 1 1/2" and 1' bar set-up?
I ♥ Acer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 17,565
From:
RE: Sway bar
ORIGINAL: JamesW
You are kidding me.... I paid more than that, and ordered it from California!
and to add insult to injury, Texas Mustang Parts is 7 miles from my house!
You are kidding me.... I paid more than that, and ordered it from California!
and to add insult to injury, Texas Mustang Parts is 7 miles from my house!
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 877
From:
RE: Sway bar
ORIGINAL: Soaring
I order everything from Texas Mustang. I have found their prices to be quite competitive and their freight cost is less do to the close proximity to my house.
I order everything from Texas Mustang. I have found their prices to be quite competitive and their freight cost is less do to the close proximity to my house.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,302
From: Northernish Eastish Central Texas
RE: Sway bar
True..it's often a wash that the local price is lower but you have to pay state sales tax. Or, the out of state price is lower, but you have to pay shipping.
Being able to run out there in 10 minutes on Sat morning to pick up a part....... priceless.
Being able to run out there in 10 minutes on Sat morning to pick up a part....... priceless.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 877
From:
RE: Sway bar
ORIGINAL: JamesW
Being able to run out there in 10 minutes on Sat morning to pick up a part....... priceless.
Being able to run out there in 10 minutes on Sat morning to pick up a part....... priceless.
