swedeis
Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:56:55 -0700
Sorry for confusing things by talking about the anti-roll bar as a spring (which it is, it is a torsional spring) In this instance the springs and the anti-roll bars are perfoming the same functions. Controlling the roll of the body around the roll center. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roll_center Either way, my message should be clear, sorry if it wasn't. If you want to increase the roll-stiffness of the rear end of the car, you can add material to the center bar that runs between the two rear wheels. Some have made an adjustable plate of steel clamped to the bar using muffler clamps. Cheap, easy and effective. You can also increase the spring/shock rates (which is what happens when you install Koni's and Eibach springs and the like) Likewise adding an anti-roll bar on top of the pre-existing solution will increase the roll-stiffness of the suspension. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sway_bar If you have an add-on adjustable anti-roll bar, I would use that over the other solutions first as being able to adjust the suspension is always a good thing in my book (say if you're driving in the winter and you want to soften the rear to increase traction in the snow or to better balance the car for your driving style.) If that bar isn't stiff enough for what you want, then I would add a plate of 1/8" steel to the bottom of the rear suspension. Simply make the plate the length of that cross bar (the part that twists) and wide enough to be able to fit the U part of a muffler clamp over that cross bar and into the steel plate. Make a series of holes starting from the outside in, in one or two inch increments, testing along the way until you find on that you like. Double nut, lock nut, and/or lock tite the hardware to keep things from vibrating loose. Adding some split rubber fuel line to the clamps will reduce the tendency of the thing to squeak. Of course using anti-roll bars can have the added effect of not degrading the ride of the vehicle too much. Too much anti-roll bar can also reduce the articulation of the suspension and increase the tendency of the rear suspension to lift a wheel off the ground while driving aggressively. that isn't a bad thing, but it does happen more frequently as the rear suspension gets stiffer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twist-beam_rear_suspension In the end it is all about balancing the parts and adjustments to get what the driver wants out of the car. Which begs the question: What do you want from the car? Stefan -------------- Original message -------------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > In a message dated 9/20/2007 5:21:29 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > The panhard rod locates the suspension and rear wheels side to side. The > Panhard rod does nothing for the stiffness of the rear springs. Replacing it > with an adjustable unit or stiffening the stock piece will make a difference > in how well the vehicle tracks while being driven aggressively. > > The rear axle is called a "twist beam" rear axle and has an anti-sway bar > built into the cross bar. Boxing this cross-bar or increasing the diameter or > wall thickness of the bar will increase the roll-stiffness of the rear > suspension. > > > But I never said anything about stiffening up the rear springs. In fact, > the word "springs" was not even mentioned in my post. Nor did I say anything > about *replacing* the *panhard rod* with an *adjustable unit*. > > I DID say, that I have an *adjustable rear sway bar* attached to the car > with a 3/4" diameter. To state again, this is an aftermarket piece that bolts > on. Not a stock piece that was modified, not a stock piece that was boxed > in. A true, aftermarket sway bar that attaches to the rear. > > Can you please re-clarify what it was you were trying to say when making > your point? Because I am confused after reading your post :-O > > -David C. Lucidi -----------------------REMOVE-FOOTER-WHEN-REPLYING---------------------------- Questions? Visit http://www.sdml.org/ To be removed, visit http://www.sdml.org/pages/leave.html