Car feels funny after ATR rear sway bar install

[turbosam6]

I put one on about a month ago, and it does eliminate a lot of body roll, but when you steer from side to side, it kinda feels like its getting out of control, like traction loss, only the tires aren't breaking loose. You can tell the body roll is being eliminated from the back instead of front, and it feels like it might scare the sh!t outta me when I'm going 120 mph+. I do run ET streets all the time with skinny's, drag shocks and no front sway bar. But it felt very controllable and predictable before. Makes me kinda nervous. Is this normal? Do I just have to get used to it?

 

[Steve Wood]

By removing the front bar, you are increasing the tendency to oversteer (the rear end wants to swing out in corners). By increasing the diameter of the rear bar, you are further increasing the oversteer. By using drag shocks and ETs, you are further screwing with the tendency to get out of kelter.

It should be okay going in a straight line but the car may be very, very unstable when changing direction. I personally consider it very dangerous to do in a street car but I am sure there will be many that will tell you they do it all the time and are still alive. Worse case is probably braking and turning....Ralph Nader would love you!

 

[azgn]

even with the front bar on, if you have the ATR bar on the rear, you will oversteer.......so be ready...can you say Porsche??

 

[turbosam6]

How encouraging, lol! Guess I better get used to it. What would help this? Its just weird feeling, and thats at 40 mph, so its gotta be real fun at 120 mph! Would street tires be any better?

 

[Steve Wood]

street tires would help a bit but the real problem is the combo of no front bar, big rear, and drag shocks..

I would run the front bar on the street and disconnect it at the strip. The ETs probably don't have a lot of sidewall rigidity and lets the rear move side to side even when the tread is not breaking loose.

 

[Russ Merritt]

I second reinstalling the front bar. I run 12.5x28 ET streets with MT sportsman 28x7.5x15s in front with 70/30s, ATR rear bar and all is well but, I keep the front bar on and functional.

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by turbosam6
I do run ET streets all the time with skinny's, drag shocks and no front sway bar.

If you want to run a real drag-only suspension then run it at the track, not on the street.

On the street you face alot of morons, doing dumb stuff. You may need to be able to avoid one of them. With what you're running you have little to no chance of dodging that bullet.

 

[azgn]

what Bruce said.........not safe for regular street driving in "drag strip"mode

 

[d0n_3d]

Re: Re: Car feels funny after ATR rear sway bar install

Originally posted by bruce

On the street you face alot of morons, doing dumb stuff. You may need to be able to avoid one of them. With what you're running you have little to no chance of dodging that bullet.

so true...so true...i swear to god 75% of the people that drive in my area shouldn't be allowed to have a license...i fear for my life sometimes when i am driving my GN

 

[J Banning]

Do a "once over" on all your rear sway bar and control arm mounting bolts to make sure none are loose or BROKEN. I broke my drivers side lower control arm bolt (forward bolt) once while I was driving the car on the street. At about 40mph the bolt came apart and the control arm decided it wanted to move around under the car. The rear end was so loose I could barely keep the car on the road. Very scary indeed.

Double check everything & be safe.
-Banning.

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

havent you seen them drifting video's

I got same setup on mine right now and tried an off ramp going to the track at speeds that are usually no problem and I ended up driving all the way around the ramp looking out the door glass to see where i was going..

My buddy behind me was trippin on it but I just layed it around the ramp nice an perty sideways

good thing I have plenty of clearence between my 28/12.50 st streets and the frame and wheelwell or It would have got real ugly with the tire getting cut open while sideways

Im putting my suspension back with stock bars front and rear

 

[Donald McMullin]

Steve Wood comments are dead on, but I have one additional point. If you have installed a 12-inch brake conversion with B spindles, you need even less rear sway bar than stock. This conversion changes the front role-center which requires more front sway control and less rear sway control.

Other items which will lead to overstee are:

(a) softer front springs
(b) stiffer rear springs (and air bags)
(c) turbo engine with quick changes in torque which can overpower rear tires!!!!!!!

Not sure if anyone reading this post has the 12-inch conversion, but just thought I would add this additional information.

Deep Enough

Donald McMullin