Remove front sway bar?

[GNRick]

I'll be taking an 8 hour road trip this week and plan on doing some racing at an 1/8 mile track in northern Georgia. My car is pretty much all stock and was wondering how much benefit there is to removing the front sway bar. Also, if I remove it before I leave, will it affect driving and or tire wear? I also have an air bag that I can install in the rear passenger spring. Is it worth it on a stock car? Thanks!

 

[Sweet6]

I would not take it off unless you have a HR rear bar. I took my front sway bar off with a ATR rear bar. Handling was marginal. The car handles better than stock with no front bar and a HR bar in the rear. My $.02.

 

[itsturbotime]

Not only is it a good rear bar like the HR parts or ATR is necessary but also some good shocks if your going to take the front sway bar off, taking it off will not affect tire wear unless the car is not aligned properly but if you dont have a good suspention outback it will not be a smart Idea to take it off for long drives or hwy driving..

 

[GNRick]

I do have Bilstein shocks, but stock sway bars. Looks like I'll keep the sway bar on. I plan on buying race gas at the track, but I don't know the octane. Can I use the stock chip? Probably too late for Eric to burn me one as I think he is at the BPG event in Ohio. Per Denso website, Autozone sells their O2 sensors and they can have one for me in two days. (Just in case the track only sells leaded race fuel). I'll put an adjustable fuel pressure regulator on. Any other suggestions for last minute improvements? Hoping to run low 8's in 1/8th mile. :smile:

 

[GSX-PKV]

Leave on the sway bar and at the track, just disconnect it at the end links. Then after racing put ithe end link and bushings back in. I think all you'll need is a couple 1/2 inch wrenches to quickly do that.

 

[granatl]

I installed new upper/lower ball joints, etc. and left the sway bar off for about a year and used 90/10 drag shocks. It was tricky to drive. I then learned how quickly it destroys ball joints, so had to get them done all over again, and this time put the sway bar back on.

 

[GNRick]

Leave on the sway bar and at the track, just disconnect it at the end links. Then after racing put ithe end link and bushings back in. I think all you'll need is a couple 1/2 inch wrenches to quickly do that.

Paul, thanks for your reply. What kind of DOT tires put you in the 10's, in your signature?

 

[XLR8]

I do not think removing the front sway bar on a stock car will help at all. You need a high boost launch and very sticky tires to see any improvement - I improved maybe 0.05 in my 60' with a 12# launch and slicks. Also, you will hate the 8 hour trip without the bar.

 

[d0n_3d]

Don't remove it if it's a fairly stock car. If you are not running 12's or faster, don't even bother. I took mine off completely in the 11's and along with the ATR rear bar, I never had driving issues with handling. You lose almost 30 lbs up front and there is minimal if any handling loss and I drive my car on the street all the time.