Greg,
While there is a lot of merit to what Alan says, and I ran a smaller
(weaker) bar on the FWD car I used to autocross, there is ample
precedent that for VOLKSWAGEN cars, a monster front bar can
be just what the doctor ordered.
>From way back in the early 80's when Randy Pobst was flogging
a Rabbit to many examples of later vintage VW's, it has been shown
that a very large and stiff front bar will work for them, and work well.
I hope we get some replies from hard-core VW competitors as to the
whys and hows. All I can do is tell you that I have seen it work quite
nicely, and speculate on what the dynamics are.... but you would not
want to hear that last part! ;-)
Alan Sheidler
In a message dated 12/29/02 6:49:05 PM Pacific Standard Time,
owner-ax-digest@autox.team.net writes:
> Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 14:39:26 -0500
> From: "Red Raevyn" <redraevyn@softhome.net>
> Subject: Re: c
>
> I was in FSP, when I ran - I'm not too worried about my classing since I
> autocross rarely and largely for my own sake, not very worried about
> beating
> anyone but myself =) It's just how it drives that really concerns me.
>
> So my best options, economically speaking, would probably be adding (or
> beefing up, I don't really know if I have one... should look) a -rear- bar,
> and getting thicker springs? How much of an endeavor is adding a LSD? Do
> you put a different differential into where the current one is, or is there
> a lot more involved? Anything I do, I'm only looking at parts cost
> since
> I can do it all at the garage I used to work at, but being 18 almost 19 I'm
> still something short of rolling in dough ;)
>
> Thanks =)
> .Greg.
>
> - -----
> Alan Pozner wrote;
> >If the front inside wheel is coming off the ground then the last thing you
> >want is a bigger front swaybar. Here's why: a sway bar adds to the spring
> >rate of the outside tire in a turn basically by using the opposite inside
> >wheel's spring in reverse. In other words, it couples the inside wheel to
> >the outside wheel. When the outside wheel goes up into the fender, the
> >inside wheel wheel be lifted off the ground.
> >
> >However, I really doubt you are lifting the inside FRONT tire in a Jetta
> on
> >stock springs. Most VWs on stock springs lift the inside rear tire but no
> >the inside front. What you are probably experiencing is front inside
> >wheelspin when you apply power coming out of a turn. There is not much you
> >can do in stock class to avoid this. You can't add a limited slip diff,
> and
> >you can't do what you really need to do which is stiffen the rear to makke
> >the car more neutral. If you are not in stock class then there's plenty
> you
> >can do but even so don't increase the size of the front rollbar without
> >increasing the size of the rear by an even greater amount.
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Partial archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|