Robert wrote:
>I am thinking about taking on a winter project of adding a rear sway bar
>and upgrading the front. I currently get a lot of front end plow with my
>TR6. I forget if that is considered over or understeer. Does anyone have
>any experience with the Addco upgrades or the Good parts kits? Do they make
>much of a difference? Thanks in advance for any input.
Robert:
First of all, what you describe is understeer. Note that the car
understeers despite its very nearly 50/50 weight distribution (51/49).
Steer characteristics like under and oversteer have more to do with
suspension geometry and roll stiffness than they do with weight
distribution. One thing you should be aware of is that using a bigger
(stiffer) front bar ALONE (I know you intend to fit one in the rear, as
well) will INCREASE the understeer. Adding the bar at the rear will
compensate for that by increasing the tendency to oversteer. Achieving
acceptably "neutral" steer characteristics takes a great deal of fiddling
with adjustable anti-roll bars, but bolting on the ADDCO kit or the Good
Parts kit would get you right into the ball park, I'm sure. I'm
particularly impressed with the Good Parts kits, although I've not the
bucks to buy them!!
Here's the rule on roll-stiffness and steer characteristics, and it applies
to changing springs, too:
Increase roll stiffness in front, you add understeer OR decrease oversteer.
Increase roll stiffness in the rear, you add oversteer OR decrease
understeer.
All this is true regardless of weight distribution!!
Pete Chadwell
1973 TR6 CF10732
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