RE: Rear Springs on a TR4

[Scott Tilton <stilton@protoprod.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From:   Phil Ethier 

Sounds like you don't need a rear sway bar.  You need a front sway bar.  Do
you have one?


I'll admit it . .I haven't sat here and tried to figure it all out, rather
I'm just asking for advice from people who might have already done so.

Can you educate me on what made you say that?  (sounds like I need a front
swaybar)

I know that everyone says having the rear (swaybar) too stiff can cause a
lot of oversteer.
Which is fine and fun if you want to go drifting or play Dukes of Hazard  /
Starsky and Hutch. . . . but not necessarily faster around the course.

I can see that in a situation where I'm hitting the brakes and turning . . .
there's a dramatic weight transfer towards one of the front wheels in
particular.
Putting a stiffer front swaybar on there would shift the inside front
wheel's downward spring force to the outside front wheel's spring and thus
lessen the lean / sway of the car.

But if I'm making a turn with my foot on the gas pedal . . .then I'm
shifting weight towards one side and the rear of the car.
If I'm lifting a rear wheel  (or unloading it enough to cause wheels spin)
wouldn't a rear swaybar help?   

I'm not debating you . . I really am looking for an education on the topic.

FWIW 

If anything . .the O-turn and skidpad produced a good amount of understeer
on my car.


Scott Tilton

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