Front anti roll bar

[bugedd]

I'm looking at upgrading the front roll bar to something very stiff for spirited driving. I was thinking of the Speedwell, but wanted to get input from other spirited drivers. What are you using?

 

[BlueMax]

I like my Speedwell!!

 

[Rut]

Alan,
how does your Bugeye handle with the Speedwell ARB? I've got a stock bar and I'm thinking about going a little larger when I put my car together.
Thanks, Rut

 

[BlueMax]

Rut, I'm still doing the shake down on the car, I only have about 60 miles on it currently. Actually, the only part that is Speedwell is the mounts and bolts, I took measurements from Gundys car and fab everything else myself similar to his Speedwell. I'm not sure what wall thickness Tom uses for his tubed 4130 7/8" OD bar. Mine is 7/8" OD with .125" wall tubing, his may be the same, Gundy wouldn't take kindly if I cut his bar to find out so I did the math.. So far I can't complain, the rear end fills very glued to the surface. I'm also using a 1/2" 4130 tubed rear bar with a .050 wall thickness.

 

[nomad]

I'm running factory 3/4 inch bars on a square body and on a BE. Noticeable increase in understeer on the square body but haven't noticed a real problem with the BE. In the future I won't go over 11/16 which are available from Moss UK.

Kurt.

 

[nomad]

Rut, I'm also running home made frame mounts on re-enforced chassis rails. My mounts are solid moly filled polycarbonate so any flex for body roll is in the bar.

Kurt.

 

[Rut]

Thanks guys! Nows the time to reinforce those mounts!
Rut

 

[nomad]

Thanks guys! Nows the time to reinforce those mounts!
Rut

Yes, I don't think they will stand up to anything more than stock!

Kurt.

 

[bugedd]

How do people typically reinforce them?

 

[BlueMax]

I did mine this way! I also added 1/2" angle iron to the frame well. You can hardly notice them but they extend the entire inside of box frame.

 

[nomad]

I cut a hole in a 3/16 strap for the stock mounting point to fit through and welded to that plate and the rail for a total of about 10 inch's. Pretty thin stuff and not much fun overhead welding. If a person had the car on a rotisserie that would be the ideal time to do the job. Lots of ways to do it and On my BE I waited till after the right mount failed and then bodged the job with a couple of straps on each side.

Kurt

 

[Pythias]

Paul A. told me years ago.... the stock 9/16" anti-sway bar is the correct size. What we want to do is to balance the car's tendency to over steer. Putting too large a bar on the front will over compensate and give the car under steer. The only reason to go with a larger bar in the front is because there has been an anti-sway bar installed on the rear. ... YMMV.