Front sway bar question

[budk1953]

I'm replacing the solid aluminum bushings on the front sway bar and it seems the existing are offset to the outside of the front to back frame members. Would moving the mounts to the center of the frame members (approximately 1" closer on each) affect anything?
Also is the distance from the frame to the centerline of the bar critical?

Thanks,
Bud

 

[bill_young]

Bud, a sway bar is nothing more than a torsion spring that rotates in the bushings. The resistance of the bar is determined by the bar diameter and the length of the lever arms, that is from the center of the bushings to the end links. The height of the bushings isn't critical as long as both are the same height, and the position of the bushings in relation to the ends of the arm won't have much effect if any. On your Spridget you won't notice any difference in 1" in the location of the bushings, you'll notice more difference by the change from solid aluminum to polyurethane.
As the suspension begins to compress on one side the bar is twisted. How much of this twist is transmitted to the other side of the car is a factor of the bar diameter, but any deflection in the bushings or end links also decrease the effect because some of the force is absorbed there. On a race car with solid bushings and end links the bar absorbs all the force, on a street car with softer bushings and links there is more absorbed by the bushings and less force transitted to the other side of the suspension.