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TR2/3/3A Rear Sway Bar experience

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PatGalvin

PatGalvin

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Hello all

I have a rear sway bar for the TR3A that I purchased many moons ago. (Addco is manufacturer). Does anyone have any experience running a rear sway bar and would you recommend it? My car already has a proper dose of oversteer, but I'm learning to handle it. Wondering is the rear sway bar will make that much worse and if it will help me corner a little flatter. Rear suspension is bone stock on this car.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Pat
 
Rear sway bar will increase oversteer...so don't do the rear sway bar unless you put an even larger one up front to balance it.
 
Yeah, I have the Addco bars front and rear on mine Pat. They were installed on the car when it came to me as a retired vintage racer. I haven't pushed the car hard enough yet to test them, but I'm assuming the PO must have liked the set up a lot!

I do have the same type Addco set up on my TR6 and love the way it handles!

Cheers
Tush
 
I had front & rear ADDCO bars on my TR3A and really liked the result on the street. Was part of an ongoing tuning exercise with wider wheels and sticky tires. IMO the ADDCO configuration gave too much oversteer, so I was working on toning it down when the car got wrecked. I used all nylon bushings at the front for a bit more effect. My next step was going to be having Richard Goode build a bigger front bar, but I never got back to that point.

However, it did seem faster around the track with the rear bar much looser (less effect) than I ran on the street. I picked up almost 2 seconds at the 2000 VTR autocross by loosening both rear link bolts by 1/4 inch or so and reefing down on the front ones.

The main advantage on the street, IMO, was avoiding the case where the inside rear suspension tops out (axle hits the frame) and suddenly picks up the wheel. The abrupt change transfers all the lateral force to the outside tire, which then slips and unloads the suspension, which plants the inside wheel again etc. The net effect is that the rear end skips sideways. But for whatever reason, that was less of a problem for me on the track and I had more trouble getting traction (with an open diff). YMMV and all that.
 
I have an Addco rear bar laying in some corner of the shop or out on the scrap pile. I put one on my 63 TR4 years ago when I used to autocross the car, lots of over steer. I considered myself fortunate I autocrossed before going a little hot into a tight corner playing in the twisties on a highway. Early TR suspensions are goofy. Positive camber for bias tires that like it in a world of radials that do not and frame rails running under the rear axle so it can pick up the inside wheel.
 
When you think about it...Leaf springs work just like a rear sway bay. Another reason a front bar should go on first.
 
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