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Sway bar question.

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Can sway bars get tired? The sway bar on my TR6 (I only have a front one) is probably as old as the car. I have had it off the car and reinstalled when I rebuilt the front end. I appears in ok shape (like that is an accurate diagnosis) but I wonder if I can do better. There is no way I can install a rear bar, although I would like one, as my Falcon exhaust prevents any sway bar install, save the Revington overhead model and that is not going to happen. What brand should I look at for a front-only install?
 
if you're going to replace it, at least upgrade it to 3/4" diameter or better. I don't know what stock is (i'm a tractor guy) but triumphs need big front sway bars. I am putting a fully adjustable 1" diameter bar in my 4 and a 5/8" bar in back.
 
Aren't the front and rear bars supposed to be matched in some manner? Just asking, because I remember reading a Kastner or some other famous TR6 guy writing about that.

The problem is, I don't remember where I read it or any more than the matching issue.
 
There is a matching to it and if you overload the front it will probably plow to much. You can't just stick the biggest bars they make. It just don't work that way.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Can sway bars get tired? The sway bar on my TR6 (I only have a front one) is probably as old as the car. [/QUOTE]

They could if damaged, but not in this application, they just do not get twisted enough to fatigue. Unless you go to a larger diameter, I would keep what you got.
 
Adding a bigger/thicker front sway-bar to a TR6 with Stock suspension will increase under-steer. Adding a rear sway bar that is larger than the front will create an over-steering TR6. Adding a larger front sway-bar and a smaller rear sway-bar tends to make a TR6 more neutral with the possibility of sudden and scary snap spin over-steer. Especially if your hustling in the wet.

If you have increased the spring rate on the car, especially the rear, it has almost the same effect as adding a sway-bar. Both approaches increase roll resistance.

On my car, after I lowered it 1.5 inches and increased the spring rate, I also installed a larger (7/8") front sway-bar in order to bring back some of the safety of an under-steer biased car. I can tune that amount of under-steer with tire pressure. Like Bill, the only rear bar that I will put on my car would be one similar to/or the example offered by Neil Revington. Not because of my exhaust... but because I can't afford to lose any more ground clearance! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
What type of Falcon exhaust are you using? If it is the same as TRF sells, you can run a rear sway bar. When I first purchased mine, I couldn't see how it would ever fit, but it does. The pipes are very tight up against the bar.
You will notice a great improvement in handling.
 
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