Sway bar recommendation for a Bugeye

[tdskip]

For fast road, but not racing use, is there a specific size and vendor for a front bar that you guys recommend? Rear needed or even helpful for street use?

Thanks!

 

[PeterC]

Are your A-frames drilled for a bar?

Never use one on the rear.

NEVER

Peter

 

[GeeBee1]

A stock midget\sprite one is good if the a-frames are drilled. If you want to tighten up the rear, a panhard bar is the way to go, but not really needed unless:

1. Wider Tires
2. Softer Springs
3. Personal Preference

Pat

 

[aeronca65t]

I'm racing with a 5/8" front. For street use, that's about as much as you'd need.

As Peter says, make sure your A-arms are drilled. If not, be careful, since these A-arms can be crack-prone if drilled improperly.

Agree with Peter on rear bar too. I got one free onetime and put it on for a practice session at Pocono. I pulled in early and disconnected it. A waste of time for these cars.

 

[tdskip]

Drilled like this?

 

[jlaird]

Has a plate on the back as well I think.

 

[tdskip]

Hi guys - here is what the inner section of that a-arm looks like. Doesn't appear to be a plate there Jack.

Don't those holes look small to be a sway bar mouting point?

 

[aeronca65t]

Yeah, those A-arms are fine. While you're at it, look for any tiny cracks near the inboard (chassis mount) side. Not uncommon.

 

[jlaird]

No pic but mine are new from Moss, the good ones, British Heritage, and they have a plate welded behind the holes.

Guess once again there are different ones available.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks guys

 

[Gary_D]

I just installed a 3/4" sway bar on my 67 sprite and I LOVE it. Makes the ride a little more bummpy cause the front end is tied together, but hey, what an improvement in cornering.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I agree it makes a huge difference in cornering but not until all the rest of the front end R & R'd first. Then add the sway bar.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Also a set of Peter C's shocks makes a HUGE Difference.!!!!!

 

[tdskip]

Also a set of Peter C's shocks makes a HUGE Difference.!!!!!

Oh yeah. Peter probably wishes I'd stop ordering from him at this point (I'm been kind of ditsy).... Seriously - Peter and crew have been super helpful. If you haven't done business before you are missing out.

 

[Hairyone]

I put a 5/8" on my frogeye & it's supurb. It just turns straight in as if it was on rails. The back is left as stock except for polyeurathane bushes. Hard front, soft back is way to go.
Yeeee haaaa!
My frog

 

[tdskip]

Thanks guys - I appreciate the info. 5/8 for the front is what I'll pursue. Everything will be rebuild/rebushed as a matter of course.

Any recommendations on where to source the bar? I've seen Addco bars come up on eBay for what look to be attractive prices.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

It is not just the thickness of the bar that counts. It is also the length of the arm, the angle of the arm, and the type of rod ends used, and the type of metal.

I have an addco bar that is 3/4" and it works fine for the road. I never felt like the stock 9/16" bar was doing much.

 

[Tom Rynne]

I am using a 3/4 bar on my 65 Midget but recently had to modify the front frame sections as the downforce this bar generated ripped the two mounting plates halfway off. So if you go to a bigger than stock bar you will want to reinforce this area.
I am using a rose joint off each vertical plate to connect the bar ends and urethane buffers with these as well as red urethane mounts to the frame. These may have transferred more load to the frame? I have read in the past of many such failures with the stock frame thickness.
The bottom of the frame horns is very thin-maybe 1/16 inch thick- and I cut this away going back to the wide cross brace we all use to jack the front up. I replaced the stock metal with 3/16 hot rolled steel plate and welded on both ends as well as a spot/fill weld every inch.
It seems very muuch more solid now but time will tell.
I like the flat cornering and drift control the 3/4 bar provides but have nothing to compare it to as the car as original had no bar and wallowed like a boat. The stock bar looked way too wimpy to do any serious cornering.

 

[tdskip]

Man you guys are fast. I came back to edit my post indicating that I discovered that Addco only makes a 3/4 bar and Trevor and Tom had already replied!

Tom - any pictures of how you reinforced your mounting points?

Thanks guys!

 

[tony barnhill]

Like Jack, mine is new from Moss....good, complete kit at a fair price.