Bigger sway bars vs bigger springs.

[enkeivette]

So I go into this argument on CF with another member about the need for a rear sway bar on a C3. My car is balanced very well and I'm running a rear sway bar. His argument was not that balance was not possible with a rear bar, rather that you can achieve the same result with stiffer springs and in doing so you won't penalize rear traction. He makes the argument that sway bars decrease roll at the cost of traction. This makes sense to me somewhat. What do you guys think?

Theoretically this means that with stiff enough springs you could eliminate both the front a rear sway bars.

[Vettezuki]

So I go into this argument on CF with another member about the need for a rear sway bar on a C3. My car is balanced very well and I'm running a rear sway bar. His argument was not that balance was not possible with a rear bar, rather that you can achieve the same result with stiffer springs and in doing so you won't penalize rear traction. He makes the argument that sway bars decrease roll at the cost of traction. This makes sense to me somewhat. What do you guys think?

Theoretically this means that with stiff enough springs you could eliminate both the front a rear sway bars.

To an extent I think he is "sort" of correct. Certainly it's recommended that C3s loosen or eliminate the rear sway bar at the drag strip. I've also heard, that C3s are somewhat notorious for oversteer when there is a heavy rear sway bar in the equation. I use the VB&P Dual Mount which is designed to do sort of double duty as monoleaf and anti-roll bar. Drag Vette talks about this being a bit of a problem, and can lead to wheel hop, which I've certainly experienced. :(

Perhaps as an interesting side note several of the Euro-marquess, especially BMW (I think) go with fairly light spring rates and substantial anti-roll bars. I think this allows them to have a more supple ride, but still more controlled weight transfers. They generally aren't super high power drag cars, and with their LSDs, traction is not a problem.

[enkeivette]

This is something that I said on CF aswell, I notice that most people who complain about oversteer with a rear bar are running a wimpy front bar. My front bar is so big that by itself it causes excessive understeer, the rear bar was necessary to balance it out.

So maybe I would have been better to go with stiffer springs (BTW, where do you buy springs for a C3 stiffer than 550lbs?) But for right now my car is balanced and I'm happy with the ride height, so I'm not going to futz with it. The only thing I might try to cure is the rear toe change since my halfshafts are too low.

[Vettezuki]

To my knowledge 550 lb are the heaviest off the shelf springs for a C3. Maybe there were some racing springs for the BB C3s that would be stiffer.:huh: But you do have to be careful about how stiff you make the chassis. IF you're on a regular road, or rough track, being to stiff can cause serious stability issues as it can cause the car to bounce around over rough surfaces. The F1 aero and mechanical guys are always struggling to find the right balance. Most F1 tracks are VERY smooth, so they can set up very stiff chassis and let the aero do the work for traction. However at places like Monaco, where the average speed is much lower (by F1 standards), they go for a much softer chassis setup to absorb the rough surface and maintain stability. Everything is a compromise. You can't just go to an extreme in one area without causing problems in its related area.

[Vettezuki]

"Because the [new] MR system can significantly affect wheel motions, the leaf springs were softened and the anti-roll bars stiffened. The result is a roll stiffness that is similar to a Z06's, but in touring mode, the car is said to be considerably more compliant." -- R&T, Feb. 2008, pg. 56; in regard to the new ZR1.

[big2bird]

I fely my rear bar was too large, but after I bought new Goodrocks, it went away. I feel with soft tires and a little camber, it's fine.
Howard would know best. He beat the crap out of everyone for 10 years with a c-3.;)