What does removing swaybars do

**Eganslp** · 11-04-2010, 07:13 PM

Hey guys I was curious what happens when you remove your front swaybar. cuz I'm pretty sure I read somewhere on this forum about ppl removing them. Is this for drag stripe use, something to help your car lift up better, or could you drive around town without, & is it alright to do if you drive on the highway.

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**Tyler_LS1** · 11-04-2010, 07:28 PM

It's supposed to help with drag racing, but your car will handle like a bucket of water in the corners

**67CamaroRSSS** · 11-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Tyler_LS1

It's supposed to help with drag racing, but your car will handle like a bucket of water in the corners

Ture DAT!

Removing the sway bars will allow the front end to rise and the rear end to squat when launching under full power.

OTOH, it'll make it handle like an aircraft carrier in the twisties...

**2000** · 11-04-2010, 08:36 PM

It helps with weight transfer. If you would like you can just disconnect the end links when your at the track and reconnect them when you get home so it just mounted the whole time but you get the best of both worlds. I personally always take them off. Handles left and right good enough for me without it but Im more of a straight line guy myself.

**Eganslp** · 11-04-2010, 08:54 PM

So I could just disconnect the front one and be ok? Cuz I don't take turns fast at all in fact I baby it on the street till someone pulls next to me but it's never around turns. But will it be ok on the highway too or no

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**2000** · 11-04-2010, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by Eganslp

So I could just disconnect the front one and be ok? Cuz I don't take turns fast at all in fact I baby it on the street till someone pulls next to me but it's never around turns. But will it be ok on the highway too or no

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Yes, you'll be fine. If you dont like the way it feels, put it back on. I drive on the highway every other day and Im still alive so I think you'll make it too. If you like it disconnected just save some weight and take it off altogether. You can always bolt it back on later.

**Firebirdjones** · 11-04-2010, 09:13 PM

I'll let everyone in on a little secret that we did in pure stock racing. Since the rules required the sway bar hooked up and functional, we found a way around it.

We would space the frame mounts down with 1/8 inch plate cut to fit with holes drilled and bolt everything back up. What this did is relieved the pressure on the rubber bushings that squeezed on the bar. We would also lube those rubber bushings with graphite so they moved more freely.

With this little trick it allowed the front end to rise with the links still attached with good weight transfer, yet seems to drive well enough on the street since you still had the twisting motion of the bar in affect when one wheel compressed. All the while the car still looked stock and complied with the rules.

This trick worked beautiful on the older cars. I haven't looked at our 4th gens all that close but I'm willing to bet the sway bars attach in the same fassion and the trick can be implemented.

**Eganslp** · 11-04-2010, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by 2000

Yes, you'll be fine. If you dont like the way it feels, put it back on. I drive on the highway every other day and Im still alive so I think you'll make it too. If you like it disconnected just save some weight and take it off altogether. You can always bolt it back on later.

Haha I like that " I took it off and I'm still alive" hahah ahaw man that made laugh good stuff k well so let it be written, so let it be done. I'm definitely doing it then. Does it raise it off the suspension a lot more then when it's disconnected. Cuz my main goal is to get the wheels off the ground but still be street-able too. I just want to be able to stare at the birds going down the track once!!!(haha)

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**2000** · 11-05-2010, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by Eganslp

Haha I like that " I took it off and I'm still alive" hahah ahaw man that made laugh good stuff k well so let it be written, so let it be done. I'm definitely doing it then. Does it raise it off the suspension a lot more then when it's disconnected. Cuz my main goal is to get the wheels off the ground but still be street-able too. I just want to be able to stare at the birds going down the track once!!!(haha)

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I'd say its noticeable but nothing crazy. What worked to get the wheels up off the ground for my freinds bolt on LT1 camaro was just a tire, torque arm, lca's, and converter. Its just get better track times if you can spend that energy moving the car forward instead of upwards.

**xmarkx** · 11-05-2010, 08:21 AM

mI'm subscribing to this to see smittro's response

**2000** · 11-05-2010, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by xmarkx

mI'm subscribing to this to see smittro's response

If youve got some light, shed it. If not, let the big boys with something to contribute do the talking.

**Firebirdjones** · 11-05-2010, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Eganslp

Haha I like that " I took it off and I'm still alive" hahah ahaw man that made laugh good stuff k well so let it be written, so let it be done. I'm definitely doing it then. Does it raise it off the suspension a lot more then when it's disconnected. Cuz my main goal is to get the wheels off the ground but still be street-able too. I just want to be able to stare at the birds going down the track once!!!(haha)

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You won't have to disconnect the sway bar to get the tires (or the left front tire) off the ground, but it does help.
You don't even necessarily need fancy expensive suspension parts either. Simply installing adjustable shocks will make the biggest difference. You'll need something in the front with alot of rebound or extension. I run adjustables all the way around. I leave the front at 90/10 and don't bother to move it. Even street driving is pretty tame. My father and I have been driving ours for years like that, both with the sway bar hooked up or completely removed, or like I mentioned I do with mine, (hooked up but not 100% functional).

**Y2KPewterSS** · 11-05-2010, 03:00 PM

**Eganslp** · 11-05-2010, 09:11 PM

Nice,alright thx guys!!! It was like I said I just wanna know what it feels like to floor it and feel that front lift, god that's gotta be an awesome feeling. I gotta feel it before I die. Plus could you imagine your about race on the street(closed street, of course) and they pull up not knowing the race starts and they turn their head to see the underside of your car flyin past them haha

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**xmarkx** · 11-06-2010, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by 2000

If youve got some light, shed it. If not, let the big boys with something to contribute do the talking.

actualy you fucking tool, I'm not contributing to this thread because there's nothing to argue about. go to the track take the bar off. want to take turns on rails? put it back on. I don't need to write a long opinionated paragragh to explain that. the arguments that stem from the non use of sway bars on street driven cars rank up there with auto vs. m6 and the validity of the strut tower brace. it's an argument with no end.

further more I probably ran more suspension setups on a my f bodies in the last 3 years than you have in your whole life....

**Smittro** · 11-06-2010, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by xmarkx

actualy you fucking tool, I'm not contributing to this thread because there's nothing to argue about. go to the track take the bar off. want to take turns on rails? put it back on. I don't need to write a long opinionated paragragh to explain that. the arguments that stem from the non use of sway bars on street driven cars rank up there with auto vs. m6 and the validity of the strut tower brace. it's an argument with no end.

further more I probably ran more suspension setups on a my f bodies in the last 3 years than you have in your whole life....

Common bro you don't have to be that way.. It's a car site man, supposed to enjoy it.. I get heated too then I realize it's the internet.?.

**INMY01TA** · 11-16-2010, 08:23 PM

I took my front bar off about 4 years ago. Noticed no difference on the street so just left it off.

**JoshuaGrooms83** · 12-01-2010, 10:42 AM

not to change the direction of this topic too far, but if you do remove the sway bar, can it affect your ride height as well? crazy question. I broke one of my links and only one side is connected. The new lowing springs i put on seem lower than they should be but not sure.

**Smittro** · 12-01-2010, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by JoshuaGrooms83

not to change the direction of this topic too far, but if you do remove the sway bar, can it affect your ride height as well? crazy question. I broke one of my links and only one side is connected. The new lowing springs i put on seem lower than they should be but not sure.

It can effect ride height a little. But Moog links are cheap (advance auto) and you can get HD moog links for cheap as well.. Mine where like 9 bucks each.. Any of the moog links will be heavier than the stock links.. Just my .02.. (Part# K5252) bar code, (1510084-P)..

**JoshuaGrooms83** · 12-01-2010, 12:56 PM

I got some new ones with poly ends from energy suspention i think through youngs fbody for like $14. I was seaching around. I figure i get some affordable ones since ill be getting new swaybars anywho. Good to know though. I figured that it might sit lower in the front right now cause of that. If the new links dont solve it Ill get some 1/2" BMR front strut spacers. Just need alittle more clearance in the fornt. My offset on my rims are pretty close to 0 so it pushes the rims almost all the way to the top of the fenders limits. The tires and fenders are almost flush. WIth a roll they would slip under but for racing purposes Id need more clearance.