Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

He seems to think that it doesnt. This came about when installing my rear end today and the fitment on my 25mm Spohn swaybar is horrible. Its extremely close to the bottom of the rear end cover. Anyhow, he is so sure that it would be ok for a drag car and serves no purpose. What do you guys and gals think of that?

Trojan T/A

iTrader: (1)

Yes its very important. If you dont have one, the shocks and springs are all that tie the body/chassis and axle housing together. Since in drag racing you use soft springs and shocks for weight transfer, there isnt much to prevent the body from rolling and you will lose power to accerlate forward while the car is twisting.

Outlaw

Need one... no it does not NEED one... it will help ALOT and keep the car flat but a drag car does not NEED one. I have been 8'0's at 170+ with no sway bar. Just to make sure we are on the right page.. i take it by "rear sway bar" you mean a "drag sway bar"?

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

He says thats what the torque arm is for. The twisting of the rear is absorbed through it.

SilverGhost

iTrader: (53)

blackbeasst can you not post essentially the same topic/question twice in here please. not gonna lock it but you know better.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

No, Im talking about a rear bar whether its a stock one, bigger than stock one, or a drag one. He says there is no need for a rear swaybar or a drag bar.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

SilverGhost: I know that these past 2 threads deal with the same issue, but on one I need to clarify whether a swaybar is really needed or not to prove someone right or wrong and the other I needed to know what I need to do about the clearance because I dont trust that the car doesnt need a rear swaybar. So I need to know what I need to do about the clearance. Thanks.

Trojan T/A

iTrader: (1)

Bowman, he means any swaybar.

You can race without a rear sway bar, but do not expect to launch straight if you have a lot of torque and sticky tires.

A torque arm is to plant the rear tires and act as a lever to against the mount so the axle doesnt lift up and lose traction. A torque arm doesnt focus on side to side body roll.

Just go for a short test drive without the rear sway bar in, and take your friend. You both will see what I am talking about when I say the body will roll in the back. Dont take any high G turns though.

Dragaholic

iTrader: (180)

He says that the swaybar is to prevent the car from swaying side to side and isnt needed at the track because the car is traveling straight/forward. He said it would only be needed on turns.

Trojan T/A

iTrader: (1)

Do what I said and go for a test drive. Try launching as hard as you can on the street and let me know what you find out. If your car doesnt torque(sway) to the side on the launch, you either have the weakest LS1 of all time, or very stiff rear springs that they are taking the load.

PRAY HRD

iTrader: (119)

Beasst.........

tell him to take it from me. i just did a rearend swap with a freind of mine over the weekend, switching back to a 10 bolt for now, (long story), and my 12 bolt had a BMR extreme sway bar on it. however, to install the ex. sway bar, the lower bracket, i think, needed to be removed and we had no way to mount the stock one back on so i drove my car home about 30 miles without one, not to mention no front either.

VERY NOTICABLE & VERY SCARY!!!!!

car is parked until i can get the bracket to put on a rear sway bar. A MUST HAVE!!!
hope this helps answer your question.

later,
Dave

GIZMO

iTrader: (8)

A few years ago I tried running without the sway bar. The car launched fine, but I did not like the way that it handled at speed. I put the factory sway bar back in. This was on my Firebird. Sixty foot times were identical 1.41's and the runs were made back to back at Carolina Dragway.
I run a six cylinder spring on the drivers side and a 1995 Formula spring on the passenger side with an air bag set at 15 -20 psi. The shocks are HAL's set at 5 clicks.

Daren

BLK02WS6

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't run without one - cars gonna twist up on launch if you have any power (and no air bag) and it is gonna be a scary ride on the big end. Why wouldn't you want one - there is no advantage to not having it

12secSS

iTrader: (30)

No, you don't NEED one if you use an air bag. It will launch pretty straight and smooth. I don't have a rear sway bar at all on my project car and it launches straight. I do however plan on adding a BMR X-Treme unit after the heads, cam, front clip install. Here is a video of it launching recently at the track, this was just a test of how well all the pieces work together down the track, not a full pass.

Click on the image to watch the video

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

1) No rear bar sucks, did that, car was very inconsistent at the track and was sloppy at speed
2) Stock is okay for a long time until your car leaves all cocked.
3) I like my Spohn drag bar a lot.

jdustu

iTrader: (2)

i ran my car on the street with no sway bars at all for the first few months i had it....no problems......i had a guy tell me the same thing, that at the strip i don't need them.......well, i went to the track once with none, and once with an eibach in the rear, and it helped my launch a whole lot......without it you're kind of only planting one side good.......my e.t.s were a tenth better consistently on tires that were a few thousand more mile worn......

dnz28

i like running no sway in the front, but in the back i find the thickest one possible. personnal preference. ive have done the rear sway delete and i tell you drivin in reverse at 20mph plus get interesting when you go to turn.