What is the relationship between the thickness increase of an anti-sway bar and the effective increase in spring rate, in this case on the rear? Does someone have a mathematical relationship/equation for this?

I have a 93 Civic EX Coupe with 350F/450R springs, stock front sway bar (19mm, I think) and the car rotates pretty well, but I was thinking of changing it to 450F/350R and putting on the GSR rear sway bar, since I have two sitting around, and was wondering approx. how much this will increase the rear spring rate? I realize this could reduce the tendency to oversteer, but I figure it will help me with straight-line braking, since the car won't dive as much with the stiffer springs in front and I can always left-foot it to rotate. Any suggestions?

 

In other words...effectively, for cornering, how much will my spring rate be incresed if I add a GSR (14mm?) rear sway bar to 350lb/in rear springs?

Anyone?

 

The majority of the forum are only around during the work week. Give it another day.

 

http://www.grassrootsmotorsports.com/swaybars.html

http://www.whiteline.com.au/do...p.pdf
David

 

adding a swaybar in the rear generally increses oversteer, while reducing understeer.

 

Dont take my word for this...I'm sure someone else will chime in, but I'll attempt to explain it....
What ur doing by installing a rear anti-roll bar is ur effectively increasing the rear roll-stiffness, NOT the spring rates. Although a over-generalization, what that typically means on a FWD layout car is an increased tendency towards neutral to oversteering characteristics (but that is largely dependant on what the rear spring rates and the torsional resistance of the bar is, in relation to the front ).
What the increase in rear roll-stiffness from using an anti-roll bar will provide, is an increase in load transfer from the inside to the oustside tires, therefore reducing the total amount of traction in the rear and thereby reducing the load transfer work that the front used to take. In ur case, with the small 14mm GSR bar with a relatively soft 350 rate, it still should be a very predictable ride without snap-oversteer like handling (although that depends on how smooth ur with throttle application).
You might also try reducing the roll-stiffness up front by disconnecting the front bar if the results are not favourable for you from swapping the springs and installing that rear bar.


Modified by SUPERAUTOBACS at 12:42 AM 4/21/2003