1971 Rear Sway Bar

[Carl Beck]

Hi Randy:

For street use - I'd improve the shocks first, then add a slightly larger front anti-sway bar. That will get rid of about 90% of the body roll you feel on the long sweepers coming onto the freeway. Adding the larger BRE type rear anti-sway bar will significantly change the handling characteristics as mentioned above.

Stock the 240Z understeers - so you have to turn into the corner more with the steering wheel.. and the body rolls more...push it in too fast and tires begin to complain.. The good news is you get plenty of warning as the tires reach their limit of adhesion to the road surface.

Truth be told, even with the body roll and tires screaming... the 240Z will hold the road past the point that most drivers have the nerve and good sense to push it.

Push it into a corner too fast, panic and lift off the throttle abruptly - and you will learn what "trailing throttle oversteer" means, as the rear of the car passes you in the corner...

Every upgrade you made (we are talking true "up-grade" here) to the OEM suspension - helps the tires maintain contact and adhesion to the road - but also reduces the warning you get before the tires let go.

I'd do one thing at a time to a stock Z (unless you have lots of seat time in Z's of all manor and are a master driver etc). Better shocks first, then larger front bar, then better tires, then add the rear if needed. I'd put lots of miles on the car between each change. (we are talking about a car driven on the roads).

Do everything at once, and you may feel too secure with the flat and seemingly neutral handling.... and when the tires suddenly let go of the road, you wind up off-road.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[rtaylor]

Thanks for all the information. Carl, I sort of did things backward from your suggestion. I have new Falken tires and new KB struts. All new bushings in the front, control link tension bar, etc.

I installed the sway bar this weekend. Had to remove the Moustache bar to gain access for the bracket r&r. I used MSA endlinks, but had to use a smaller spacer, i guess the size is about 1/2". The 1" spacer was too long, couldn't get the bolts threaded.

Now for the good part. I took it out for a spin Sunday afternoon. Daniel, what a noticeable improvement this addition makes. I would say I get about 40-60% less body roll, although its hard to put a numerical value on it. Even felt the difference when going through highspeed non-radical turns. I had it up to 100 through some four lane highway roads in Chino Hills. I still don't push it to the limit, as I am not well versed or trained in highspeed manuvering in any car. I would hate to lose control and wreck the beast...

Front sway bar will be next. I keep all the stock parts I replace in case I ever want to put it back to completely stock.

Edited August 6, 2008 by rtaylor

[rtaylor]

One question for the guru's. The e-brake cable rubs on the sway bar, no way around it, either on top or below the sway bar it still rubs. Should I be concerned with the outer protective sheath on the e-brake cable being worn away? I was thinkning of getting some type of rubber hose, slitting in down the middle and clamping it on the e-brake cable with tie wraps or some other type of fastener.

[240ZMan]

You didn't say whether you had drums or discs in the back, but on my 73 when I swapped to 240sx calipers in the rear I swapped the cables between sides (left went to right and vice versa) and that allowed the cables to align without rubbing. You might see if that will help.

But if that doesn't help, take some heater hose and slit it like you said and attach with nylon cable ties. I did that where my rear SS brake hoses come near the struts (used fuel hose since brake lines are smaller diameter) and all is well after 2 years.

[240ZMan]

BTW, I had the same issue with getting the threads started on the endlinks. I put the wheels back on and set the car down on some "drive on ramps" to compress the suspension and still be able to get under the car. The suspension pieces were more level and that made the difference. Worked on the front end too.

[rtaylor]

I have the standard drums in the back Daniel. I tried the ramp thing, as I figured that was what was going on, but just couldn't grab those threads. Heater hose should work well. Thanks.