sway bars?

Old 11-17-2007, 05:23 PM
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Default sway bars?

I've searched this forum and couldn't find a thread, so if I missed it somewhere please excuse my ignorance. What is the reason you run swaybars on your 1/8thscale buggies? I understand why on high grip carpet, but on less traction like slippery off road tracks, I don't see the advantage. I'm fairly new to 1/8th scale, so all help is much appreicated.
Thanks, Rick
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Old 11-17-2007, 05:33 PM
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Hey Rick,
The use for swaybars on 1/8, as I have always understood it.
Is to help control chassis roll.
If you used your shock springs to completely control chassis roll, your chassis/shocks would be over sprung causing the car to handle horribly.


later
Dayton
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Old 11-17-2007, 05:41 PM
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the losi 8ight manual has a good description in it the TEAMLOSI.com site

manual is in pdf format check it out.
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Old 11-17-2007, 05:41 PM
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Thanks Dayton, how you been? My son and I raced at portage with you last year.Thanks again for your help
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Old 11-17-2007, 06:01 PM
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I've been good Rick.
I'll see you at the track sometime I'm sure.
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Old 11-18-2007, 08:46 AM
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There are several reasons to run swaybars. One is of course to prevent body roll. Body roll changes camber, reducing grip.

Note also that a soft bar give more traction than a stiff bar. Does the car push? Stiffen the rear bar or soften the front. Is the car "tail happy?" Stiffen the front or soften the rear. It is a way to tune the way the car handles for driver preference. (I've ran a Mugen MBX5 Prospec with NO front bar... it was the only time the car turned satisfactorily... but then it had other problems.)

With no swaybars, the car is more apt to bottom out one side of the suspension over bumps, and "upset" the car. The swaybars help with stability in rough sections.
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Old 11-18-2007, 12:48 PM
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So on a smoother track with a slippery surface, could you run a sway bar on one end and not the other? Say run the rear and not the front?
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Old 11-18-2007, 07:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Kings Kid
So on a smoother track with a slippery surface, could you run a sway bar on one end and not the other? Say run the rear and not the front?
Well... for most cars I wouldn't do that... on the Mugen, sure.


You'd have to experiment and see how it reacts. I liked my Mugen with no front bar.
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Old 11-18-2007, 07:15 PM
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there's been a couple of guys that run that combo at our track and do ok. I've run without any before and was looking for the fastest setup
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Old 11-18-2007, 08:05 PM
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Some guys at my track disengaged their rear swaybars. Me, I just went to a softer thinner bar.
Everybody said the right thing when it comes to the reasons why buggys have swaybars.
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Old 11-18-2007, 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Kings Kid
I've searched this forum and couldn't find a thread, so if I missed it somewhere please excuse my ignorance. What is the reason you run swaybars on your 1/8thscale buggies? I understand why on high grip carpet, but on less traction like slippery off road tracks, I don't see the advantage. I'm fairly new to 1/8th scale, so all help is much appreicated.
Thanks, Rick
Once I think like you..... I didn't use sway bars front and rear.

After thirty laps or so... I feel my car got lousy handling over roots, straight line, exiting corner on power, and even negotiating with wide corners.

So, I decide to put front and rear sway bars to see any difference, and obviously the handling become much better.

So In your case, you are free not to use sway bars, but don't forget to give sway bar a try.
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Old 11-18-2007, 09:59 PM
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nice thread i did not know what the sway bar had to do with the handling of the car now i can work on that thankz guys
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Old 11-19-2007, 02:37 AM
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Originally Posted by asw7576
Once I think like you..... I didn't use sway bars front and rear.

After thirty laps or so... I feel my car got lousy handling over roots, straight line, exiting corner on power, and even negotiating with wide corners.

So, I decide to put front and rear sway bars to see any difference, and obviously the handling become much better.

So In your case, you are free not to use sway bars, but don't forget to give sway bar a try.
yep, have them on my car for a race this weekend
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Old 11-19-2007, 05:57 PM
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Work a little today on some sway bar set ups and am going to try some more tomorrow
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