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Do I need a sway bar?

tampabronco

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
458
I was talking with an ole timer this weekend at a car show about steering. He says I have a trac bar on the front and he says thats good enough.

He suggested putting a sway bar on the rear

I have a 76 with a 2.5 suspension lift and a 1" body lift
 

tatersalad

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
1,067
I have a 3.5 and 1 inch with no sway bars. Been driving it that way since 95.. My Duffs lift has dual shocks all the way around tho.. no body roll on corners
 

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
If you look at the front end geometry relationship between the radius arms and front axle, they form sort of a anti-sway system on their own. The addition of poly "C" bushings even stiffens that system up more.
Also, if you look at the way the factory 76/77 anti-sway bar is mounted, all it's doing is stiffing up the relationship between the axle and radius arms.
Adding an anti sway bar to the rear would be more effective, especially if you're using any of the modern highly articulating 10/11 leaf rear springs.
 

74BroncoCO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
2,374
Do you not like the way in handles? I don't recall being too unhappy with mine when I had the factory radius arms. But I have since built my own radius arms to allow for more flex and I do get a LOT of body roll now. I've also considered a sway bay, but there is always something else that needs attention more.
 

spap

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
2,458
It s your handling preference if you want a sway bar and what you used for your rig it will help it corner flatter in turns but a proper susp. will help a lot with that.
I would not just put a sway bar on the rear. The front /rear weight bias on a bronco is very different on a bronco. And it might be ok but I don’t see it helping much

Ike 74 said do you like the ride ?
 

AZ73

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
3,541
I would not just put a sway bar on the rear. The front /rear weight bias on a bronco is very different on a bronco.

Exactly. A sway bar, actually known as an anti-roll bar, is effective when there's weight. Most of the older muscle cars only had them on the front because they were independent suspension on the front and massively front heavy bias. The closer a vehicle is to 50/50 weight distribution, or rear heavy (like a 911 Porsche) the more important a rear bar becomes. The rear of a Bronco isn't anywhere near as heavy as the front, and the front has the Trac bar, which acts like a panhard rod on a solid axle. If you have an old, saggy worn suspension, you'll get some benefit. If you have replaced your suspension with a more modern version, the anti-roll bar will have limited value. Unless, of course, you're carrying a 35 inch + tire on your rear-mounted heavy duty (and I mean heavy) aftermarket rear bumper. Then you'll notice a difference putting one on the rear.
 
OP
OP
tampabronco

tampabronco

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
458
I think it handles okay 74bronco

Do you not like the way in handles? I don't recall being too unhappy with mine when I had the factory radius arms. But I have since built my own radius arms to allow for more flex and I do get a LOT of body roll now. I've also considered a sway bay, but there is always something else that needs attention more.


I get a little lean in corners. My next project is to replace a ball joints and tie rod ends to clean up the steering. The thought process was since I had the front end broken down why not add stabilization while I was at it
 

Digger556

Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2013
Messages
793
DO NOT install an anti-sway bar on the rear only!

Adding roll stiffness to the rear, especially if its already lighter than the front, will drastically increase over-steer, which is dangerous to a short wheelbased, high profile vehicle.

If your truck has more body roll than desired, add a front anti-sway bar first, then if its not enough add a smaller bar to the rear. Also, a track bar is not the same as a swaybar. Complete different functions.
 

BRONCO26

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2006
Messages
508
Loc.
SENOIA
I put one on mine when I put the duff long arms on it and boy what a difference both of them make in handling.
 

Lawndart

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
836
Loc.
66030
If you decide you are interested in a stock sway bar, pop me a PM. I have a complete setup.
 

Apogee

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
6,033
DO NOT install an anti-sway bar on the rear only!

Adding roll stiffness to the rear, especially if its already lighter than the front, will drastically increase over-steer, which is dangerous to a short wheelbased, high profile vehicle.

If your truck has more body roll than desired, add a front anti-sway bar first, then if its not enough add a smaller bar to the rear. Also, a track bar is not the same as a swaybar. Complete different functions.

X2...increasing the rear roll stiffness is a great way to build a drifter, not an EB IMO.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
I'll half-disagree with the assertion that using a rear only is a massive increase in oversteer, at least with the bars from Hellwig for the Broncos.
I'm sure it was increased, and in the theory of things you're absolutely correct that this is what happens. But in reality, at least for one that I know, the difference wasn't a negative. Adding one of the new Hellwig anti-swaybars to the rear only (as an experiment before installing the front) resulted in very good handling on a buddy's Bronco.

This was on a '67 (now owned by 904Bronco here in fact) that was used as a daily driver and the guy was very happy with the results. Even happier when the front got installed, but with the rear only it was not at the dangerous range at all, at least with his driving conditions.

And he's an experienced driver. His daily driver when I met him was a very customized Shelby clone '66 Mustang with many ongoing suspension mods. Since then he's had trucks, cars, vans and whatnot as daily drivers, and was happy with the way the Bronco handled.

Perhaps it would have been different if he'd had to experience an emergency maneuver? Very possible, and that's where more oversteer would not be good. But as an around-town kind of thing, it had great road manners with just the rear bar installed.

I can see the light rear weight thing as well, but it's also taller in the rear, with weight higher up. Which I would guess has an effect on roll.
Perhaps this has a positive effect by not letting the bar induce as much oversteer.

And speaking of the front, the new aftermarket ones are not mounted to the radius arms like the factory and some old aftermarket ones were, so would appear to be more effective. They seem to make a very noticeable improvement as well, according to customer reports from those using just the front only.

Unfortunately, no detailed reports decoding oversteer, understeer, or specific characteristics. Usually it's just a "hey, this thing corners so much better!" kind of report.

Paul
 

Digger556

Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2013
Messages
793
Perhaps it would have been different if he'd had to experience an emergency maneuver? Very possible, and that's where more oversteer would not be good. But as an around-town kind of thing, it had great road manners with just the rear bar installed.

Unfortunately, no detailed reports decoding oversteer, understeer, or specific characteristics. Usually it's just a "hey, this thing corners so much better!" kind of report.

Paul

You're right Paul. Over-steer / understeer is of concern at limit handling, which occurs when you're trying to dodge a deer/child/box-in-the-road.

Over-steer occurs when the rear breaks traction first.
Under-steer occurs when the front breaks traction first.

Under-steer is a safer fail condition and easier to recover from. Up to the point where tires are at the limit of traction, the driver would not likely care whether the sway bar was installed front or rear because they both contribute to reducing body roll.
 

TheGanzman

Full Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
329
Loc.
San Clemente
I put a pair of Hellwig sway bars on mine a couple years ago, along with (stock ride height) complete front & rear suspension rebuilds, including new springs, shocks, and ALL suspension components...

About a year ago, I was driving on the Freeway and took my (two lane) LONG exit "ramp", slowing down to ~45mph. I was in the right lane; there was a car ahead of me ~6 car lengths in the LH lane. Suddenly he swerved right for NO apparent reason (maybe he woke up suddenly LOL) - I literally slammed on the brakes and swerved (WAY too much, I might add). My Bronco and I did a complete 360, and I continued on past that moron to his left. Lucky I checked off the "Scotchgard Option" when I bought my seats, LOL. No harm, no foul - but I have absolutely NO doubt that if it weren't for my Hellwig sway bars, I would be just another rollover statistic. My Bronco stayed DEAD FLAT throughout the entire maneuver, though I'm sure that Bob Bandurant would not have approved of my overreaction...
 
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