Why STIFFER SWAY BARS AREN’T ALWAYS BETTER for 79-04 SRA Autocross Mustangs
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- Stiffer aftermarket sway bars are a very popular mod for 79-04 solid-rear-axle Mustangs, especially among people who autocross their ponies. Advertisements and people online often recommend installing stiffer sway bars to improve your Mustang’s handling. But it’s important for beginners to know that stiffer sway bars aren’t always better.
This video provides BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT SWAY BARS DO & HOW SWAY BARS IMPACT THE HANDLING OF YOUR MUSTANG. I also cover WHY YOU MIGHT HAVE THE WRONG SWAY BAR OR SWAY BARS ON YOUR CAR & I share some TIPS ABOUT HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SWAY BAR OR SWAY BARS for the 79-04 Mustang you’re autocrossing. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Great video with the right information, thank you.
Thanks!
one of your best yet videos...Herb Adams was a fan of stiff springs and soft sway bars for fine tuning. Lots of options out there to get to the same ends...
Thanks! Sorry for the delayed reply, I was helping run a novice school all weekend. I normally try to reply within 24 hours. There are definitely lots of options/preferences when it comes to sway bars. The one thing everyone with autocross experience seems to agree on is that sway bars are used for fine-tuning.
I was so happy about putting a GT rear sway bar on my stock 02 V6 and now learn I probably just made it more dangerous (don't like snap oversteer) til I can sort the suspension out. 🤣
Thanks for the info!
Sorry for the delayed reply, I was helping run a novice school all weekend. I normally try to reply within 24 hours. Putting a 23mm GT rear sway bar on a 2002 V6 is actually a good idea. The added oversteer will balance out the tendency to understeer that the car was born with. If you are experiencing oversteer out on course, it's most likely due to the open differential (you can adjust your throttle inputs a little to drive around that issue), or the rear suspension binding (you can get a feel for when this happens and drive around it, or you can make mods to improve the performance of the rear suspension).
Always appreciate your input!
There was a point where a lot of the fastest ESP foxbodies were using no rear bar and very soft rear springs. Would push like crazy in stead-state cornering, but would allow the car to put down a lot of power and launch hard out of the corners.
Sorry for the delayed reply, I was helping run a novice school all weekend. I normally try to reply within 24 hours. That's definitely an interesting setup. It lines up with one of the points I was hoping to make in this video. Experimenting with sway bars will lead to finding the setup that works best for your driving style.
I definitely want to put a Mr stiffy in the rear…Wait what? 😂😂 Great video brotha!! Really helpful, I was going to go with the standard Eibach sway bar upgrade but after watching this I’m considering just swapping out the rear sway bar for a stiffer one..Any advice, What set up I should go with just for excellent street handling capabilities?? no auto cross yet..
Thanks! Sorry for the delayed reply, I was helping run a novice school all weekend. I normally try to reply within 24 hours. If you plan on autocrossing the car in the future, you should choose an SCCA Category/Class before you make any mods. That will save you from putting yourself in a tougher class, or having to undo mods you've already made. Adjustable shocks & struts (for example: Koni Yellow SA or DA, KYB AGX) are a good option that would be legal in every SCCA Category. A larger rear sway bar is a good start too. A good alignment also helps (CC Plates aren't legal in all SCCA Categories). Bushings and springs are the tricky part of the equation. Progressive springs are better for street comfort, but not ideal for autocross. Your old bushings probably need replacing, but there are SCCA rules about bushings that you'd need to consider before making mods. Rubber, poly, and Delrin all have benefits and drawbacks when it comes to improving handling and adding NVH. It can often be more expensive to replace OEM rubber bushings than it is to upgrade to bushings that will improve performance. If you let me know what Category/Class you're thinking of running in, I can suggest some other mods that will be legal.
@@warhorseracing Thank you, I’ll let you know if and when that time comes..I appreciate your input..
Do you think a pickup truck with leaf springs in the rear will have the same characteristics as a mustang. Factory it had a 24 millimeter bar on the front and nothing on the rear. Then I changed the front to a 33 mil and added a a 24 mil on the rear at the same time. My truck always oversteers but after I changed the bars it is worse. Before i could feel it stepping out and catch it but now it snaps and usually turns around. So if I understand correctly it might be better to remove the rear bar or go smaller with it. Thanks
@@JAMESSPEEDSHOP I don't have any experience with pickup trucks and leaf springs, but I assume there would be some basic similarities. Both vehicles are nose heavy. I imagine your truck had a tendency to understeer at the limit in stock form. Are you able to adjust your rear shocks? Have you tried less air pressure in the rear tires? Based on the general guidelines, a smaller rear sway bar should help. It might be wise to reach out to Jordan and ask about his setup on the Ranger. If the rear sway bar is easy to remove, you could try to take it out/disconnect it between runs at the next event.
@@warhorseracing Thanks for getting back with me. I’ll have talk with Jordan. I do run lower air in the rear. At the moment I can’t adjust the rear shocks.
have you got a video on setting up shocks properly? :)
Sorry for the delayed reply, I was helping run a novice school all weekend. I normally try to reply within 24 hours. I have a video about adjusting autocross suspension that includes how adjustable shocks & struts impact handling. Here's a link: czcams.com/video/9HiS-t4_O_w/video.html&t
If you have never used adjustable shocks and struts before, I recommend experimenting with settings in a safe environment (NOT on the street). An autocross Test N Tune is a great option. Start with the shocks & struts at full soft, then increase the stiffness on each run until you are at full stiff. The car will probably not handle very well at full soft or full stiff, so be prepared for understeer/oversteer/spins. That will give you a sense of the range of adjustment. From there, you can fine-tune the personality of the car. If you have any more questions, please ask. I'm always happy to help.
@@warhorseracing excellent! i love the content man!
Can a properly modified 1997 cobra get a faster time then all the Miatas that are always at autocross?
It all comes down to the driver. Mods are definitely important, but good driving fundamentals make the biggest difference. I'm fortunate to get to compete against a lot of Mustang drivers at many of my local events. We don't always post faster times than every single one of the Miatas (we have some very good Miata drivers), but we run faster than many cars that, on paper, should be faster than ours.
Where did you get the little yellow mustang toy 😠i want it
That is a Maisto 1:18 scale Special Edition. They also made a version in red. I'm not sure if Maisto still makes them, but I have seen them on Ebay.