The reason a large front bar works on VWs with stock springs (or on any
other car with relatively soft springs) is that the car rolls too much
in turns, causing the inside edge of the tire to lift off the ground.
Less contact=understeer. The anti-swaybar reduces roll, and if you have
enough front negative camber, the contact patch is flat to the ground in
turns, reducing understeer. In this case, the increased roll resistance
helps more than the increased weight transfer hurts.
It is, of course, a bandaid. The real solution is stiffer springs, but
since they aren't legal in Stock.....
Paul Andrews
#42 CS '94 "Really Blue" Miata formerly '97 GTI VR6 in STS!
Subject: Re: Anti-sway bar choices
Greg,
While there is a lot of merit to what Alan says, and I ran a smaller
(weaker) bar on the FWD car I used to autocross, there is ample
precedent that for VOLKSWAGEN cars, a monster front bar can
be just what the doctor ordered.
>From way back in the early 80's when Randy Pobst was flogging
a Rabbit to many examples of later vintage VW's, it has been shown
that a very large and stiff front bar will work for them, and work well.
I hope we get some replies from hard-core VW competitors as to the
whys and hows. All I can do is tell you that I have seen it work quite
nicely, and speculate on what the dynamics are.... but you would not
want to hear that last part! ;-)
Alan Sheidler
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