If you move the bar mounting point inwards, you decrease the mechanical
advantage of the lever arm, so it requires more force to move it, making the
bar stiffer. No different from using a short wrench.
Moving the mounting point out on the suspension means the mounting point
moves farther for the same deflection of the suspension. Looking at it
another way, it's like you're giving the force of the bar a better
mechanical advantage (a longer wrench).
Your first two sentances are right, but your conclusion is wrong. We're
talking about the torque required, not the amount of power required. Same
force, longer distance is more power, but that's not the issue.
Your last sentance illustrates the limitations of extremes in visualizing
mechanical systems. It's true, but you take the wrong conclusion from it. If
you did that (moved the connection to the centerline of the bar) your
suspension would not move at all. The suspension would be completely stiff
except for the bending (not twisting) of the bar.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fot@autox.team.net
Cc: fot@autox.team.net
Sent: 3/18/2005 4:37 AM
Subject: Re: sway bar
Wait a minute, this isn't right, is it? If you move the mounting point
outward, the bar has a better mechanical advantage and will deflect more
for a given amount of sway. Both factors will increase the effective
stiffness. If you move the mounting point to the pivot point, you get
no deflection, no mechanical advantage and the bar does nothing.
> Subject: RE: sway bar
>
>> You can do that, but it's usually easier to move the mounting point
>> inward
>> on the bar to get the effect of a heavier bar. And yes, it's the
same
>> reason that the little kid moves to the farthest away seat on the
teeter
>> totter and the fat kid moves in. Less leverage equals heavier bar.
>>
>>
>> Bill Babcock
>> Babcock & Jenkins
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