RE: IML: Sway Bar ANSWER

[Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Rob McCall <Rob_Mopar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 
With the extra
> weight of the Imperial up front, the 1 1/2" bar
> would be a good estimate.  
> 
 
Right after posting these questions, I got a return
call from the one sway bar mfg. (Hellwig) that hadn't
called back for a week.

Spoke to the head engineer, and we came up with a
plan.

Info is as follows:
1.5" is motorhome and super-duty pickup truck country,
and although the Imp resembles a truck in many ways
regarding weight and size, it does not have the tall,
tippy cab exerting leverage, so I was firmly steered
to a 1 5/16 diameter bar for the front and a 1 or 1
1/8 bar out back.  I was looking for someone with a
grounded opinion based on experience, and I sure got
it.  Even so, he assured me that there is enough
chassis flex and other variables to rule out doing
really precise calculations on my car, which is a
one-off and not a candidate for production, which they
do all the calcs for on mass produced products.



Their back design has three holes, yeilding 20% change
increments for adjustment.

Hooray!

They are getting ready for SEMA and I'm in line to
drive down and watch them do up bars for me in
November.  They're 4+ hours away in Visalia in the
central valley, so should make a good trip.  He was
worried about fuel costs.  If I was, I'd be into Mini
Coopers, so there you go.


> Your torsion bars and springs are pretty soft.  The
> sway bars are going to
> have to make up for that.  With the weight of the
> car I really can't see the
> sway bars being enough to flatten out the car in the
> turns.

The really neat-o bar calculator passed along (THANK
YOU!!!) shows that the proposed changes will net a
186% increase in stiffness up front, and adding the
one out back, well that's plenty tuff for me.  I just
want it "much improved" and am not looking for thenths
of a second at a road course.


> If the sway bars don't get the car to level off in
> the clover leafs, you are
> going to have to step up for the custom torsion bars
> and stiffer springs.

I know someone with stock HD ones, and someone else
that can fab heavier ones.  Question is: will I
overcome my laziness?  Torsion Bar replacement isn't a
skill I'm dying to learn.

> They will not ride as hard as you think.  Adjustable
> shocks are the key
> there.  Finding ones that will fit up front will
> take some work though.

There is a lead on SPAX shocks on the other website
that the other fellow suggested.  Part Nos and all
that, but for a lighter car.  Maybe they'd work?  I am
happy enough with what I have now shock wise.

The car is actually fairly flat with the better shocks
as it is, so I'm confident that the thicker front and
added rear will be fine.  Want a GT as in "Grand
Touring" and not slot car/auto-crosser.  

Just enough to burn off unsuspecting sports-cars that
aren't paying attention in curves and a good, solid
feeling under me.  I have driven on the Autobahn
before, and want this car competent if/when it gets
there.


Thanks for the notes and support on this marginally
on-topic subject.

-K

Kenyon Wills
 
 






















       
____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better Heartthrob. Get better relationship answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. 
http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545433

-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to iml.webmonster@xxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm