Rear sway bar in '68 helpful ??

[44070dart]

Putting subframe connectors in my '68 Charger over the winter.. Have a 1 1/8 front sway bar now and it helped the car a lot. I installed all new suspension front and rear this year, but I'm thinking about a 3/4 rear sway bar for it. The car is not raced and really not pushed hard, but I like to drive it down the backroads at 55+ rather than smooth 65 mph highways. Question is, does it really make sense for a car like this to put the bar in, or is it overkill for a car that is driven pretty normal most of the time.

 

[Kern Dog]

The use of a rear sway bar depends on the stiffness of the leaf springs. If your leafs are stock, the sway bar will provide the most benefit. If your springs are stiff, the addition of a sway bar may cause oversteer.
It all comes down to one simple fact: The end of the car with the most roll stiffness is the end that gives up traction first.
If you have stock torsion bars and a small front sway bar AND stiff leaf springs and a big rear sway bar, the car will want to spin out. (Oversteer)
If the torsion bars are big along with a large front sway bar...and the leaf springs are soft and no rear bar is in place, the car will push-wash out-understeer.
Establishing a proper front to rear balance usually involves trial and error if you are doing it yourself. Hotchkis can provide advice or you can ask around online to see what works for others.
Me?
I have 1.15" torsion bars, a 1.25" front sway bar and Bilstein shocks. HD leaf springs and a 3/4" rear bar with Bilstein shocks. My car handles nicely. It is neutral but will kick the tail end out under throttle if I want it to do so.

 

[haywire 440]

Interested in these responses because my brother just took his rear stabilizer bar off.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

OP, what shocks are you running? I was told once that a leaf spring car doesn't need a rear sway bar. I installed a large front sway bar, Bilstein tuned shocks all around, sub-frame connectors, boxed LCA's, Firm Feel UCA's and 1.00" front torsion bars with Hotchkis rear leafs. A few years later I installed a 3/4' rear sway bar anyway and the car behaved even better with the rear bar added.

KD explained it very well with the balance of front and rear. With your current setup I think adding a rear sway bar would work great. If you opt for a rear bar from Firm Feel, it mounts frame hung like factory up over the rear axle - meaning you can't see it hanging down below the car.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

As Kern said, it's all about balance... If the rear is to stiff the back of the car will want to pass the front of the car.. AKA Tail Happy.... If the rear is under sprung at some point the front tires are gonna push, You turn the wheel, the front wheels turn, but the car doesn't.... Stock these cars under steer, a bigger front bar means more under steer... Adding a rear bar would probably be a good thing... One suggestion, some rear bars have multiple mounting holes, this allows you to tune/tailor the effect of the bar... Like shown below.. Shorter lever = more oversteer, Longer lever = more understeer..

 

[hunt2elk]

After reading Kern Dog's postings about this, I ordered 3/4" rear bars for both my B-bodies from Firm Feel. 10 week wait, so I don't have them yet and won't before winter sets in. My cars have stock height heavy duty rear springs, Bilstein shocks, frames tied, torque boxes, 1.03" torsion bars, and the stock 15/16" front sway bars. I wanted to try them mostly to limit body roll. I have 295/50 tires on the back of my Bee that kiss the inner fenders when pulling into a incline/decline driveway. Also figured there was a reason rear bars became standard in 71? or so.

 

[Rusty knuckles]

Absolutely a rear bar is great. I've got front and rear bars on my 69 charger. Makes it more fun to drive.

I have a 1-1/8 front bar and 7/8 rear and stock bars and springs. Depending how I drive in corners it balances well. Under hard brake it pushes. Under neutral throttle it's very balanced or maybe just a tiny bit loose. On acceleration it really depends how much tire spin I'm getting. Overall though I feel after my last autocross I feel like I found the traction limit of my tires as I am wearing off the shoulder of all 4 tires.

 

[Timmayy]

I added both front and rear to my 65 wagon. Stock torsion bars up front cranked up a bit. Had rear leafs rebuilt and re-arched with big coil-over shocks. I do plan on some light towing. It rides stiff like a dump truck but handles surprisingly well. I just give it a little throttle around corners and offramps to keep the rear end in check for fun.

 

[moparedtn]

The front bars that some of these cars came with originally were engineered to be the only bars on
the car; front and rear bars are a different combination, of course.
I'd suggest you research what some of the aftermarket companies offer for sets of front and rear
bars for the car, as well as what Ma offered in newer models along that same vein.
Chances are, the existing front bar will need to be changed if a rear is added - but leave the guessing
out of the decision-making and try to base the call on sound engineering, already done by others
more knowledgeable.

 

[44070dart]

I have stock BB torsion bars, KYB gas shocks all around, and SS stock height springs. The car rides well, and corners much better than before. Like a little more road feel and was wondering if the rear bar will give more or take some away by being stiffer. I also have a '71 Nova and it is sprung tight front and rear. It corners like a gokart but it is harsh on bumps, and railroad tracks. The Charger is nowhere near that, and I wouldn't want it like that.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I have stock BB torsion bars, KYB gas shocks all around, and SS stock height springs. The car rides well, and corners much better than before. Like a little more road feel and was wondering if the rear bar will give more or take some away by being stiffer. I also have a '71 Nova and it is sprung tight front and rear. It corners like a gokart but it is harsh on bumps, and railroad tracks. The Charger is nowhere near that, and I wouldn't want it like that.

adding a rear sway bar won't make a car any stiffer going over bumps, but it will affect front/rear balance and under/over steer in turns.

 

[Bold & Old]

i am about to install and Hochkiss front and back... hope this isn't to much for my car.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Should be great! Be sure on the front to install the bar with the bend in the middle facing up like a letter "A" and not down like a letter "V". Ignore the Hotchkiss logo orientation. The bar should fit up and over your rad support-to-K-frame short connector piece. I installed mine upsidedown the first time because I was referencing the Hotchkiss logo.

i am about to install and Hochkiss front and back... hope this isn't to much for my car.
View attachment 1355923

View attachment 1355954View attachment 1355925

 

[Bold & Old]

Should be great! Be sure on the front to install the bar with the bend in the middle facing up like a letter "A" and not down like a letter "V". Ignore the Hotchkiss logo orientation. The bar should fit up and over your rad support-to-K-frame short connector piece. I installed mine upsidedown the first time because I was referencing the Hotchkiss logo.

Yes.....the front sway bar is very confusing... they want me to weld in to my K Member which I did not.

my helper and I am still pondering over this.... it is temporary on hold pending a better solution as the photo depicts.

The front sway bar is massive in comparison to the original equipment.

but with the heavy hemi dominating the front end.

I plan on taping the mount with a fine threaded 8 grade bolts and not do any welding to the expensive hemi K member is my temporary plan (subject to change in the next day or two)

My inner fender has bracing for added strength... + I laminated two lower radiator supports or 8 gauge thickness for added strength.+ frame connectors up coming also.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Nice fender braces. Did you make those or buy them somewhere?
You are correct on the front sway bar. My car is a Sport Satellite and I had a shop weld in the sway bar support brackets to my k-frame. Since yours is a Hemi, I don't blame you. Call Firm Feel or PST and see how their front sway bars mount. Then you could return the Hotchkiss piece uninstalled for a refund. You could also call Hotckiss to ask what your options are.

Yes.....the front sway bar is very confusing... they want me to weld in to my K Member which I did not.

my helper and I am still pondering over this.... it is temporary on hold pending a better solution as the photo depicts.

The front sway bar is massive in comparison to the original equipment.

but with the heavy hemi dominating the front end.

I plan on taping the mount with a fine threaded 8 grade bolts and not do any welding to the expensive hemi K member is my temporary plan (subject to change in the next day or two)

My inner fender has bracing for added strength... + I laminated two lower radiator supports or 8 gauge thickness for added strength.+ frame connectors up coming also.
View attachment 1356326View attachment 1356327
View attachment 1356337View attachment 1356338View attachment 1356340

 

[Bold & Old]

Nice fender braces. Did you make those or buy them somewhere?
You are correct on the front sway bar. My car is a Sport Satellite and I had a shop weld in the sway bar support brackets to my k-frame. Since yours is a Hemi, I don't blame you. Call Firm Feel or PST and see how their front sway bars mount. Then you could return the Hotchkiss piece uninstalled for a refund. You could also call Hotckiss to ask what your options are.

I bought them........Subframe Connectors

I plan to keeping them and if I dont like the ride I may take them off.

The think sway bar is quite radical that thick.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I bought them........Subframe Connectors

I plan to keeping them and if I dont like the ride I may take them off.

The think sway bar is quite radical that thick.

the Hotchkiss bar is hollow, which requires the Outer Diameter to be bigger than a solid rod of smaller diameter to achieve the same stiffness. Other manufacturer sway bars are solid. The hollow bar is the way to go in terms of weight savings vs strength if it suits your application. Look at Firm Feel or PST - I think they offer solid front bars that are smaller diameter.

I don't see the fender braces at that subframe connector link...

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

These are the braces I was wondering where you got them? Same place as the subframe connectors?

 

[hunt2elk]

These are the braces I was wondering where you got them? Same place as the subframe connectors?

View attachment 1356647

Those are from US Cartool. I used them on my RR.

 

[Bold & Old]

These are the braces I was wondering where you got them? Same place as the subframe connectors?

View attachment 1356647

I posted the link here in post #16 above.

i bought frame connectors from them also not installed yet.

Good Luck....