Can the front swapbar be moved to allow engine clearance?

Stretch

Tallest MK3 driver ever!!
Mar 30, 2005
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I'm just wondering, should you require engine clearance or whatever, can the front sway bar me moved around to allow this? If you have to make a custom sway bar to fit around the new engine say, would it still work? I'm just wondering as a swap I've been planning for some years now will likely require moving the front sway bar, and possibly the steering rack somehow. Again, could the steering rack be moved forward or back at all, or another rack be used in it's place?
eric
 

IJ.

Grumpy Old Man
Mar 30, 2005
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Moving the swaybar will change how it acts due to the different leverage ratio.

Moving the rack will change the ackerman angle...

Both if done without understanding the geometry will result in a bad handling Mk3 at best and a deathtrap at worst.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Well, you could drop the swaybar mounts down and use adjustable endlinks to make it parallel again. I don't see why you would need to do any of this though...
 

jtamulis

www.NotRice.com
Apr 9, 2005
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www.NotRice.com
I had to do this for a customer a few years back. What we did was lower the mounts to the front sway bar 1.5 inches. Then we installed adjustable heim joints on the front that were 1.5" shorter (lower). The bar measured the exact same angle before and after, and there was no binding, etc. When completed the car ran perfectly, and handled the same (I pushed the car VERY hard _at customer request_, to make sure it was safe for him). So yes, it's possible. I wouldn't do it unless you _need_ to, just to be on the safe side, and your mileage may vary, don't try this at home, and other warnings here. If you move the sway-bar WITHOUT changing the the links as well, so that everything is the same as stock, there very well could be negative handling problems. If you're going to do it, DO IT RIGHT, and do it right the first time.

It may sound silly, but there are these two corners near my house with a field on each side (in the middle of nowhere). This one curve could be taken at 35mph with stock sway bars, and 49mph with the aftermarket sway bars without sliding out. I was able to do back to back runs within a few hours of each other with the changed setup, and it consistently would take it at 49 just like before, but at 52 it wouldn't anymore. It may not be empirical proof, but Having driven hundreds of supras, and my personal supras over that part of road thousands of times, I can say it didn't seem any different to me. And I couldn't tell the difference at any speeds approaching sane.

Jeff
 

Stretch

Tallest MK3 driver ever!!
Mar 30, 2005
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Toronto, Ontario
Great replies guys. I was just curious right now more than anything. IJ knows the swap I'm wanting to do eventually, but it's a secret! This is just the preliminary planning :). I would have replied sooner, but didnt get emails saying any replies were made; how wierd.
eric