How does this act similar to a sway bar

[olason]

I came across several photos of a technology that came from race cars is my guess.

6072260721

It acts like a sway bar in respect to opposing motion by producing an opposite force on the bell crank. Is there any torsional resistance built into the pivot point in the middle of the assembly? I know this would be great for packaging as I plan to run my shock/coilover setup in the same or similar setup.

[RSX302]

It's exactly a sway bar. The blades can rotate changing the bar resistance. If the blade is flat to the opposing force, it will flex causing body roll. As you rotate the blade perpendicular to the opposing force, it will allow maximum sway bar strength (least amount of body roll)

We use on the race cars for cockpit adjustment. Works great.

Hope that made since?

[olason]

So is there a roller bearing or a bearing of some sort that is on the rotation axis of the blades?

what do you mean by cockpit adjustments?

And when the blades are longitudinal with the car in these cases this setup is at its stiffest point?

[RSX302]

You can use bearings but I believe most are bushing to minimize play and maximize strength.

Cockpit adjustable meaning the driver can adjust while driving. The bottom image for example looks like it has a lockdown bolt in the center to stop the blade from moving/twisting. If you put a rod off of the bolt straight up, hook a cable to it and run to the driver, then you put a notched lever off to the side so you can move forward or backward to pivot the blade. Works nicely during a race when the fuel load reduces and the handling of the car starts to change.

With the example of the bottom image, if the blades are flat on the same plain as the rods. They will be at the strongest setting and least likely to flex. If you twist so the blades are straight up/down, then they are at the weakest setting and will flex. Looks like they have the blades around a 45 deg angle which would be in the middle of the adjustment range. You can buy different blade thicknesses depending on your application.

[neki67]

I can see some (adjustable) flex in the set up in the second pic but not in the first pic, correct?

Thanks for posting, I was unfamiliar with this way of controlling sway action/motion.

[Motorcitydak]

Very interesting. That top setup looks like it allows 0 actual spring rate, just solid. That bottom one seems a little better. I would think that you could use spring steel rods instead of that blade design for the road. Change the length between the mounts or the thickness of the bar and that could change your spring rate

Also if you can get your coil overs to mount parallel to the frame, its really easy to run a sway bar off your rockers. Some of em are a little hard to spot, but they are there

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/swiftC51-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/Screenshot20110807at113351PM-1.png


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/figure005-1.gif

This one would be a little easier to mount to a framed car that needs more room for the engine and whatever else

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/ferrari333-5.html

[exwestracer]

60744

Here's a look at a driver adjustable version. The actual anti-roll bar (part #5) is typically VERY stiff. As mentioned, the bar arm (blade in this case) can be rotated to create a stiffer or softer bending moment at the link mount.

The "Z" bar pictured in the "Volvo" (OP above) can also be used with rubber or various density plastic bushings to allow a small amount of roll compliance.

[Motorcitydak]

Ray, is this something you could see on a road car? I do like that 2nd pic from the OP

[RSX302]

I can see some (adjustable) flex in the set up in the second pic but not in the first pic, correct?

Opposing force is being generated by the force of the opposing spring, right? Original question after-all was; "How does this act similar to a sway bar?".

Thanks for posting, I was unfamiliar with this way of controlling sway action/motion.

It's hard to see the top image but it looks like under the rod pivot point is the blade to allow the chassis to roll.

[RSX302]

Here's a view of what you can do in a road car. I would love to do this to the rear as for a street car I think would give you the most benefit.

Things ain't cheap
http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?tpc=Genesis-Technologies-Adjustable-Sway-Bar-Blade-Arms&form_prod_id=1436&action=product

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/11rsr0571110352080-1.jpg

[MCMLXIX]

Proven Wicked... designed one for the 5th Gen camaro.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/31_Web_RRSwitchBlade_6-1.jpg

http://provenwicked.com/product_detail.php?pid=MzE=&CID=OA==&VID=

[RSX302]

Proven Wicked... designed one for the 5th Gen camaro.


http://provenwicked.com/product_detail.php?pid=MzE=&CID=OA==&VID=

That is seriously a nice piece. $975 ouch!

[SLO_Z28]

Seeing this today made me think of this thread:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/139-1.jpg

Check out the in car, on the fly adjustability! :
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/141-1.jpg

You can dial in or out the rear bar mid course.

[olason]

Looking at the sites that are listed about they seem to be mention for a sway bar. They have a long end sticking out. I was looking for the pivot being between the coilovers mounting like the original post's pictures. This is where I was thinking of going with it. Each side is separate, with the central block being machined for an axial locator and bearings. I still have to figure out how to get them to rotate without weakening the blade itself.

61151

[MrQuick]

Correct me if im wrong but I believe the tension comes from the mechanism below this mounting. It was refered to as torsional rod.
Ron can you verify?


heres a better shot of a similar system.

[exwestracer]

Correct me if im wrong but I believe the tension comes from the mechanism below this mounting. It was refered to as torsional rod.
Ron can you verify?


heres a better shot of a similar system.

Tension is generated in 2 ways. The vertical rod in the picture does twist, but only after the blade is set beyond a certain angle. In this picture, the blades are at "full stiff" (LOL) and provide more resistance than the torsion rod. At "full soft", the blades are more flexible than the rod, so they bend in roll.

Keep in mind that on these inboard formula cars, there is VERY little relative motion at the A/R bar, so everything has to be pretty stiff. Kind of like running a 1000lb spring in the middle of an A arm, vs. a 500lb coilover mounted at the ball joint. Less motion requires more rate.