Burnt offerings

[3pedals 837]

Had the opportunity to whip the front sway bar out of the Saab now known as Marie-Antoinette   and cook up this little piece of  carbon & sticky stuff- new bar about 40% stiffer than donor bar . Put a bit more effort into detailing this one and colour coded it to match Koni struts

[gjm 1,514]

That's rather nice.

Is that something that could be done on the vehicle, or did it require baking and suchlike? I'm just thinking the 500SE could do with a little help in this department, but getting the anti-roll (sway) bar off that is a mission that isn't undertaken lightly.

[3pedals 837]

Definitely needs to be off the car to be able to do the biz - the Saab was equally a drama , had to drop the sub frame out to get the bar out.

This one was a light bake only  to maintain more matrix 'stretch', then finished with an abrasion resistant sheathing they use in aerospace stuff.  

Carbon section is also slow rate progressive which combined with stretch should allow low speed wheel articulation whilst still being  snappy in direction changes.

[eliongater 620]

Would you be able to do a how to? Or are there trade secrets involved?

[Olaf 1,700]

that is seriously cool, William.  well done.

[3pedals 837]

On ‎23‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 0:15 PM, eliongater said:

Would you be able to do a how to? Or are there trade secrets involved?

Sorry no "How - to" on this one it is a fairly complex bit of engineering to calculate behaviour and then the processes are still evolving.

Next challenge is a  complete hollow carbon  adjustable / variable rate bar for the 328 - whole bar should be less than 1.5kg. - current shape is an aerofoil to reduce under car drag and create downward lift

[Young Thrash Driver 673]

I still think you should have got yourself an E39. One could have fit your bill, and they are a good chassis which would respond really well to the kind of development you are doing here.

 

[3pedals 837]

I've had an E39 and the chassis is nice - clocked up nearly 180,000km in it. The particular vehicle was a manual 528 with staggered wheels, koni shocks, aftermarket real springs , uprated sway bars and a sports exhaust including equal length headers.

I didn't want  performance/ dynamic  car just a safe one and the auto compromise works well with the better efficiency of front wheel drive.

Mods to the Saab, just make it a good and safe Saab  - the aero sports version runs a 16mm rear bar and a 19 front - aftermarket they go to 20 and 25mm respectively I've landed about half way in between but a long way up from the standard 13 rear and 17 front.  

Edited March 29, 2017 by 3pedals

[zero 807]

Ron, can you describe (I realise this is difficult on a written forum) how the new bar feels when driving, compared to say an off the shelf aftermarket bar?

[3pedals 837]

Nathan,

The benefits of  tubular v.s solid sway bars are well defined/ known , additional to these the way I construct the bars gives them a more progressive spring rate  which means the bar starts off having  about a 20% increase over the stock spring rate and quickly increases to as much a 60% over stock .

The two I have done for the Saab have some of the benefits of a tubular bar but mainly benefit from the higher and progressive spring rate.- what does it feel like ?  - On small undulations and gentle cornering the bar action is moderate so  there is very little roll bar induced understeer, then as you load it up more with tighter , harder, faster cornering it builds quite quickly and body roll is well controlled. What you feel is a more natural progression compared to say a stiff front bar which gives initial understeer/ sledging   because it is causing too much outside wheel loading too early.

William .