Type 44 Swaybar Questions..or: Listing Like A Spanish Galleon

[Ed Kellock]

The front anti-roll bar in the 4.2 V8q is larger than the rest and
still (or recently still) available through the dealer for about $350.

As far as I know, there's no slam-dunk bolt-on alternative for the
rear.  There are some (one?) fairly well developed (?) ones for
S-cars, but I don't have any info on their adaptability for other
models.

My understanding (from nearly 10 years of observation on-list...
scary) is that the T44 can initially benefit from more control in the
front, up to a point, with some attention then to the rear, depending
on one's motives.

The same has proven true for my CGT.  I installed a rear bar many
years ago, but the effect was not great.  It would roll and then catch
and then be really stiff and the oversteer without much predictability
since it was then nearly at the limit. Not fun.  I pulled the rear bar
and later installed a thicker 4kq front bar.  Hmmm, that's kind nice.
Soon thereafter, I reinstlalled the rear bar.  Hmm, that's pretty
cool.

I think the basic dynamics are similar between CGT and T44 equations
regarding weight distribution, front to rear.  An improvement from
stock can be realized with more roll stiffness up front.  At some
point, more near than far, you need to add stiffness to the rear as
well.

On my '91 V8q, I'm going to ditch the Bilstien HD's for Koni Yellows
and add a 4.2 front bar.  Then I'll see what's next.  The CGT is fine,
unless I decide to make it my track car (Carter, you demon).  The '85
urq might eventually become my track choice.   The '89 200q will be
sold as soon as I replace the door locks and front subframe,
unless.... it might be the best choice for Steamboat...  $$$$ I
digress.    When do those tax refunds come out anyway?

Ed

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alex Kowalski" <akowalsk at comcast.net>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 1:25 PM
Subject: Type 44 Swaybar Questions..or: Listing Like A Spanish Galleon


> With apologies to Sting...
>
> A while back there was a thread on Type 44 swaybar replacement, with
some suggestions that a bigger swaybar from a V8 would be a worthwhile
idea for the front end to tame understeer.
>
> In a galaxy far, far in the Archives, there was a long discussion on
Type 44 swaybars, front and rear, and the most sanguine advice seems
to be that upgrading the roll stiffness of the car is best done by
increasing the front swaybar size and going to linear-rate springs at
the rear.  Some people had managed to get an S4 swaybar to fit on the
back of a Type 44, by "fabricating some brackets" and so forth.
>
> Some of the parts and techniques referenced in that thread were
already NLA in 2003, so I'd like to try to bring this up to date:
>
> Type 44 Listers, what do you recommend to improve the handling of
the car and reduce understeer at this point in time, with parts that
are still available?  Bigger front bar/stiffer springs all around?  No
changes to the swaybar except new bushings, and then stiffer springs
all around?
>
> I realize that suspension tuning is a complex subject with a lot of
variables, so I'll tell you what I'm after to help direct the
discussion.  I have a bone-stock '87 5KCSTQ with relatively low miles,
good struts and shocks, and the bushings aren't bad, but they are
getting old.  I want to make some provisions now for upgrades that I
will do in the not-too-distant future.  I would like to make the car a
little more neutral, reduce the ride height slightly, but I don't want
a bone-jarring, twitchy autocross-only type vehicle.   I plan to
upgrade to 16" wheels and tires by the end of the year, probably to A4
wheels, and I'd like to adjust the suspension to take advantage of a
little more tire.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Cheers,
> Alex Kowalski
> '87 5KCSTQ
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