Swaybar, 550's and Squat

[Mikz86TA]

If you read my latest installment on my Project Thread, you know that I am installing some Trac Bars.
In the process I removed the Helwig 550's and have sold them.
I also removed the ZQ8 rear sway bar to get the shock off the lower mount.
I had to drive it like that over the weekend with no swaybar or 550's. I didnt want to do any hard driving to see how much of a difference either made in terms of handling and wheelhop. But I can say even from mild driving, they both make a night and day difference!
My truck is a stock ZQ8, so I have never known its feeling of driving without the rear bar. Def has oversteer without the bar as the rear wants to kick out easier. I can imagine it swapping ends if I drive it hard thru the twisties as it did B4 without a problem.
Also the truck has alot more rear squat on acceleration. Between shifts, esp slow ones, the rear lifts back and squats immediately and alot whenever the acceleration is re-applied. Its a totally different ride!
Even tonight with the bar back on, I notice the squat. But its not as bad with the nar back on.
So I am led to beleive that the rear bar does help out some with rear squat. Which may or may not be good in drag racing in terms of weight transfer. My opnion on that is yes, squat equals more transfer, BUT it also equals more lag time in acceleration.
U decide.

But that was my experience. If its not raining tomorrow and I have opportunity, I want to do a wheelhop test with no trac bars, or 550's and only the stock Hop Shock and SwayBar attached. Back to stock :)

[87wildside]

It helps with squat because of bushing bind..

[Mikz86TA]

I still wanna do some adjustable/heim end links to replace the dogbones. The Edelbrock/Other Brands tierod adjusters look exactly like what id use in between the sherical ends. But the ones I got IIRC are the shorter ones and are not short enough to get any adjustment. The purpose really was to shorten them so the bar is back to stock level befor the 1" drop blocks. Theory being the bars change character when the endlink and level of the bar is altered.
Hard to aquire a hex or even round premade heavy duty tube pre-threaded with one end reverse threads. The spherical ends in both threads r the easy part. LOL
Just a thought

[87wildside]

One male and one female heim joint per side. I gave up. Went through 3' of aluminum stock and could not get the drill centered.

[Blaze_x]

I thought about the same thing, using rod ends to get away from the bushings. It was going to be to much work for what I got in the end if I just shortened the stock links. If you use pipe and weld on the bungs like for the DIY cal-tracs it would be easier but Im not to sure about how big it would all get. The adjusters you are talking about would be nice but I dont think they are the right size? maybe idk.

[Mikz86TA]

They need to be shorter

[Blaze_x]

What about using female rod ends? then just thread a steel shaft at each end with a Die? I dont have a left handed Die in my toolbox right now but that could be borrowed easy.

[Blaze_x]

One male and one female heim joint per side.

Did you mean: one RH and one LH per side?

If not what would the advantages of one male and one female per side be vs. one left and one right?

[Mikz86TA]

What he was saying is use a female threaded spherical and a male threaded spherical. And screw them together. Rather than 2 males and a female turnbuckle. Just takes one part out of the equasion.
Then use a jambnut on the male also to 'lock' into position.

Adjusing it that way would require removal of one end from the bar to turn for adjustment each time you wanted to. But I think the fine threads still allow enough play in adjustment height.