Setting up front sway bars...

[Merlin]

Hi all,

OK, my bug's finally up and running after nearly 2.5 years and I'm starting to adjust everything...

At the moment my front sway bar seems to sit at a slight angle when viewed from the front - pointing slightly down on the driver's side [LHD].

I know you can shift the bushings up and down the arms...

How does all of this adjustment work, and what are the effects of moving the bushings forwards/backwards?

I have 3/4 In. sway bars front and back.

Thanks, Nic.

[FJCamper]

Hi Nic,

You should readjust your clamps and bushings as level and equal as you can.

But the truth is, even if slightly skewed, you won't feel much difference in the effects. VW's method of clamping the sway bar across the trailing arms, with no center mounts or other locaters, is itself a fairly cavalier way of doing it.

But it works.

FJC

[helowrench]

FJ, since you brought it up.
I have always considered adding a center mount for the swaybar (located by weight on wheels position), but I do not quite know what the effects would be.
What is your opinion on this subject?

Rob

[Merlin]

Thanks again, FJC.

[FJCamper]

Above Extra Mounts

Gentlemen,

We too saw how much flex and movement there is in the VW's front swaybar. I've seen sway bars try to wiggle forward out of their bushings and clamps. So, I rigged two good strong center mounts to really hold the 19mm bar in place.

The extra mounts kept the bar in place, but added tremendous extra stiffness. Tremendous. The car handled badly and totally differently.

I believe extra mounts would work with a lighter bar, maybe 16mm. Or two stock bars clamped together.

FJC

[Merlin]

Wow! That's an amazing photo - to me atleast.

I never expected the sway bar to 'move' so much...

Thanks, FJC.

[helowrench]

Above Extra Mounts

Gentlemen,

We too saw how much flex and movement there is in the VW's front swaybar. I've seen sway bars try to wiggle forward out of their bushings and clamps. So, I rigged two good strong center mounts to really hold the 19mm bar in place.

The extra mounts kept the bar in place, but added tremendous extra stiffness. Tremendous. The car handled badly and totally differently.

I believe extra mounts would work with a lighter bar, maybe 16mm. Or two stock bars clamped together.

FJC

I am going to have to Fab up some mounts for the stock bar. Whenever I get around to that item on the list, I will post about it.

(Porsche found out that it greatly added to the effectiveness of the sway bar, when they did the 924. The first year or two did not have any kind of chassis attach point, then they added it to the 14mm rear bar.)

Rob

[Ghia Nut]

Ive been thinking about this a lot, but I was wondering if you were to move the extra mounts (I have white lines) to the center would that soften it up a bit?