Z Bar instead of Anti Roll Bar?

[Ian Anderson]

Way back (mid 1980's) I raved Formula V for a year or so and on the rear end of the car we ran a Z bar as oposed to an anti roll bar.

Now the theory back then was that we had to run an open diff (crazy inside wheel spin if you got it wrong in a corner) and the Z bar would work on the principal that as the weight transferred to the outside wheel causing the outside suspension to squat, the other end of the z bar would push the inside wheel down and get better grip.

Now I would like to know why htis theory would not hold out for any car and why the anti roll bar (U shaped) is now preferred.

That said we ran an anti roll bar on the front (U shaped) to try and lower the grip to get the front and rear to slide at the same rates - in a fast corner the inside front wheel could come 6 inches off the ground and you could see daylight to the edge of the track!

in the dax I have an open Ranault diff - what would be a better choice Z ot anti roll?

Thanks
Ian

[speed220mph]

Ian: Don't even think about using a Z-bar on an SLA suspension. This is based on fact, not theory. The Z-bar prevents jacking up of the outside suspension while cornering with a high roll-center swing-axle suspension such as that used on the F-Vs and early Corvairs. This was accomplished by forcing the outside tire up by the action of the inside going into rebound during body roll. Tires don't corner very well on the sidewalls. Bottom line . . . use an anti-roll bar to prevent roll.

[Ian Anderson]

Thanks for that!

I realosed the current way is anti roll bars but could not get my head around the need for the Z bar on the F=V
Ian