[Shotimes] Re: Heim jointed sway bar

[James F. Ryan III]

Leigh,

I installed the Rancho Challenger GT-III system on my 1980 Pontiac Grand
Prix (which I sold about 10 years ago).  Shocks, lowering springs, and those
awesome adjustable sway bars.  I also installed lots of poly bushings,
245/50-16 (f) and 255/50-16 (r), and 400ci replaced the 301ci V-8.  My Grand
Prix was a low-end model and therefore did not come with a rear sway bar
from the factory so adding the Rancho kit was a huge improvement.  BUT,
fine-tuning the adj sway bars made that car handle like a Porsche!!!

Anyway, I was describing the GT-III system to a fellow SHOTimer who is also
a GM G-body nut.  He (like many people) never knew that Rancho USED to make
suspension systems for CARS.  While I was describing the sway bars to him I
thought to myself these would be a wonderful addition to the SHO parts list.
With quite a few people experimenting with 20.5 and 22mm FSB, and all of the
wacky f & r combos that came on the GenIIs, and the elite group of hardcore
racers I'm sure this would be a good seller.


Jim Ryan - Wayne, NJ
91 Plus - all white/mocha
FPS 96 brakes, Carbotech pads, LPM and 80mm MAF w/ K&N and SHO Shop can &
horn, SHO Shop Y-pipe and cat-back w/ Edelbrock mufflers, KONIs with SHO
Shop linear springs, f&r strut tower braces and poly bushings all around,
HiRevs Jr clutch and lightweight flywheel, underdrive pulleys, torque
limiters, Cincy SHO reinforced engine mounts, Bridgestone Potenza RE730
tires (excellent), and police grille.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Leigh Smith" <leighsm@concentric.net>
To: "van Oss" <vanOss@centurytel.net>; "SHOtimes" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 10:15 PM
Subject: [Shotimes] Re: Heim jointed sway bar


> Joseph;
>
> My Z28 has a heim jointed sway bar in the front, and a solid mounted one
> in the rear. Similar to most race cars. Mine were originally made by
> Rancho. There is a sliding alum clamp, that slides on the straight ended
> bar, and is tightened by a cross-bolt. The cross-bolt goes thru the rod
> end on the heim joint. There is a similar bracket that bolts to the
> a-arm that holds the other bolt from the other end of the rod-end.
> Adjusting the length just a small amount makes large differences in the
> handling balance. The bar gets stiffer as the lever arm gets shorter,
> and vice versa.
>
> I really think someone should try designing this on a SHO. The rear one
> looks easy to adapt to me. That bar is pretty straight and level, and
> shortening the lever arm would make a big difference. On the Z28, I
> juggle rear bar diameters, and lever length. I can feel as little as a
> 1/8 in. change in dia. or length.
>
> I tried to find a pic that looks like it could be made for the SHO. What
> do you think?
>
> Leigh
>
>
> van Oss wrote:
> > Leigh, say more, or send a photo, please.  I'm wondering what this looks
like.
> >
> > Joseph van Oss
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > ...It has heim-jointed sway bars, ...
> >
> >
> >
> > .
>
> [demime 0.99d.1 removed an attachment of type image/jpeg which had a name
of bar.jpg]
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