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The actual rate you get at the wheel from a torsion bar depends on how long your lower control arm is (B/E different to A) and how wide your wheels/tires are.

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The actual rate you get at the wheel from a torsion bar depends on how long your lower control arm is (B/E different to A) and how wide your wheels/tires are.

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Are you sure about this? I had always thought that, because the torsion bar is directly connected to the lower control arm inner pivot, the spring rate is the same as the wheel rate, regardless of the length of the LCA or the wheel offset - in contrast to any coil spring setup which necessarily has to be mounted somewhere between the control arm outer pivot and inner pivot and so only a percentage of the spring rate would act on the wheel, the actual amount depending on the length of the control arm and where on the arm the spring is attached (and in which case, the wheel offset would move the outer pivot and so affect the ratios and the percentage of the spring rate acting on the wheel).

Of course, I've been wrong before. . . .

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My wife says she can feel the difference between 0.96" and 1.00" diameter.

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Too bad you've only got a .84" bar

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I am not very good at explaining things so sorry if that sounds patronizing or is even more confusing.

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Hi Roppa,

Do you think the 1" bar would be good for my setup (please pan up a few posts, roadrunninmark)?

Thanks,
Mark

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I use 1" bars on my heavy 440 Challenger in conjunction with a 1 1/8th front sway bar.

But I have also uprated the rear springs. They are custom made to my spec (about 30% uprated from 440/Hemi spec) and are used with a 3/4" rear sway bar. But the springs are moved in 5/8ths each side for tyre clearence which again alters the actual wheel rate.

If I had to drive on dirt roads I would have gone softer. But a lot of how the car feels is down to the shocks.

One friend has even thicker torsion bars on his Challenger. But it does not feel as stiff as mine. Another has stock 383 suspension on his 440 Challenger. But the adjustable shocks make it handle really well and with comfort.

I made a mistake in fitting KYB shocks (but they were all I could afford at the time) and will soon be fitting adjustable QA1 shocks. I think my ride will benefit a lot from them.

But as it stands now my Challenger corners really flat and fast. Very slight understeer when pushed very hard and oversteer on demand from controlled application of the throttle.