fourwhls
12-07-2001, 06:40 AM
Just inquiring on how many of you race TT, and purchase TT items like sway bars and A-arms to accomodate sway bars by providing a mounting spot so you don't have to connect the linkage to the same mounting point as your shocks.
I have designed a new sway bar. I wasn't happy with the units available today. Also, I wasn't happy with the price they were asking for these units.
After doing some research on the LS and Durablue sway bar I found a few items I didn't like. The LS unit don't have any sort of bearing or bushing for the pivot bar to ride on, therefore metal is riding on metal. Durablue has the solution for that, they used a nylon bushing for their pivot bar to ride on. The only thing that I didn't like about Durablue, and LS in that matter, was that both of them used standard hardware to mount their units to your bike. They used 3/8 hardware where a 10mm bolt should go. The 3/8 is .3750 and the 10mm is .3937. Thats a .0187 differnce. Where in normal circumstances that would be OK, but these bolts mount to your A-arm pivot points and Shock mount points. There is a lot of stress at these points. Over time that little bit of slop is going to wear out the A-arms and shock mounts. I don't about you, but at 500+ for A-arms mowadays, thats not something I want to have to buy after each season.
I understand why they do it. It's easy, COST. Metric hardware, rod ends, etc is substancially more expensive than standard.
Heres what I have done. I have designed my own sway bar using all metric hardware. I used a composite nylon bushing for the pivot bar. To make it even more unique, I used all 316 stainless steel in the crutial stress areas and 6061 alluminum for the pivot bar and tube. Then I high polished all the SS and Al to a mirror finish. It is definitely going to be noticable.
Heres where I am now. I have done the R&D and built two prototypes for myself. Is there enough of a want for Sway bars to go ahead and build a bunch of them?
I don't think I will make all of next ones out of SS. It was too hard to work with, and too costly. I would like to offer them out for a better price than LS or Durablue. I was thinking of around 175 to 200 for a powdercoated version and 250 for the stainless one. How many of you would be interested in something like this? Is it worth it for me to take it to the next step?
I am also designing some A-arms that will allow you to mount the sway bar without having to diconnect the shocks. Just a little more info to add to the book I just wrote.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I have designed a new sway bar. I wasn't happy with the units available today. Also, I wasn't happy with the price they were asking for these units.
After doing some research on the LS and Durablue sway bar I found a few items I didn't like. The LS unit don't have any sort of bearing or bushing for the pivot bar to ride on, therefore metal is riding on metal. Durablue has the solution for that, they used a nylon bushing for their pivot bar to ride on. The only thing that I didn't like about Durablue, and LS in that matter, was that both of them used standard hardware to mount their units to your bike. They used 3/8 hardware where a 10mm bolt should go. The 3/8 is .3750 and the 10mm is .3937. Thats a .0187 differnce. Where in normal circumstances that would be OK, but these bolts mount to your A-arm pivot points and Shock mount points. There is a lot of stress at these points. Over time that little bit of slop is going to wear out the A-arms and shock mounts. I don't about you, but at 500+ for A-arms mowadays, thats not something I want to have to buy after each season.
I understand why they do it. It's easy, COST. Metric hardware, rod ends, etc is substancially more expensive than standard.
Heres what I have done. I have designed my own sway bar using all metric hardware. I used a composite nylon bushing for the pivot bar. To make it even more unique, I used all 316 stainless steel in the crutial stress areas and 6061 alluminum for the pivot bar and tube. Then I high polished all the SS and Al to a mirror finish. It is definitely going to be noticable.
Heres where I am now. I have done the R&D and built two prototypes for myself. Is there enough of a want for Sway bars to go ahead and build a bunch of them?
I don't think I will make all of next ones out of SS. It was too hard to work with, and too costly. I would like to offer them out for a better price than LS or Durablue. I was thinking of around 175 to 200 for a powdercoated version and 250 for the stainless one. How many of you would be interested in something like this? Is it worth it for me to take it to the next step?
I am also designing some A-arms that will allow you to mount the sway bar without having to diconnect the shocks. Just a little more info to add to the book I just wrote.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.