Is this legal?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by hookdaddy

You need to go back and look at the pictures again - the part that welds in under the floor is designed the reinforce the frame under the rear roll bar braces. The anti-roll bar bolts to those braces. A technicallty? Maybe but acceptable yep. The part has been around for years and is under several national & division winning Camaros & Firebirds including a recent world champs car. It's been looked at by tech guys in most of the divisions - never a problem.

Well, there you have it boys! A technicality! Thanks Don.

[nolongerracing]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Sway bar = panhard bar. Locates the rear end side-to-side. Anti-roll bars control body roll. Two separate components. Body roll & side-to-side sway are two different things.
At least that's according to GM shop manuals.

I'm confused with your answers....if sway bar = panhard bar, why does my cars have both? These are mid 80's Camaros. They have a bar that connects the body to the rearend housing...panhard. They do not have a bar that connects the lower contol arms. They have a bar that connects to the body and the rear end. Is that an anti-roll bar? If so, why is it not legal to replace it with the aftermarket anti-roll bar?

[Ed Wright]

As I said, the bar that bolts between the F body lower control arms is an anti roll bar. The bar running from the driver's side end of the rear end housing to the bracket on the frame, passenger side, prevents side-to-side sway. Some people tend to cal the anti roll bar a sway bar also. That is not accurate, but you go ahead and call it what you want.

[nolongerracing]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

As I said, the bar that bolts between the F body lower control arms is an anti roll bar. The bar running from the driver's side end of the rear end housing to the bracket on the frame, passenger side, prevents side-to-side sway. Some people tend to cal the anti roll bar a sway bar also. That is not accurate, but you go ahead and call it what you want.

Anti-roll, anti-sway or stabilizer (according to GM parts) are all the same. The purpose of the panhard bar (axel tie rod according to GM parts) is to only keep the housing centered in the car. It is not a side to side "sway bar". So if it came with an anti-roll, why can't it be replaced with an aftermarket unit?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by nolongerracing

So if it came with an anti-roll, why can't it be replaced with an aftermarket unit?

It can be replaced with an aftermarket unit but the aftermarket unit can't be welded in!

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by nolongerracing

Anti-roll, anti-sway or stabilizer (according to GM parts) are all the same. The purpose of the panhard bar (axel tie rod according to GM parts) is to only keep the housing centered in the car. It is not a side to side "sway bar". So if it came with an anti-roll, why can't it be replaced with an aftermarket unit?

Take that sucker off and see if you can't push the car side-to-side without the tires moving. That is sway. As I said before, accurate or not, go ahead and call it what you want.