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Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:30 am

Anybody have an aftermarket front sway bar on there car? How is it mounted and any problems with the way its mounted? I have a rear bar and was wanting to upgrade the front. I know they come with one stock I just want to stiffen the front to match the back. I have seen one by empi but they are almost nonexistent. Any suggestions on an improvement over stock?

Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:10 pm

Simon DeCasas wrote: Anybody have an aftermarket front sway bar on there car? How is it mounted and any problems with the way its mounted? I have a rear bar and was wanting to upgrade the front.

you are aware that the Type 3 beam has one built in, right?

Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:08 pm

You are smart to look to increasing front roll stiffness if you are adding a rear bar. Otherwise you increase oversteer, already a problem in these cars.

It owuld be nice if someone made stiffer stock-mount T3 bars, but I know I'm dreamin'...

Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:24 pm

God I wish,

It was a nightmare just finding a replacement stock beam for mine!

Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:39 pm

I have a empi front swaybar on my square.Has mounting clamps similar
to a bay bus style.Dont think it does much other than look cppl.-Frank :lol:

Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:57 pm

red_6 wrote: God I wish,

It was a nightmare just finding a replacement stock beam for mine!

You didn't ask me. And I am just a 1/2 day drive.
And where are all the ones that KCW pulled out.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:50 am

Russ Wolfe wrote: And where are all the ones that KCW pulled out.

Excellent question.

Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:38 pm

KTPhil wrote: You are smart to look to increasing front roll stiffness if you are adding a rear bar. Otherwise you increase oversteer, already a problem in these cars.

It would be nice if someone made stiffer stock-mount T3 bars, but I know I'm dreamin'...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they increase the diameter of the upper bar at some point, say somewhere around '70? Larger diameter should equal an increase in stiffness. At least it felt like it did when I swapped out the one on my '66. Running that & my old camber compensator & it seems to corner pretty flat.

Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:49 pm

localboy wrote: Russ Wolfe wrote: And where are all the ones that KCW pulled out.

Excellent question.

if I had to guess they were tossed in the scrap heap and crushed,probably already melted down,made into cheap chinese crap and sitting on a shelf in wal-mart(sprawl mart)in the form of a cheap toaster already.the kcw terrorist don't care :cry:

Tue Nov 18, 2008 9:51 pm

wolfman's brother wrote: localboy wrote: Russ Wolfe wrote: And where are all the ones that KCW pulled out.

Excellent question.

if I had to guess they were tossed in the scrap heap and crushed,probably already melted down,made into cheap chinese crap and sitting on a shelf in wal-mart(sprawl mart)in the form of a cheap toaster already.the kcw terrorist don't care :cry:

SIGH.... :evil:

Tue Nov 18, 2008 10:14 pm

Russ Wolfe wrote: ...And where are all the ones that KCW pulled out.

That's sig line material right there. LO effing L.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:11 am

Rear bars changed at some point, and may be different for early swing square vs fastback. I didn't think the fronts ever changed.... anyone know for sure?

Wed Nov 19, 2008 2:48 pm

According to the VW parts book (and how I read the info given there...) the front sway bar came in two different diameters; 11.0 mm and 13.7 mm. The thinner version came in all type 34, Notch- and Fastbacks and in the Squareback for '67 and '68 model years, where as the other Squareback models has the thicker one (this is also true for all AT Squarebacks...).

So you people with Ghias, Notches and Fastbacks (and myself, since my Squareback is a '68 :roll: ) want to look for a Squareback front sway bar if you want to stiffen up the front end a bit. And be sure to stay away from model years '67 and '68 :wink:

Wed Nov 19, 2008 2:56 pm

Excellent info! I will check mine when I reset the ride height. I have a spare axle and would like the stiffer bar if it has it.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:36 am

If a latter 13mm bar helps what is stopping us from making a 19mm bar for the front that would fit in the stock location? It would be a matter of gettting the right kind of steel and machining the ends to fit the torsion arms right? If there is enough interest I don't see why we as the type 3 community couldn't make a short run of these bars from a small machine shop and have a awsome suspension set up. Any body know a friendly machine shop?

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:02 am

Any Machine Shop could do it! If your first set comes out good post some pictures and we'll buy from you! :D

Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:52 am

Choice of steel and the heat-treating required may not be so simple. Filleting work is also critical. VW cautions that small nicks (or even rust from a nick in the paint) can cause failures under stress. But with homework it may be possible.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 1:40 pm

localboy wrote: Russ Wolfe wrote: And where are all the ones that KCW pulled out.

Excellent question.

Took them to the metal recycler...really! About 10 type 3 beams complete drum to drum. Along with about 5 RGB bus transaxles.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 1:47 pm

Syncronaut wrote: According to the VW parts book (and how I read the info given there...) the front sway bar came in two different diameters; 11.0 mm and 13.7 mm. The thinner version came in all type 34, Notch- and Fastbacks and in the Squareback for '67 and '68 model years, where as the other Squareback models has the thicker one (this is also true for all AT Squarebacks...).

So you people with Ghias, Notches and Fastbacks (and myself, since my Squareback is a '68 :roll: ) want to look for a Squareback front sway bar if you want to stiffen up the front end a bit. And be sure to stay away from model years '67 and '68 :wink:
From what I remember (& it's been a while now), my '66 had the smaller 11mm bar in it when I swapped it out & it was an untouched car before I got my hands on it. :twisted:

Fri Nov 21, 2008 2:37 pm

What about these?

http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=SSS0002&cartid=

Does anyone have any pro/con info on these, or what difference they make to the vehicle stability and safety? Would using them as pictured damage or warp the factory suspension?

For that matter, it looks like the one currently mounted under my Subaru Impreza DD.