Page 1 of 21 12311 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 211

Thread: Developing a rear sway bar alternative

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Germantown, WI
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    4,999
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked 1,804 Times in 1,017 Posts

    Developing a rear sway bar alternative

    Many Mirage owners have expressed dislike for the large amount of body roll that the Mirage has. Many owners have also mentioned that adding a rear sway bar to the car is one of the best first modifications you can make. I know many owners would also appreciate a cheaper solution to the Ultra Racing (~$200) rear sway bar. I've even nudged other companies to provide additional options for sway bars to no avail. So, I intend to provide a solution.

    I call it a solution because its not an actual sway bar. Allow me to explain. The torsion beam suspension we have on our car actually doubles as a sway bar without actually needing a separate sway bar (thus reducing cost). The beam that connects the two rear wheels actually twists when you go over a bump with one wheel and not the other just as a sway bar does. The problem with our beam is it simply isn't stiff enough for most of us. However, if we reinforce it, it acts the same as adding an additional sway bar. That is what my solution is. I am calling them torsion beam clamps.

    The torsion beam clamps simply reinforce the torsion beam stiffening it up. Pretty simple right? That is the idea. Keep it simple, keep the cost down. Its basically two pieces of bent steel that form a clamp around the rear torsion beam. The clamp strengthens the beam and helps it resist twisting.

    Name:  ClampAssy01.jpg
Views: 8171
Size:  37.0 KB



    Why hasn't anyone else done this before? I can't find any similar products on the market, so I'm not completely sure. One possibility is it does put additional stress through the torsion beam. Additional stress could lead to failure of components. But, many other aftermarket parts do the same thing such as stiffer springs, chassis braces, etc. Personally, I think that sway bars are more expensive and thus more profitable for companies so they go that route by default.

    The benefits of the torsion beam clamps are pretty nice though:
    1) They'll be a good amount cheaper than a full blown rear sway bar.
    2) You can use as many clamps as you'd like to adjust your desired stiffness. I anticipate that one or two will probably do the job.
    3) Installation is ridiculously easy. Simply bolt the two clamp halves together over the rear torsion beam and you're done.

    Name:  ClampAssy02.jpg
Views: 7685
Size:  20.0 KB

    Name:  ClampAssy03.jpg
Views: 7857
Size:  21.2 KB



    I have done some work with testing things out as much as I can before hand. I ran some computer simulated stress analysis on the beam without any clamps and then with numerous sizes and numbers of clamps on it. This analysis allowed me to reduce the amount of twist in the beam while also optimizing the clamps to not add too much additional stress. I came up with a prototype design based off of that analysis. A single clamp should reduce twisting by about 25%, and two clamps reduce it by about 45%.

    Name:  FEApic.jpg
Views: 7899
Size:  37.0 KB



    The prototypes are in the process of being made as I type this. A member of this forum works at a metal bending shop and I have recently got the blanks made up and into their possession. We will be doing testing as soon as they are made and available. I'll keep you all updated.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  2. The Following 15 Users Say Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:

    + Show/Hide list of the thanked

    bzacon (11-12-2017),Charlie (03-23-2016),cyclopathic (03-22-2016),Eggman (03-22-2016),eulogylife (04-08-2016),flatbroke (04-10-2016),foama (03-22-2016),gone.a (03-22-2016),HitShane (04-14-2016),Kineo (04-15-2016),Littlestan (03-22-2016),Marklovski (03-22-2016),RedRage (04-12-2016),ThunderG (03-22-2016),wilbur (03-29-2016)

  3. #2
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    10,120
    Thanks
    4,030
    Thanked 2,781 Times in 2,100 Posts
    That's a brilliant idea!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  4. #3
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Mitsu
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    1,359
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    256
    Thanked 315 Times in 246 Posts
    Some of torsion beam suspensions are set up to have the sway bar bolt on to the middle section hidden inside V-groove. Bar works on twist, by changing/removing it you can change rigidity of the beam. I think this could work if you have 2 clamps holding the ends of the bar

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


  5. #4
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Germantown, WI
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    4,999
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked 1,804 Times in 1,017 Posts
    Thanks guys. I was hoping you'd like it.


    Quote Originally Posted by cyclopathic View Post
    Some of torsion beam suspensions are set up to have the sway bar bolt on to the middle section hidden inside V-groove. Bar works on twist, by changing/removing it you can change rigidity of the beam. I think this could work if you have 2 clamps holding the ends of the bar
    The ends of the bar are held by the rest of the rear axle assembly. Its just not shown in my pictures because it wasn't needed when I modeled things up. Here is an actual picture of the rear axle assembly.

    Name:  rear axle assembly.jpg
Views: 13477
Size:  14.1 KB


    When you twist that assembly, the most elastic deformation occurs in the middle of the beam. Thus that is where our first clamp goes. As we add clamps, we want the distance between the clamps to all be equal so stress is most evenly distributed.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


  6. The Following User Says Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:

    bzacon (11-12-2017)

  7. #5
    Mileage Miser
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Abbotsford
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    144
    Thanks
    56
    Thanked 44 Times in 29 Posts
    Genius idea Daox!

  8. #6
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Mitsu
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    1,359
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    256
    Thanked 315 Times in 246 Posts
    ^^^ I tried to find the picture, but the one I am thinking of had a bar fashioned as a straight rod with 2 eyelets on the end. The middle beam had 2 through mounting holes, and the bar was bolted in in V-grove of the middle beam. This may not work on Mirage (unless someone wants to drill beam, but idea was very similar, reinforce the connection beam with external piece.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


  9. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    174
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    106
    Thanked 38 Times in 28 Posts
    Lately I've been wondering if the Racing Beat rear sway bar for the Mazda 2 would work on our cars. It's a bar that is located inside the torsion beam, and is clamped onto either end.

  10. #8
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Mitsu
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    1,359
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    256
    Thanked 315 Times in 246 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Angrybeaver View Post
    Lately I've been wondering if the Racing Beat rear sway bar for the Mazda 2 would work on our cars. It's a bar that is located inside the torsion beam, and is clamped onto either end.
    http://www.racingbeat.com/Mazda-2/Sway-Bars/77101.html


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


  11. #9
    Senior Member Charlie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    FL
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    244
    Thanks
    16
    Thanked 58 Times in 38 Posts
    Awesome Daox! As someone who isn't actually that interested in improving the handling of his daily driver, I still have to recognize how awesome and 'above & beyond' you've went with this!

    -Charlie-

  12. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    174
    Garage empty: add car
    Thanks
    106
    Thanked 38 Times in 28 Posts
    That's the one! Thank you Cyclopathic! I don't know if anyone has the resources to get the measurements for both our bar and the Mazda 2.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •