Smart Racing sway bars

[jhelgesen]

Searched for the smart racing sway bars I've had before, said to now be with Jerry woods, but not seeing anything.

Does anyone know if they are still available anywhere?

Thanks,

[targa44]

Hi, Jerry defers to Rich Walton at JWE....

They are available and still market them I believe. good luck

Jerry Woods Enterprises

491 McGlincy Lane

Campbell, CA 95008



408-369-9607

fax 408-369-9741

[OffCamber00]

John,

Call Steve Weiner. I got mine from him in the fall.

[winders]

I think the Tarett bars are better and I believe a little less expensive.

[OffCamber00]

Originally Posted by winders

I think the Tarett bars are better and I believe a little less expensive.

Why do you think they are better?

[Cory M]

I've got a pair of used Smart bars I'm going to be selling next week after I pull them out of storage and take some pictures. I believe they are 27 front and 31 rear. They have some scratches as you would expect after a few years worth of track use. I may even have a spare arm and bushings to throw in. I'm planning on asking $1100, new they were $1500. If interested send me a PM, but I won't be able to respond until next week.

[winders]

Originally Posted by OffCamber00

Why do you think they are better?

Mostly it has to do with the sizing of the rod end bearings with the Tarett rod end bearings being larger and stronger. I also prefer the slotted adjuster used on the Tarett rear bar lever arm versus the individual holes used by the Smart racing rear bar lever arm.

[jhelgesen]

I liked the smart bars vs tarret because they do have the holes vs slots. If the bolt loosens in the slot, you can loose adjustment.

[winders]

Originally Posted by jhelgesen

I liked the smart bars vs tarret because they do have the holes vs slots. If the bolt loosens in the slot, you can loose adjustment.

If you tighten them properly, neither product's bolts should loosen. Even so, you should be checking those bolts, along with other critical suspension bolts, regularly anyway. The holes make it more difficult to make adjustments.

Both Tarett and JWE make great products. I prefer the JWE sway bar mounting brackets and I prefer Tarett sway bars.

[Walt Fricke]

The pitch for the Smart Racing system was that the curved arms kept the drop links in a more geometrically consistent location. Or, put another way, reduced the change in effective lever arm length with suspension movement. Something like that.

Aren't the Taretts straight?

Was Craig wrong in making the claims he did for the SRP system?

Me, mine are old Weltmeister on one car, and (H&E? Can't remember, but from the '80s - vertical rectangular arms with holes) on the other. Doesn't seem economic to replace them, though if I were building a car I'd probably spring for something nicer rather than go find cheaper older style systems.

[winders]

Originally Posted by Walt Fricke

The pitch for the Smart Racing system was that the curved arms kept the drop links in a more geometrically consistent location. Or, put another way, reduced the change in effective lever arm length with suspension movement. Something like that.

How could it effect any change in effective lever arm length with suspension movement?

Dynamically, the lever arm being curved can't have any effect in regards to suspension movement. Think about it. What matters is the line from the center of the sway bar to the center of the bolt holding the drop link to the lever arm. The lever arm is fixed so the arm could be shaped like an "S" and it wouldn't change what happens as the suspension moves. No matter what, the bolt holding the drop link to the lever arm moves in a perfect arc compared to the center of the sway bar. Curved, straight, or "S" shaped, it can't matter.

[175K911]

Originally Posted by Walt Fricke

The pitch for the Smart Racing system was that the curved arms kept the drop links in a more geometrically consistent location. Or, put another way, reduced the change in effective lever arm length with suspension movement. Something like that.

Aren't the Taretts straight?

Was Craig wrong in making the claims he did for the SRP system?

Me, mine are old Weltmeister on one car, and (H&E? Can't remember, but from the '80s - vertical rectangular arms with holes) on the other. Doesn't seem economic to replace them, though if I were building a car I'd probably spring for something nicer rather than go find cheaper older style systems.

H&H Sway bars. Leigh Houseman in Chelmsford MA (hope I spelled his name right). Had his bars on two of my 911s in the past and always felt they were the best value in sway bars ever offered.

[jamesjedi]

27/31 sways......huge and heavy. Why are they so much bigger? Is that what the spec911 guys run?

[Cory M]

Originally Posted by Walt Fricke

The pitch for the Smart Racing system was that the curved arms kept the drop links in a more geometrically consistent location. Or, put another way, reduced the change in effective lever arm length with suspension movement. Something like that.

I had heard the same kinematics thing you did and I asked Jerry Woods himself about that years ago when I took his transmission class. He said the curve was actually there to provide more ground clearance, same reason the arms are very thick on the bottom web. He knew low racecars could end up dragging the long arms over curbs so he designed them to be durable there.

[Walt Fricke]

Thank you - that makes sense.

[L8apex32]

All of what is said above is true - I've had both.

For example, the Tarrett bars are easier to adjust (esp rear), but the bolts did come loose from time to time.

I think another difference is that the SRP bars can be had in much larger sizes (up to 31mm). The Tarrett site says their largest size is 22mm.

[Eagledriver]

Originally Posted by Cory M

I had heard the same kinematics thing you did and I asked Jerry Woods himself about that years ago when I took his transmission class. He said the curve was actually there to provide more ground clearance, same reason the arms are very thick on the bottom web. He knew low racecars could end up dragging the long arms over curbs so he designed them to be durable there.

Not only that, the curve makes adjusting them easier. You can move the link by one or 2 holes by disconnecting one side at a time. The link swings along the curve instead when you are moving it. You don't have to struggle to move both sides together.

-Andy