Hello all,

I have recently become very interested in the Locost idea and have done much "surfing" on the internet. One thing I have noticed is that no one runs sway bars... what is the consensus?...are they not required on these cars?

Thanks
BH

Sway or anti roll? Are they the same? I've just fitted a anti roll bar to the front of my Indy.

zetec

Have you got a pic of your ARB?

Thanks

I'll take one and post later.

sway, anti-roll...same thing. I just haven't seen any pics of them on a locost. I am wondering why

BH

Probably not fitted because the suspension doesnt move much anyway depending on how hard you set it. The roll center is very low on the locost, so i doubt an ati roll bar will add much to the handling...though im probably wrong

Cheers
David

Posted some pics of anti roll bar on photo archive.

If you go to the Fraser web page from down under you will find pictures that show a sway-bar (anti-roll bar) installed.
The fraser is a very well behaved chassis built in Australia and New Zeland by the many references found on the web, there you can see clearly the attachment points.

By the way the sway bar will increase the effective spring rate of your car in cornering/turning situations while its effect will be allmost nill on flat rides.

Cheers

SACEM1

I have an anti-roll bar on my Locost and i did at one time advertise a bolt on kit for sale which no one seemed that interested in.

I believe its good to have a front bar, if its adjustable it give you a really good way to tune the understeer/oversteer characteristics of the car. But it wants to be a light bar or it'll start effecting overall grip. Rear bars (especially on open diffs) are a no-no in my book as they sap your traction.

Would recommend a front bar strongly.

Kind regards,
Darren

Saw an interesting table once, of recommended roll couple (% front to total roll resistance) for cars of various weights. According to this, a light car like a Locost needed about 85% roll couple, IIRC, but I would discount this if the goal was a typically understeering production car.

Nonetheless, it has caught my attention when some drivers have reported better handling with firmer front springs (325-350#). I would like to try lightish springs (say 200#) along with a bar. I think it would give a nice ride while preserving handling.

Pete

UK built Locost tend to have very high wheel rates (unlike the original Lotus 7) to negate the effects of massive ammounts of bumpsteer, because of this anti-roll bar of sensible thickness would have little or no-effect.
Get the bump steer situation sorted out by usinga narrower rack and the situation changes, the suspension wheel rate can be softer all round and on a live axle car if an anti-roll bar is used at the front the front wheel rates can be made softer than the rear giving a much better ride.
On an IRS chassis much the same applies except an anti-rolll bar can be useful at the rear.

However going for too thick an anti-roll bar on such a light car isn't a good idea as anyone who has seen or driven a standard Robin Hood 2B on a even a slightly rough road surface will confirm.