Sidewinder swaybar

[hibshman25]

Since the 1990's I have used the largest sway bar Acat made. The larger sway bar typically found on their XC race sleds improves the handling of the sled making it feel more responsive. I will be testing the larger bar on my new Tcat during this winter. I want to ride it with the stock bar with the EPS then change it to the bigger bar. One thing to note on the bigger bar, it requires the bigger bushings as well. I think you could modify the stock bushing with a big round file since it's only a few millimeters, but buying new bushings is preferable so you can keep the stock ones with the stock bar and switch it back when you sell the sled and transfer the bigger bar to a new sled (with the same chassis). Not sure what other guys are looking for. Most guys I meet do not know about the differences in the sway bars that cat makes. For the record, I have never broke or wore out a sway bar. I am sure there is a limit to the stiffness of the bar but I could not tell you what the max should be from an engineering standpoint. I have found bigger is better but I don't where the law of diminishing returns applies.

What bar are you running and what is the diameter of it?

 

[Upstater57]

What bar are you running and what is the diameter of it?

Here are the part numbers for cat. I use/have used the 14.7mm version.

 

[guardrail]

I think an adjustable one would be great

 

[Upstater57]

I think an adjustable one would be great

That might get tricky since the adjustment would have to be at sway bar link. The length of that link is somewhat related to the travel of the front suspension. You would have to find a way to stiffen the bar without limiting the suspension travel. The simple way to do that is to increase the diameter of the bar. Adjustable sway bars are useful on race cars or even oval race sleds. Not sure about trail sleds.

 

[earthling]

That might get tricky since the adjustment would have to be at sway bar link. The length of that link is somewhat related to the travel of the front suspension. You would have to find a way to stiffen the bar without limiting the suspension travel. The simple way to do that is to increase the diameter of the bar. Adjustable sway bars are useful on race cars or even oval race sleds. Not sure about trail sleds.

You can make the body of the swaybar a straight bar with keyed ends and put replaceable/flexible rods (aka torsion spring) in place of a solid/bent arm. No need to change the link. But still, I am not sure how much purpose there would be in adjustability for a semi-to-full offroad style of riding on a snowmobile. I guess the goal is not so much to be adjustable on the fly it would more be about getting the exact compromise between anti-roll and independent articulation between the front skis. The front end of the winder however is pretty good as is so unless you are at either end of the weight spectrum or riding style (or style of racing I guess), it would be a limited market.

 

[Fords4life]

Maybe a larger bar with splined ends then splined arms with multiple holes to vary the torque aplied, and hiem joints connecting end links to lower control arm with turn buckle between heims.

 

[earthling]

Maybe a larger bar with splined ends then splined arms with multiple holes to vary the torque aplied, and hiem joints connecting end links to lower control arm with turn buckle between heims.

Would work as well.

The reason I like the idea of ends based on a torsion spring is that it would be easier to make a simple/repeatable adjuster, similar to what we have today at the rear of the skid. This would be accomplished by making the end connecting the torsion spring to the links so that it could be rotated around its axis with different offsets for the link mount. Want a stiffer sway bar, undo one set screw, pull the link off, rotate the cam, put the link back on, repeat for the other side. Hard to explain without a drawing but very simple and manufacturable. This also avoids any problem with front end travel if done properly (maybe - devil in the details). You would need a base swaybar stiffness and the torsion springs would allow some variability around that base stiffness.

 

[Fords4life]

Would work as well.

The reason I like the idea of ends based on a torsion spring is that it would be easier to make a simple/repeatable adjuster, similar to what we have today at the rear of the skid. This would be accomplished by making the end connecting the torsion spring to the links so that it could be rotated around its axis with different offsets for the link mount. Want a stiffer sway bar, undo one set screw, pull the link off, rotate the cam, put the link back on, repeat for the other side. Hard to explain without a drawing but very simple and manufacturable. This also avoids any problem with front end travel if done properly (maybe - devil in the details). You would need a base swaybar stiffness and the torsion springs would allow some variability around that base stiffness.

You and i same idea, just diffrent ways to getting same result, yours a bit easier with a cam, mine wrenches and a turnbuckle setting at ride hieght after the hole adjustment.

 

[Upstater57]

I plan to ride my new Tcat EPS 500 miles with the stock sway bar then switch it over to the 14.7mm version. That bar works really well on my 2014 ZR9. It will be interesting to how a stiffer bar works with the EPS. On my other sleds over the years, the bigger bar just about eliminates chassis roll and makes the steering more precise (cat has always had built in slop into the steering). EPS may change how it feels and responds. We will see.

 

[yamaha06]

Is it normal for the sway bar to have like 1/2” side to side play? I know with the sled off the ground it shouldn’t have any up or down play:

 

[earthling]

you mean left to right relative to the sled as you face it?

 

[yamaha06]

you mean left to right relative to the sled as you face it?

Yeah that’s correct

 

[KnappAttack]

Is it normal for the sway bar to have like 1/2” side to side play? I know with the sled off the ground it shouldn’t have any up or down play:

Yep, normal for the ProCross.

 

[Upstater57]

Agree. It will move a bit laterally.

 

[yamaha06]

Yep, normal for the ProCross.

Sounds good, thanks. Have 15,000km on the sled and have never changed them and noticed the side to side play and couldn’t remember if it was always like that or not.