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1 3/8 Read Addco

3K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  Splattered 
#1 ·
With my recent fuel pump replacement project, I did the usual "while I'm there" and installed 3.73 LT and a 1 3/8” anti-sway bar.

My question is: How bad is the oversteer going to be with a stock front Mark VIII LSC bar and a 1 3/8 rear bar?

It’s probably going to be a few months before I get around to doing the front bar… :(
 
#2 ·
I don't know about the Addco bar, but I did ride in a 97 MarkVIII with an 89SC rear bar, and stock front bar, and that was actually a big improvement over stock. It did give a bit of a tendency to oversteer when pushed, but it got rid of all the understeer, so it made the car a lot more fun. I don't know how much stiffer the Addco is, but considering the 89SC bar was the stiffest stock one available, I suspect it would probably be pretty similar with the addco bar.
 
#3 ·
Youll notice big time but you dont have drive fast either so if you drive really mellow on the pedal then youll be fine with it. The worst thing is that youll notice how sloppy the front twists on bumps.
 
#5 ·
Thanks guys. I sort of figured it would get rid of the built in understeer and move the handling to oversteer (which I prefer).

I don't drive the LSC very much nor very agressively, so I should be fine until I get the front done. :D
 
#7 ·
Well, I found out....

Here's my take: It is fine on smooth, sweeping curves. It sucks big time on tight turns! :beek:

What appears to happen is in a tight turn the front rolls with the stock front suspension, but the rear does not. So the front does a nose dive on the outer wheel wanting to accelerate your turn, which in turn makes the rear end want to come around. It almost acts like a three wheeler.

With the tight (extra clutches and stiffer spring) trac lock, 3.73’s, poly bushings on the knuckle, and this sway bar the car now REALLY feels squirrely. Thank goodness for the Gen II's traction control. It is definitely a handful.

A caveat though is that my front suspension is bone stock and I suspect my “shocks” inside the air bags are getting weak. My front bounces a little more than I care for, but I’m not sure if it is supposed to be that way (i.e “Luxury”) or if the shocks are shot.

I don’t even want to think what all this twisting is doing to the unibody. :bawling:

Just thought I would share my experiences.
 
#11 ·
I knew it wouldn't feel right. Even sized bars are the only way to go when you want to get these to handle. I did the power slide thing when I did my rear only but its much more fun with both bars and gears.
 
#12 ·
What is interesting is that when I originally installed this rear bar on the T'bird I also did Eibach springs front and rear (but not the front 1 3/8), and it didn't make this much difference.

I think it is a combination of the soft stock suspension and the larger rear bar. On my T'bird with 1 3/8 F&R and Eibachs the car handled great. :D

I'm hoping for the same with the LSC but with a softer ride with the air suspension.
 
#13 ·
Glad I read this, I'm wanting to change out the stock hollow rear sway bar on my 97 LSC as well. Now I'm not in any rush. Your car is a clone of mine!

94 Daily Driven - what program do you have on your chip and where did you get it? I'm looking at a chip for mine, plus the 1-2 accumulator piston, Mercon V fluid change and a true dual system in the near future.
 
#14 ·
I bought a used one from someone on Mark VIII.org years ago. It is a Reinhart chip. (A person whom I despise...) It is "ok", but it turns off the EGR and the secondary O2's and seems to run a little rich on the top end.

But that also might be clogged IMRC secondary ports. :xpshame:

I think it was tuned for a car with more mods than I’m running.

For a chip, I (and most other people on here) recommend Lonnie at Blue Oval Chips (http://www.blueovalchips.com/) (Someone please correct me if this information is no longer correct).

As for the sway bar, I would definitely hold off until you can do the front at the same time!!

The 3.73's and T/L were WELL worth it!! :D
 
#15 · (Edited)
Thanks for the reply! I will hold off on the bars as they're not up there on the necessary mods yet. I want to do the exhaust, get 18x9 Saleen chrome wheels, then the chip. However I don't know what I want the chip to do, whatever the most common thing to do is what I would want I guess. More HP and more MPG would be ideal. Bigger brakes would be cool too but it stops on a dime right now. Ever so slight squeak from the front. Other than that 93,000 miles and very strong!

I already have 3.27 in the LSC, would going with the 3.73 really make that much more difference? I drive a lot on the Detroit freeways around 80 or so.

ADDED: I also post on the Lincolns of Distinction forum, my LSC was Car of the Month for February and it's in the calendar! I'm hoping my car looks as good as ThomasA's car:



 
#16 ·
IMHO, the 3.73's are a good compromise for highway driving vs. acceleration. I also had the 3.27's and I like the 3.73’s. The only drawback I had was getting used to the rpm's being "off" (i.e. higher than I was used to) The first few times I drove with the 3.73's I kept thinking, "Shift already!! Oh wait, I'm already in OD..." :D

I lost about 1 to 1.5 mpg with the increased rpm (and heavier foot….) On the highway, driving sanely, the mpg didn't decrease too much.

Do a search on here about chips and you can see what is available. Just a “basic chip” is a major improvement to drivability and “seat of the pants” feel.
 
#18 ·
The 1 1 /4" Addco rear bar is the only large bar to go with the stock front bar. The 1 3/8" rear bar should only go with the 1 3/8" front bar. You will get into problems with tight turns with the 1 3/8" Rear and stock front. Trust me on this one guys as I know a little something about these bars ;)

I happen to have the prototype 1 3/8" F/R bars on the Cat.
 
#19 ·
Rear bar



Hello

Well I don't have a stock front bar. I have a 1 3/8 addco bar.

I also don't drive on the street.
I have a little push going into the corner. Good coming out.

If I can't get a bigger bar, I might up the rear springs??

Looking for a solid 1.10 or 1.25 either 1
I seem to have a .98 or 1.00 solid. (90 or 91)

:wavey:
 
#21 ·
I've got 89 SC bars front and rear... very happy with them, though I might go with a 1.25 bar in the rear someday.
 
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