Why Sway Bars (Anti-Roll Bars) Have Front & Rear Types?

Question

Accepted Answer

Sway bars reduce body roll when cornering, but front and rear bars differ in function:

1. Front Sway Bar

Main Role: Limits body roll during initial turn-in (when steering).

Effect:

Stronger front bar = less front body roll, but can reduce front grip (understeer tendency).

Keeps the front tires more planted for sharper steering response.

2. Rear Sway Bar

Main Role: Controls rear-end stability during cornering.

Effect:

Stronger rear bar = less rear body roll, but may loosen rear grip (oversteer tendency).

Helps rotate the car more easily (used in sporty setups).

Key Difference:

Front bar → Steering precision & initial stability.

Rear bar → Adjusts balance (understeer/oversteer).

Tuning Trick:

FWD cars often use a stiffer rear bar to reduce understeer.

RWD cars may soften the rear bar to avoid oversteer.

Analogy:

Think of sway bars like tightening a belt—front/rear adjust how much the car "leans" in different phases of a turn.

(Note: Too stiff = loss of traction; balance is key!