Re: please educate me

[Shawn C Meze <skerocdriver@juno.com>]

On Wed, 12 May 1999 22:41:55 -0400 Ellen Northam <n3745n@yahoo.com>
writes:
>this is probably a very trivial question for many of you so please 
>educate me.


Glad to help. 


>can someone please explain the differences/advantages/disadvantages, 
>if there is any, between the following:
>
>stress bar 


Stress bars do much to reinforce the suspension. On a stock vehicle which
sees nothing more than daily commuter service, a stress bar(s) isnt
really neccessary. (One exception would be any of the A1 16V cars in
which case come with a factory lower stress bar. )

If you use both the upper and lower stress bar on an A1 car, it frames
the front end chassis quite nicely. It reduces chassis flex under hard
cornering which in turn, improved cornering. 


>sway bar

These help control the amount of body roll while turning. 


>tie rod

This is simply an automotive part which connects one suspension piece to
another. A fastner of sorts which also usually performs another
mechanical task.


>subframe

A2 (Like yours) cars have a lower sub frame mounted under the front of
the car. (Not just VW's. Other makes use subframes as well.) The use of
the subframe on later cars pretty much negates the need for a lower
stress bar. 


>add something if i'm missing it

These are your questions, ask them as they come to you.

I would add that if you plan on getting into the hobbiest aspect of VW's
that you buy a couple/three books:

"Volkswagon Water-Cooled, Front-Drive Performance Handbook" by Greg Raven
Getting hard to find. I understand there is a revission comming out. Its
a good read which can give you alot of insight to the performance world
that many of us live in. Some of the info is dated but still valueable
and informative. 

Volkswagon Sport Tuning for Street and competition" by Per Schroder. 
Uts an updated version of the Ravens book but more geared towards the
Autox/road racing scene. Still a good read as well. 

Then there is the MUST HAVE in VW books. Get yourself a Bentley manual
for your car. Ive had both manuals for my Scirocco and my GLI but ive
only just today opened my Scirocco manual. I spend alot of time skipping
thru the GLi manual for some reason.  


>and in what combinations can they be used, or would make sense?


Well it all depends on a few factors:
1) What do YOU as a driver want from the car?
2) What can you as the owner afford to do with the car?
3) How much of the work, as an owner are you willing and able to do
yourself?

I think these are the 3 most important questions anyone can know first
hand. 


              Shawn Meze
86' Jetta GLi           82' Scirocco GTi
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and
best looking Scirocco in all of San Diego!
http://www.Geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1308/index.htm

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