Any reason for the front swaybar tube vs. some heims or pillow blocks?

[Cobra4B]

The rear bar is mounted to the chassis with heims. It rotates inside of them. Any reason the front swaybar is mounted in an entire tube? Is it to strengthen the are of the chassis that it mounts to? It links both sides and I assume this makes it stronger. Why not ditch the tube and just run some sort of pillow block bolted to the existing chassis holes?



EDIT - Response from Panoz

There's no reason you can't mount it with the pillow blocks. The Nascar boys always mounted the front bar in a tube but were also using the tube to structurally reinforce the front chassis. I don't think we are getting that structural benefit in the Panoz chassis. In fact on the later GTS cars we just cut the middle of the tube out completely so you just had the ends with the bushings mounted to the frame which bought more clearance between the oil pan and sway bar. Hope that helps.
Best Regards,

John M. Leverett
Dir. of Engineering/R&D
Panoz Auto Development Co.

[NZGTRA17]

Originally Posted by Cobra4B

The rear bar is mounted to the chassis with heims. It rotates inside of them. Any reason the front swaybar is mounted in an entire tube? Is it to strengthen the are of the chassis that it mounts to? It links both sides and I assume this makes it stronger. Why not ditch the tube and just run some sort of pillow block bolted to the existing chassis holes?



EDIT - Response from Panoz

Brian, I have ground away tons of material out of the top of this tube in my car for the exact reason John mentioned.......sump clearance.

If I thought I could get away with it I would look to take this tube out and use the additional clearance to lower the engine a little more for C of G benefit. Havent looked at it to seriously though at this stage and have had no issues post modding the sway bar tube.

Kel.