rear sway bars

Depends on the set-up, but IRS cars can benefit from rear sway bars. I've got 'em.

IRS here and I added them.  Swing axles take a camber compensator. Stock VW weren't really noted for handling - add even a few HP and radial tires that stick and they are needed for quick cornering.

Yup....IRS works better with a swaybar. I have heard that you can put one in that may be too stiff though....Bruce

Definitely better with a front anti-sway bar, even more better when the rear one was added.  I have IRS on a flared body with 7" wide rims all around.  Handles and corners better than anything.

When I was playing with beetles the common thought was to add a heavier front bar before adding the rear bar. I know that with a swing axle car, a front heavier bar by itself made a difference.

Question- Who's running a stock front sway bar? With or without a rear sway bar? Who's using a heavier than stock front bar, and with or without a rear bar?

I'm running a stock front sway bar with beam braces, a rear sway bar with a truss bar and a Berg mid mount.

Thanks Terry. Is yours irs?

I have the stock front sway bar on the link pin front end. It had a camber compensator on the swing axle rear but it raised the rear end about an inch and did not seem to make much difference in handling. I took it off to remove engine and replace tranny mounts and never bothered to replace it.                                                                                             rear

19mm (3/4") diameter, front and rear on a dual spring plate IRS suspension.

Yep, 1970 pan.

Thanks for the info guys. Anybody else?

An acquaintance who has built up an awesome '78   911 told me if I drive without one " you will get more warning before the back end breaks out"  I think I will take it off as I have never driven without it, if its too mushy I will put it back.  thanks guys

Apples/oranges, but I'm on a tube-frame IRS (with a VW beam) and running a heavier front, a rear bar, heavier rear torsion bars, and Konis on all 4 corners.

I'm slowly replacing all rubber with Delrin and Urethane. It's not a "cushy cruiser".

Don't need them as long as you can "hike out" on turns.

Like Stan I'm running Konis with heavy front and rear sways.

Al;

Stock front, no rear. IRS, 1973 pan

Art

Stock front, no rear on a full-length '69 pan (IRS, dual spring plates), and drum brakes all around. The rubber and the clamp mounts on the small front bar (what is that--half inch?) are pretty aged too. But the car did OK auto-Xing a couple years back on 165-80 15s with like 20 lbs front and 28 lbs rear.

Putting the disc brakes in this winter and some suspension upgrades. On order now: new sway bar bushings (rubber and urethane), new front and rear 3/4-inch sway bars, new sheet metal for under the frame head (cuz it's got a rust hole), and beam stiffeners. 

The engine is mounted on Rhino mounts in back and a home-made mid mount using OEM GM style rubber biscuit sway bar bushings. No kafer type bar as of yet. 

All subject to change w/o notice once she's up and running in the spring.

Wolfgang- exciting photo, those were the days

Yeah, and always better when you could get your girlfriend to hang out there like that!

Again, thanks for the info, guys.

Making a IRS pan handle doesn't take much( shocks, front sway bar and a adjustable rear bar, ride height and of course good tires)

the swing axle setup requires more attention. The shocks, frt sway bar help.  The ride height effects the camber of the tire/wheel position  and the effective corning. The common addition is the camber compensator which aids in reducing the wheel tuck of swing axle during Corning. There are sway bars available but you cannot use either one if you have a heavy duty side cover on the trans or a berg mid mount.

you can get the swing to handle by slightly setting the ride height with a slight negative camber. A sway bar helps remove the unsteadiness but driving a swing axle car one must realize they are not so forgiving as an IRS car.  I have used a camber compensator, bugpack/empi rear sway bar and a set up I made mounting the sway bar on the torsion tube with links to the spring plate. First two worked ok, but that's wothout using a alum side over or a berg front moun. The homemade unit worked the best since it was adjustable. The biggest improvement is a high rated tire. 

Another area if your in to vintage racing is the link pin camber kits. They include a offset link bushing to allow more neg caster. 

I have a fairly skinny one up front, and not one in the rear.  1970 IRS on new Vredestein 165R80s.  It stays nice and flat through corners and still has a nice ride.  I like it for my uses as it keeps me smiling and out of trouble, but may not win an autocross.