Racing Torsion Bars & Components

The major function of a race car suspension is to maintain a consistent tire contact with the track. There are immense centrifugal and weight transfer forces that can cause tire liftoff during corner entry, acceleration, and braking, so race-ready suspensions have to keep the car “glued” to the track. They do it through stiff setups and low ride height, and their components must withstand huge downforce to prevent bottoming out. There are many different variations of these suspensions depending on the vehicle and circuit, but the majority of them use springs, dampers to smooth out their oscillations, and double wishbone. While a coil spring setup remains most popular, some forms of motorsports rely on torsion bars instead. For instance, this spring type is common in Formula One cars.

While conventional coiled springs store and release energy by compressing and extending, torsion bars do the same by twisting. When the car turns or goes over a bump, the torsion bar rotates to limit the suspension movement. There are several benefits to it in racing suspension, with the first one being its compact design. Packaging is a hard task when it comes to building a push or pull rod suspension due to a tight space and a variety of components that need to be fit in. These bars are simpler to replace, and their production does not require any spring winding equipment.

The torsion bar can be adjusted to change the ride height. Its stiffness (spring rate) is determined by the material it is made from, thickness, diameter, and length. In a typical road vehicle, the torsion bar is mounted to a lower control arm at one end and the crossmember at an opposite end. In the push or pull rod suspension design of F1 cars, this part is attached to the rocker and the chassis. When the wheel moves upwards, the push rod causes the rocker to twist the torsion bar and activate the dampers. Regardless of the setup, the torsion bar is a highly stressed component. Whether this part in your race car is nearing the end of its fatigue life or you are looking to upgrade to the higher or lower spring rate, you’ll find what you need in our assortment of racing torsion bars.