How will a 36mm/24mm Swaybar combo change my ride? - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

91RS5spd · 10-20-2009, 12:18 PM

I just picked up a 36mm front and 24mm rear sway bars. How will this affect the ride of my car from my 32mm front 19mm rear combo? Thanks,

This ad is not displayed to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on ThirdGen!

Vetruck · 10-20-2009, 12:32 PM

I would recommend putting the front 36 on first leaving the rear 19 and the going fo a test drive.

If the car pushes into corners (will not turn good into a corner/ will not rotate) then install the rear 24 at that point. You will find that the smaller 19mm bar combined with the larger front will help you off the corners better without the rear coming around under hard throttle.

If you end up using both the 36 AND 24, then save the 19 for any later modifications like lowering or spring change. It will keep you on option for later fine tunning of different modification additions. The 32 is pretty much junk up front for the roll weight of these cars.

Dean

MY87LT · 10-20-2009, 01:22 PM

I installed the 36 & 24 sway bars and 1LE coils all around back in 1998. Bought new from the dealer and never have regreted it. My LT handles awesome. Corners great but my combination has mee feeling every crack on the road. That's cool though since I knew what I was getting into.

BIG_MODS · 10-21-2009, 12:09 PM

2 wheel bump will feel the same, single wheel bumps will be more harsh.

I ran the 34/24 with stock springs and the car still felt tight, but that doesn't seem normal for most. But VE truck said is the safe thing to do. Or if you do bolt both on at the same time be carefull until you do find if the car is tight or loose etc.

FYRCHKN · 10-24-2009, 11:24 PM

My car had the tiniest bars available. I swapped in the 36/24 bars and the handling is amazing now. I also have the base model "smooth ride" springs up front with the WS6 springs in the rear. IMO it's balanced out perfectly for my tastes. I've put it through it's paces on some pretty nasty twisty roads and it takes them with ease.

racing geek · 10-27-2009, 01:20 AM

Do what Vertruck has suggested.

When I first got me car, it still had the stock 34/23 combo (can't remember for sure on the rear bar). I upgraded to the 36/24 setup thinking "if the 1LE/WS6 cars came with them, they must be the best." Keep in mind this was before I knew what I was doing. Granted I still don't know everything, but I know WAY more now. Anyway, I kept having the back end swing around on me during the autocross runs, and yes it was fun, but I also knew it was hurting my times pretty bad. I then dropped down to the 21mm rear bar which I still have on the car. It is much better, but it still wants to swing out on me. I plan on swapping the rear end again this winter and changing out to the 19mm rear bar at the same time. I actually have at least one of every bar for these cars just so I can tune to my liking. I have some other plans for the 'extra' swaybars but that can be for another thread...

As a side note... I've found a 18mm rear bar for our cars. I've measured it in multiple spots and it was in fact 18mm so either rust took away a lot of the metal, or it was just super close to the same shape of a standard rear bar for our cars. I don't personally own it, but I know the guy with it.

paul_huryk · 10-27-2009, 02:58 PM

Thicker bars can hurt the ride a bit as others have said.

I noticed a decrease in ride quality in my old IROC when I swapped the old rotten rubber bushings and end links for poly - took out all the slack in the bars, decreasing ride quality...