Mailman818

Which bar is recommended? i swapped my 30mm solid bar out for a 34mm hollow one off an iroc. i noticed since the weight was crazy light. also threw on a wonder bar and new poly bushings. i would assume the 34 is better but iff its hollow would the 30mm one be better?? im kinda confused now...
also the wonderbar is slightly pinching my lower radiator hose but im not sure if itll be a problem...
any input is greatly appreciated thanks -Aaron

Mailman818

Anyone??

87350IROC

iTrader: (2)

The questions of which one is better depends on a ton a factors. Sway bars are tuning devices. Which one is better really depends on the behavior now. So how does the car drive? Understeer? Oversteer?

The stiffness of a tube in torsion is highly (fourth power) dependent on the radius of the tube. The metal in the center of a solid tube has basically no torsional stiffness and is just dead weight. It is the small bit of metal at the outer edge that is contributing most of the stiffness. For instance a 34 hollow bar with a 4mm wall thickness is 8.5% stiffer than a 30mm solid bar while being about half the weight of the solid bar. Pretty good deal if you ask me. Now I don't know what the wall thickness of the hollow bars is, but it shouldn't be to hard to figure out.

John

Mailman818

Interesting.... i started reading up in sway bars and noticed them as tuning devices as you said. Since im running a base firebird as opposed to a trans am would upgrading to i guess you can say higher model like ws6 packaged cars or iroc camaro suspension be beneficial to me for stability in a v6 car??
Cuz i already upgraded to a 24 rear from a 19 i believe and now the 34 from a 30 front.
Sooo its like saying a v6 car with the best stock suspension.... Beneficial to me?? Not?? Or depends what i want from the vehicle? I plan on slowly building a track street car and am slowly coming up on free stuff or parts for dirt cheap.
My uncle said its smart to stiffen up but it can be dangerous. I understand as the car could be too stiff and basically go three wheel or at worst flip...

paul_huryk

As there are no real differences in suspension (other than small parts changes) between a base Firebird and a Trans Am with WS6, I would not worry about it.

I've heard people (like your uncle) say things like that before - the less a car leans in corners, the more stable and better handling it will be. And stiffening up the chassis and suspension is the path to do it.

You can reuse sway bars (with new endlinks & bushings), box and put new bushings into the FCA, RCA, and panhard rod, and even get replacement IROC or WS6 springs (or very light used OEM ones) and improve the handling of your car. You want to spend money on new struts and shocks and if possible, weld in subframe connectors. And of course, the widest and largest wheel and tire package you can afford.

Mailman818

Well yea i know abou the sfc's and wider tire for better traction. i already have a set of hotchkis sfcs im planning on putting in once i find a good shop to take my car to. and as for springs i upgraded to sportlines but just used my regular struts(monroe) ones since they were fairly new. the rides harsh with them but i wont be swapping them out till i really cant stand it any more and have enough for konis Being a college budget kid its slowly coming along.
ever since installing the wonderbar and upgraded sway bars and poly mounts i have noticed major improvements. i notice hardly any bodyroll.
i wont have any problems with best stock fbody suspension cool.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Are you swapping the rear bar too (to a 23mm or 24mm)? Yes I noticed a big change, but I also swapped rims and tires and lowered the car with springs about the same time too.

Regarding your second issue, (pinching of lower radiator hose). It won't be a problem. This can be an issue for V6 cars, but the pinching of the lower hose does not effect the inside flow area of the hose. The hose shape just changes from a round shape to a more oval shape is all.

Lon