I see a lot of writing about the virtues of a wonderbar. In fact, I have a spohn piece I bought two years ago that I've never installed. Yup, I've been twenty years without a wonderbar...

Anyway, can anyone really make a qualified statement on whether or not a wonderbar works if they first haven't done a thorough rebuild of their front suspension? By that I mean, thorough, including a rebuild of their steering gear, a replacement of their steering column rag joint, new LCA bushings, centerlink, end links, lower ball joints, and idler arm?

I've got a 138,000 mile, two decade old power steering box, and an equally old rag joint. It's gotten sloppy and I probably also need to rebuild the whole suspension once again for what is the third time. Thus, I must wonder: Would I ever notice any difference by bolting on a wonderbar when this slop still exists in the suspension?

Just wondering.

p.s. What are folks doing about old gears in need of a good going-through? No leakage, just slop.

 

Work, yes.

Whether you'd notice it, is a diferent question entirely.

 

I noticed it big time on my 165k mile '91GTA.

I didn't notice it at all on my '90 Formula, but taking off the sway bar and putting skinnies up front probably didn't help. lol

 

I doubt that you'd notice a difference. As I understand it, the wonderbar is simply a preventive: The IROC was provided with it to strengthen the steering box area, which apparently is prone to cracking with larger wheels. Sometime BandAids are okay. Can't really go wrong.

JamesC

 

Steering box support (AKA wonder bar) does not have any effect on supension parts or improves handling. Anyone who says different is just trying to make himself feel better for spending the
money on it. Its use is in a previous post.

 

Having already completely replaced and upgraded all suspension and steering components throughout the car - I noticed an improvement as soon as I fitted the 'Wonderbar'.

I used the piece from Lon at TDS and have never once regretted the purchase. If you already have it, then fit it and find out for yourself if YOU can feel the difference. It depends on how you drive the car and how aware you are of its nuances.

If not fitting it then you'd be best to sell it!

 

Doc
My opinion is after you completed alll the supension replacements thats why you felt improvement. Not because of the AKA wonder bar.

My IROC came stock with one and the only improvement made to the front end was STB and that is a handling improver.

 

DJP87Z28, I had the car back on the road after all the other work was completed and THEN installed the 'wonderbar' a few weeks later. This was due to curiosity on my part as to whether it would make any difference. In itself, in my opinion it was a noticable difference on my car, but everyones personal experiences and opinions will undoubtedly differ.

 

bolting on a wonder-bar is just to secure a piece of mind in terms of what they advertise it to do....but its not gonna harm the car or its handling to have one on, so I say go for it!