chevyv8guy

I picked up a free rear sway bar that is 23mm what front sway bar is the proper size to match the rear? the car will be for street use

any info would be great , tried to search but couldnt find a sizing chart

Thanks in advance!

-Josh

SlickTrackGod

Assuming that you have stock springs (stock spring rates) and the car has not be lowered or altered in ride height----and you do not have subframe connectors so the chassis is still stock- then the best possible front bar for that would be the 36mm bar. That is the largest they come. If you have SFC's then do not use that bar becuase it will make the car loose (tail happy).

Dean

chevyv8guy

it is stock but i forgot to mention the car was a v6 firebird i swapped in a ws6 sway bar(not sure on measurement and cant measure it for a few days) unless the ws6 only came in one size? and it doesnt have sfc on yet but will be installed so should i avoid the rear sway bar then?

SlickTrackGod

you're talking to the right guy. I know ALOT about the V6 cars when it comes to handling. Put it on there right now and you'll be fine even if you only have a 30mm front. The lighter weight front end of the V6 car does not canter the inside rear chassis as much as the V8 cars do. You can get away with a larger rear swaybar in proportion to the front


Why is your name Chevy"V8"guy then? edit- never mind, I see your signiture, you have a 355. Stick to my first response and do not use the bar unless you have a massive 36mm on the front

chevyv8guy

sorry WAS a v6 lol has a 350 in it now with the ws6 sway v8 front springs stock back springs and shocks does that make a difference?

EDIT: nevermind saw u added more to your post sooo depending on the size my front is i should avoid the rear sway bar?

SlickTrackGod

you will need a rear bar, its just a mater of balancing the car with the correct needed bars. Sway bars are a fine tuning device for chassis roll and balance. Too much rear bar will make the car very tail happy if you get into a braking and swerving panic situation on the street. A good size bar combinations are aporx as follows for a V8 car with stock suspensions. Either the 36/24, 36/23. or 34/21 34/19 combos will put you in the vacinity of decent handling.

if you add SFC's, you really should (my rule of thumb) drop the rear swaybar size by 2mm becuase the chassis will no longer flex twist as much and lift the inside rear tire easier.

chevyv8guy

That is a perfect answer thank you very much im gonna measure the front in a few days and hope its a 36 mm the SFC arent going on for a while so for now i want to throw the rear sway on thanks for the answers its greatly appreciated !!

SlickTrackGod

Stock height cars (this involves stock height roll centers front and rear- very advance stuff- but I will quickly explain swaybar use) do not have a positive a roll rate as a lowered car does. When you lower a car 1 ", the front RC will go down faster to about 2-2.5" which increases roll leverage and thus the need for a larger front swaybar- this makes the 36mm front manditory for decent handling and controling body roll weight and leverage. The stock height cars can use a 34,mm front just fine.

SlickTrackGod

you are welcome

two-if-by-sea

iTrader: (22)

It's really a manner of personal taste. I am surprised how much of a difference the various bars make. My car, stock, had a 30front/19rear. I swapped to a 36/24 based on what I read on this site, and hated it. The car rode like a tank. I went with a 34 hollow/21 and really like the feel of the car now. Bigger is not always better.

chevyv8guy

ok so just to clarify selling mine is stock height i can have a 34mm front with a 23mm rear? or would it be a little tail happy? or is my ideal 36/23?

SlickTrackGod

no- stock height car I woulod recommend between a 34/19-21. The 23 is too big

chevyv8guy

makes sense on how you would feel in your car everyone is different with comfort levels..i thought it had to be a certain size with size so the car doesnt get all wobbly im new to the suspension side of things so just tryin to figure out how my car will drive nice and not be squirrely

SlickTrackGod

You are absolutely correct

chevyv8guy

ahh ok...did the 23mm come stock on any of our thirdgens?

SlickTrackGod

ChevyV8guy- its a matter of having a bar that is sufficient enough to resist chassis roll leverage, yet not be too big to make the car dive one side down into a dip and back up like you are a Blue Angel doing a roll manuever. Too large a bar also makes the tires loose mechanical grip, then loose the ability to follow the road independantly of eachother.

two-if-by-sea

iTrader: (22)

23 is found on alot of the non-Ws6 Trans/Am's, and pre-1990 IROC's.

chevyv8guy

ahhh alrighty i think i got it now haha

SlickTrackGod

You will have to look in the FAQ part of this board for those answers as to which cars came with which, or do a search. Yes 23mm bars were made, but there really is no rhyme or reason as to which cars really came with which bars other than the true performance 1LE package cars with the 36/24 combos in stock form handlling. GM was all about just locking up the car so it felt like it handled better.

chevyv8guy

alright ill take a look if i have the proper size front im gonna throw it on take it for a drive and if i like it ill keep it if not ill sell it haha thanks for all the info sending me in the right direction greatly appreciated

SlickTrackGod

i also had a stock 23mm rear bar on my 1987 RS "V6" Camaro. It was a limited production car that year that was offered only in California and only in 3 colors (Black, white, and red) yet mine had a special dealrship custom paint job. I think my car had a few changes from the dealership but I definately had a 32/23 combo stock from purchase (I knew the first owner). What I did to the car was night and day different from how it handled. Even though it had these bars it still did the notorious steering induces oversteer plow into corners.

I ended up with a 34mm solid bar on front and a 25mm rear bar/ 23mm on track days. This just gives and example of varying chassis weights based on options. I am the only car that could get away with a massive 25mm rear bar because I had altered RC's and a very lightweight nose compared tot he V8 cars (yes even the LS1 people, I was still lighter and the weight was more centered rearward in the enginebay behind the front tires)

two-if-by-sea

iTrader: (22)

Rear sizes were all over the place, thats why I said "alot". I must say that I have never seen a V6 with a 23 rear bar, though.

What has always stumped me the most are the early Z28's, the 82-84's. Some have 23 rears, some have 21 rears, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason that I can see. It's not like all the LG4's are 21, while the CFI's and HO's are 23, as I have seen it both ways.

I've heard that the 85TA had a stock 25 rear bar. I have never been able to fine one. I have seen multiple 85's, but they all have the 23 or 24 rear. Out of curiosity, is your 25 bar an aftermarket, like a Spohn?

SlickTrackGod

yes, exactly

chevyv8guy

so i got to measure the front sway bar today and the front is a 34mm hollow and the rear is a 23mm...can i get away with this to make the car handle alittle better or should i try and swap the back sway bar for the other size ?

91camarosRS

iTrader: (5)

I would do more or less what slicktrackgod said. But there is no harm in putting it on and seeing what you like. All of our cars are a little different. Spring rate,weight distribution,height,tire size. Sway bars are a good tuning tool like said before but I would venture to say there is no "perfect setup" for every car.there might be, for your car and your driving style. What was said is true about causing under/oversteer but I would put one on and adjust from there. If tail happy, go smaller. There is more to it. This is just basics