I installed a wonder bar on my 1988 Formula 350 today. I just got back from a test drive and it did firm up the steering a bit. A cheap bolt on upgrade that's worth it.

 

Also try a panhard bar and upgrade your swaybars to either 36mm/24mm or 34mm/23mm, if you already don't have them, and aluminum driveshaft. My '88 is a firmer, quieter, and more stable drive.

 

I'm in the process of replacing a lot of the old suspension parts. I just some KYB AGX front struts. I got the KYB rear shocks also but didn't have time to get them in Sunday. That's ok, because I just ordered new rear control arms and Panhard bar from Founders. Hopefully, those parts will be here soon and I can do the rear suspension all at once. I'm thinking about replacing the springs while I'm at it, but I haven't decided of what springs I should get, too many choices. I'll probably wait until I get that sorted out. Then I have to what to do with the front control arms, the ball joints are ok but the bushings are dry and starting to go. So I still have a lot of parts to sort out and work ahead.

 

I was also torn on what to use for rear springs. 88 GTA with WS6, so it's the same setup as your Formula. If you are keeping the front stock springs (which are so stiff I can't imagine they would ever wear out), a good replacement set for the rear are Moog part #635. At first I was a bit skeptical because they are called Cargo Coils, but they are simply just variable rate. Ride height is restored to stock, and the ride quality is much improved over the old sacked out factory springs. Car handles better as well because now it's level.

 

Thanks for the info. Yea, I'm keeping the car mostly stock. No lowering, damn thing is low enough, had to buy a special low racing jack so I can lift it for under car work. I don't know if that is the factory height or if it was lowered at some point. I don't think it was lowered, some of the springs still have GM part stickers on them and the rest of the suspension looks stock and untouched for many years. The car sits level, but the springs may be fatigued and letting it sit a lower than stock, not sure. I plan to replace the front springs while I'm working on the front control arms since I'll have that all apart and they're not that expensive. But I have to figure out which ones to get there also.

 

A wonder bar should not tell any difference. It is a support brace to help prevent chassis fatigue and cracking in the steering box area over time. If you are showing some kind of gain then your chassis was fatigued and was flexing when it should not be. GM made these braces to prevent damage to the car over time when it had to turn the wider 16" performance wheel option.. A wonderbar does not improve handling, it simply may have restored some of the lost performance the car had when new.

 

Right: personally I would classify that as a "just barely noticeable under the exact right circumstances" kind of a change. If it does any more than that, there's something else wrong with your car, that it hides or covers up.

On my car, when I put one on, the difference was that the car felt slightly "tighter", more "connected to itself", going around bumpy turns. Any other time, no difference whatsoever. Very slight and subtle. If it wasn't a sudden all-at-once change I doubt I would have been able to tell. Getting different tires probably would have made 5 times as much difference. Other than that it was undetectable.

 

If the car is undamaged, I doubt that the driver, in a blind test, would ever know if the brace was in place or not.

JamesC

 

Well now I don't feel to bad. LOL

During my suspension rebuild I was thinking about welding something in for a wonder bar but because of the rain I did not have time.

I went to a scrap yard and took one from an IROC. To tell the truth I have not even installed that one yet.

I know I have no cracking problems because I rebuilt the steering gear. (The seals where a little wet) Now I don't feel bad about not putting the wonderbar on yet. LOL

 

I installed a wonderbar in the notch. It made a huge difference IMO.

 

Well, like I said in the first post, the steering firmed up a "bit", nothing dramatic, but noticeable especially in cornering. Of course, it's hard top say for sure if Wonder Bar is the only thing involved since I also install the new KYB struts at the same time. The struts were very old, maybe the originals, but were not showing the usual signs of worn out shocks, but could be there was some play in the shafts. I've checked the steering components several times, idler arm, drag link, tie rod ends are all tight, no cracks on the steering box mount. Even if it doesn't make a lot of difference in handling, the bars are cheap, 20~30 mins of work, a little insurance, a suspension upgrade worth doing, IMO.

 

Like I said before, my Firebirds must be in really bad shape. Cause I feel a very significant difference in driving than before. Is more steady down the line and doesn't squat during takeoff and corners really, really well. A real pleasure in driving.

 

I put one on my '83 and it made a big difference.

 

It's hard for me to say that it made a difference. I did struts at the same time. What I did notice is that backing out of my parking spot (which requires turning the wheel to full lock) that the car felt better connected in the front end. Also felt better when going around a constant circle when driving down several floors in a parkade.