guitarman376

So I had some time today to install the 1" Grab a Trak front sway bar. Installation was a cakewalk. I am totally satisfied with the product. The car drives so much better from 35mph on up its incredible. I am kinda surprised I don't hear more praise for sway bars! The OE sway bar must have been doing next to nothing for the car. A great purchase, I would highly recommend as a first suspension upgrade (as it is for me). Best hundred bucks I ever spent. I have new 4.5 leaf reverse eye leaf springs, new shackles, and a monte carlo bar that I will be installing in the next month or so. Then I'll tackle the front in a year after saving some dough.

2+2GT

Yeah, a 1" front bar in combo with the Arning/Shelby "drop" is a major upgrade for these cars.

kalli

if you think that sway bar was a great upgrade, wait until you've done the monte carlo bar with brace or arning drop. they make a monster difference ... :-)

guitarman376

I was looking under the hood yesterday, and it looks like the monte carlo bar won't fit unless I buy an aftermarket air cleaner setup. Is that right?
I have been reading for years about how much of a difference the arning drop makes so I can't wait for the day I'm able to rebuild the front suspension and do it

Norm Peterson

Well . . . you can't see them very well, so they aren't very high on the list for the 'appearance & show' crowd, the drag racers always want to take them completely off, the purists refuse to upgrade anything, and they don't do an awful lot in easy cruising for the average driver. That covers the majority of car owners and drivers.

If you've had that much of a "wow" moment over just that one change, plan on a lifetime that includes tinkering with suspensions, hard cornering, and handling "feel". You see, the people who do notice differences like this right away are the ones most likely to enjoy that side of the hobby, and who are most apt to realize that sta-bars are just one part of the suspension & handling puzzle.

Your new bar probably is twice as stiff as the OE bar, and if this mod also included aftermarket endlinks with polyurethane bushings vs deteriorated OE rubber, the overall initial effect for your new configuration to be considerably more than twice as stiff as the old one was.


Norm