W1ldcat

I have been doing one Mod at a time to see what improvements each gives. Having limited cash and a bad back thought it would be practical and interesting.
Last week I installed my new Steeda Adj. Panard bar and Brace. I didn't notice anything, but the new brace is obivously lots firmer than the stamped stock.
Yesterday I installed the new rear sway bar. I bought the Spohn 25mm only to find out that they buy them from Hellwig. If I would have knowen that I could haved saved money buying from Summit. It is a nice chunk of steel and attaches diffrently than stock allowing more room for wide rims. A lot stronger setup than stock. The new sway bar made a BIG diffrence in handleing, making the car feel like it's running on rails. Really happy with that mod and USP delivered the new Steeda Adj. LCA's poly/poly yesterday so that's next. They no longer come with a greese fitting and come pre-greesed. Not sure if that's good or bad. Hopefully I get my Roush springs in this year and that's if I can afford the Tokico's to do together.
I just thought if you haden't done any handling mods you might find this interesting.
WC

jts

Thanks !
I was wondering if just a rear anti roll bar would be
a change that would be noticed.

MBDiagMan

It has been proven time and time again that if you are going to make ONLY ONE suspension modification to almost ANY except the most serious performance car, it should be a stiffer rear sway bar. THis will dial out some of the understeer that is intentionally in most all production cars.

Now, just make sure you don't stiffen the FRONT sway bar, because that will put understeer back in the car.

W1ldcat

I thought stiffing the front would add oversteer.
The car feel great and for handling, springs and shocks/struts are enough to finish it for me. I will work on straight line performance when I can muster a turbo..

QuickShortBus

That's what he said, don't stiffen the front sway bar now because it will add understeer back to the car.

W1ldcat

I guess I will never know if I have too much of one or the other till you push it to that point and you just can't do that on the street. I am going to check into Gingerman that's a road course by me to see when I can go. Be nice to hire a trainer for a lesson. Having an auto it's diffrent, but a pro could teach you. When I was younger I was at a track and my Dad had a circut driver take me for a spin around in a Pantera. I thought I could drive pretty well till then...

MBDiagMan

Wrong, you don't have to go anywhere near the limit to feel understeer or oversteer. If the car is not turning as much as you tell it to, that is understeer. If it turns more than you tell it, that is oversteer. You can easily feel this in moderate cornering.

blaven

Who makes rear sway bars for our cars other than Roush. I found theirs on Summit and also the Hellwig. Has anyone used the Roush one? That is probably going to my next mod when i get the cash since its not very expensive. Thanks

MBDiagMan

There are many brands of rear sway bars. The best value I have found is the Progress 24MM bar in an old Summit catalog for $149. If you do the math, this should be about 40% stiffer than the factory 20MM bar. Another economical choice is the 7/8" Addco bar for a little over $100. That one is about 20% stiffer than our stock bars.

W1ldcat

Some of the price difference I noticed had to do with the hardware included. I thought the progress just gave new bushings and you reused the stock drop links. Taking off those links and getting them on you need a press or good vise. I was told that by an ebay seller.