Just bolted an NTO GT rear sway bar in my '05 V6. The difference in the handling of the machine is downright unsettling. I was pretty happy with the handling prior but now the car is like on rails... .and that's with everything else being stock. Tires, springs, shocks... all stock.

As far as bang for the buck this was a most excellent addition. I recommend this highly to anyone considering it.

 

there is probably more improvements where that came from. these cars do respond to suspension mods well don't they?

 

Surely seems to. I wonder if replacing / upgrading the rear shocks would help? They're original... and have 85K miles on them.... :-O

Yeah yeah.... hey, sometimes these things take a bit of working up to.

 

Depends on what you plan on doing with your car, man. For instance, I don't "plan" on being super-competitive at one thing with my car. However, I do want to have a great time at the strip, the street, AND the track, drive it to work once a week, as well as not **** off my wife on long road trips because it feels like I'm running over boulders in the road everytime I hit a bump.

My whole point here: a good set of adjustible shocks will help if you have even a couple of my above issues, especially if you plan on lowering your car any.

 

If it was 5k or maybe 10k, you could get away with swapping in just the rears (I went the better part of a year with Koni yellows on the rear and stockers up front - everything was essentially new).

At 85k, do all four corners. If you don't, it'll make the end that still has the (worn) originals on it feel all mushy and bouncy, and you'll end up doing all four anyway (just in two stages). Been there, too.


Norm

 

As one individual who first had Tokico D Specs for two year and about two months ago switched to Koni Yellows my vote goes to the Koni's, if you can afford the difference in price.

The Koni's ride much better on the street, less 'harsh' is the best description I can offer, even when they are set stiffer than the Tokicos were. On the track the Koni's offer a larger range of adjustment and I can't even run them on full hard on the track. The Tokico's I ran full hard on the track.

 

Best suspension upgrade, IMO and certainly one of the first if not [I]the[I] first you should do is the shocks. Get some Koni yellows. You will NOT be sorry on this. Car is much more "controlled" and confidence-inspiring, especially at speed. And ride is better than stock to boot!
Well i don't really know how all to describe it, just so much better than stock, you will kick yourself in the butt for not doing it sooner !

 

All great posts and info. Thanks. Don't think I'll ever get it on the strip or the track but I do have a long commute to work on some twisty country roads... so I do like to have my fun for sure.

I pretty much do all my own work and after a little research... the front struts are a bit daunting but certainly do-able with the proper equipment. Rear struts are a no-brainer for sure so I will probably do those first and put the struts at the top of the "to-do" list.

I don't plan on lowering it any and will retain the stock wheels as I kind of like them... what with the three-point faux-spinoff centers. That being the case, the ride certainly won't get "harsh"... or as harsh with stiffer shocks/struts so that's something to consider as well.

 

Hey guy. Don't know if I would want my handling to be "downright unsettling". I prefer "confidence inspiring." LOL.

Hey, part of the fun of this car is modifying to our own preferences. Enjoy the trip.

Cheers.

 

LOL... yeah, what I meant by that was.... it's seemingly SO glued to the road through the twisties now... I wonder if I will get any warning before it lets go!

Absolutely. I gotta say, teh S197 responds much better to such things than my 2004 3.9 did.