So this is one of the last things on my list to upgrade on my car. I can't think of much else other than engine mods. My list of current mods is as follows:

Steeda Ultra-lite Series 1 18x9.5 x4
Koni STR.T Dampers
Steeda Sport Lowering Springs
Steeda HD Upper Strut Mounts
Steeda Billet Alu. LCA w/ roto joint
Steeda Adj. UCA
Steeda Bell Housing Spherical Bearing
Stack Racing Front Strut Tower Brace
Fays2 Watts Link
Roush CAI (Tuned for 93 Octane)
Full synthetic fluid swap (Oil, tranny fluid, rear-end fluid, brake fluid)
Brembo 4-piston 14" Front Brake Kit
Strano Front Swaybar End-link
Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines

My question is, how much of a difference would some new swaybars make in terms of cornering performance? I was thinking of getting either package 1 (with the tubular rear) or package 3 (with the solid rear) from Sam Strano but I am curious how much of a difference it will make for me. It's a weekend car now ever since I bought my truck so I am not worried about comfort at all, strictly performance.

 

First, swaybars won't have any noticeable impact on ride quality.

As for cornering performance, some people may disagree with this statement, but I wouldn't bother with any sort of non-adjustable swaybar upgrade. The factory bars, short of their tendency towards oversteering, are the only decent factory piece from a handling perspective. That's not to say aftermarket bars don't provide any improvement at all, but the improvements won't be as significant as a good set of shocks/struts and/or springs. The only substantial advantage of swapping them out for aftermarket components is to eliminate that oversteer (if so desired. For strictly street driven cars, that may not be desirable).

 

Gmoran1469,

I think your GT would highly benefit from a front and rear sway bar as you have an extensive list of suspension mods. They're going to cut down on the slop entering/exiting turns as I can attest to how loose the 05-09's feel.

I had the opportunity to drive a company car equipped with the SR Performance Adjustable Sway Bar Kit and was really surprised by how much tighter and responsive it felt and how it reduced understeer as well.

I hope this helps!

-Alex

 

I think you'll be the only one that can judge whether a part was worth it or not - but if your set on sway bars, Steeda makes a nice kit...

http://www.stage3motorsports.com/555...aybar-Kit.html

 

Here is a tech series we did on Swaybars ... very helpful.

http://www.steeda.com/blog/2013/09/n...created-equal/

Background Swaybars (aka: anti-roll bars, stabilizer bars, stay-bars) are a critical part of a vehicles suspension system that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities.

It depends on what kind of driving that you are going to do & if you are wanting to take it to the next level.

Best Regards,

TJ

 

I'm running Eibach swaybars on my 2011 5.0 and they were a very noticeable upgrade.

 

I'm running adj Strano bars. She corners pretty flat, but ur springs help with that too. I like how u can dial out understeer and add in oversteer with the adj bars.

 

The nice thing about bars is they are springs, but unlike lowering springs they don't really effect ride unless you get MASSIVELY stiff bars on pretty crappy roads. They add wheel rate when you want it, when you are leaning on the car, but not when you don't like driving more moderately down the highway.

They are torsion bars, they work by twisting (or rather resisting twisting). So when you hit bumps straight where both wheels on an axle end move together the bar isnt' even there, unless it's bound up like the 5.0 front bars are stock. But when you roll the car, the bars add the roll stiffness.

My bars work. They aren't the fanciest, but they are proven, and offer you 3 settings at each end of the car for less than $400 for the set.

 

I will attest to Sam's bars being pretty great. I've got a set of them on my (fairly stock) 06 GT. Even on the softest settings the car is MUCH flatter through the turns, and is significantly less prone to understeer.

 

I am planning on just starting with an adjustable front bar once I lower my car. Then if it is too understeery then upgrade the rear.