Rear Sway Bars

[bigboykilroy]

I want to upgrade the rear sway bars on my 98 firebird LS1, but dont know who to go with. suspension techniques or addco. What are people opinions here?

[cobrahunter]

I've got Suspension Technique on my car. Handling was greatly improved.

[bigboykilroy]

WOW thats an awsome picture. I needed that. Thanks !! I'm going to call sumit right now and order it up.

[cobrahunter]

Hope you like 'em.

[Steve L]

I have Suspension Techniques sway bars as well and love them (35mm F and 21mm R). What size are you planning to upgrade to?

Keep in mind, with the rear sway bar, bigger is not always better and you can actually make the rear suspension so tight it will push you through hard curves (understeer) instead of a slight oversteer which is more manageable and what you would actually want.

Just my $.02

[Hot Black Trans-Am]

I'm running strano parts sway bar kit. It's perfect. It's not the regular Addco set.

[bigboykilroy]

I was going to get the 1 inch rear

[SexOnWheels]

I'm running strano parts sway bar kit. It's perfect. It's not the regular Addco set.

Get the Strano bars as the stiffness is the same as a solid bar but they are hollow and therfore lighter.

Do not just upgrade to a new rear bar as to much rear bar will just massive oversteer and you will not be happy!

[Steve L]

[QUOTE=SexOnWheels;675694]Get the Strano bars as the stiffness is the same as a solid bar but they are hollow and therfore lighter.

+1 on this. I bought my buddy's Suspension Techniques 35mm solid front bar because he bought the hollow Strano bar...the weight difference was unbelievable! When you start talking horsepower to weight ratio, every pound helps.

[Eugenio_SS]

make sure to consider the handling balance of the car... going w/ a bigger bar in the back relative to the front, you'll make the car even more tail-happy.

[bigboykilroy]

I just installed the 25mm Suspension Techniques rear sway bar and absolutely love it!! I did modify the install a bit. I used all their hardware except I used the OEM bottom larger locking c plate that has the locking tab in the middle that goes on the bottom of the axel housing, it made a larger surface for the spacer plate and the bushing plate. much better cornering and "controlled burnouts" around corners. Thank you "cobarhunter" for the picture it definately helped me make my final decision, i could not have make up my mind with out it. Ill take a pic of my install and e-mail it to you tomorrow evening for you to post for me if you could.

[bigboykilroy]

My front has a 32mm and the rear is 25mm still a good balance i think.

[rickssz]

Im checking opinions--bigboy 25mm rear good balance(neutral)
eugenio tail happy (oversteer)
stevel tight suspension (understeer)

Can a big rear bar do all three? My interest is trying to I guess tighten the ass end it seems to feel loose left and right like for lane changes. Front seems connected to the road the rear somewhat floats. Current mods lca,relo and airbag in rear.

[bigboykilroy]

With the Rear sway bar i also added mogg coil springs, much snappier.

[rickssz]

So does a bigger rear sway bar add oversteer or understeer???

[bigboykilroy]

if you add a rear bar that is bigger then the front you will get oversteer. I would say just from my driving (i drive it like I stole it) that keep about 10mm difference from the front to the back front being the larger one.

"Understeer is safer than oversteer. If the car understeers, and no correction is made the result is a wider corner than intended, but the car remains stable. If the car oversteers, the turn made has smaller radius than intended. The smaller radius produces higher cornering forces bring the required traction even closer to the limit of the rear wheels, and thus causing even more oversteer. The situation becomes worse until the rear wheels lose grip completely; the car spins and all directional control is lost."

[bigboykilroy]

with added what i did, i would say i have a neutral steer still.

[Eugenio_SS]

what size bars you presently have as well as springs/shocks ?

[rickssz]

If your asking me,bars-springs-shocks stock 30k mileage. Right now im adjusting my lca to make sure everything is square after a relo bracket change.

[bigboykilroy]

Front Stock 32MM - Rear 25MM Sus Tech. Rear Springs are Mogg Coil Springs. Rear Shocks QA1