Which Sway Bar package to get?

[Dekay]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking on Thunder Racing and reading about the Sway Bar packages they sell and I'm kind of confused as to what to get. They have a front & rear package from BMR that comes with bushings for about $270. They also have a Hotchkis Performance set for $450. They're also talking about either 32mm or 21mm. What's the difference? What should I get? This is for a 1999 Camaro with stock suspension except for a new set of Michelin Pilot tires.

Someone help me out? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks

[Blazzin Joe]

Do a search [img]smile.gif[/img] . This has been talked over many many times [img]smile.gif[/img]

[FirebirdGT]

Save yourself a lot of money and get the factory 1LE sway bars. See the Technical Database for the part numbers.

[Dekay]

What's so special about the factory 1LE sway bars as opposed to something else?

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Dekay:
What's so special about the factory 1LE sway bars as opposed to something else?<hr></blockquote>

What's so special about the overpriced aftermarket bars? Nothing! That's the point.

[V6Bob]

There big difference between swaybars is in how they are balanced (toward understeer or oversteer). This depends very much on what springs you have. The 1LEs are balanced for a V8 and, with stock V6 springs (much weaker than the V8 in the front and only slightly weaker in the rear), have too much oversteer. Worse yet, the "1LEs" people usually sell (32/21) were used only in '93. GM, after only 1 year, decided they had too much oversteer for the V8 and for '94-'01 switched to a set that would have less oversteer(32/19), still for the V8. The combo of '93 1LE bars and stock 98-up V6 springs is seriously unbalanced toward oversteer. This is not fast and not safe.

This is about the trickiest suspension mod, especially with stock V6 springs, and especially if you don't understand swaybars. For one thing their stiffness increases as the fourth power of the diameter so a seemingly small change in diameter is really a big deal. As Global West says “Compatibility is a key issue because of so many aftermarket companies offering suspension components. It is easy to purchase non-compatible components and end up with unacceptable results.” This is very true with swaybars.

[Bass482]

So, if you were to keep the stock 98-up springs, what would be the correct sway bar package to get?

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Bob:
There big difference between swaybars is in how they are balanced (toward understeer or oversteer).<hr></blockquote>

I do not agree. Sways bars are not balanced to either. But that was not his initial question. A 32mm BMR is no different from a 32mm 1LE, other than a fancy finish and high price for the BMR.

I do agree that the sway bar diameter and springs need to be matched to provide the drivers desired performance. And yes the 32/21 does create an oversteer condition, I know, I have it with 96 stock springs. I intend to replace them with the V8 stock linear springs.

[Blazzin Joe]

Actaully the 32mm BMR is a solid bar and the 1LE is hollow. BMR qoutes themselves as "Our bar is 40% stiffer than the popular 1LE swaybar, because ours is solid."

I would get 32mm/19mm. I work with many people who are SCCA SOLO 2 Instructors and then know there ****. I asked him about sway bars and he said getting a 21mm in the rear is way to big. He advised that i should get a 19mm Z28 sway bar instead of the 21mm. Shock and spring upgrade would also be a psuedo must when doing a mod like this. If you stiffen the body but still have sloppy suspension, the car is going to feel "solid" going around the turns until you hit a dip and then you will really feel how sloppy the whole suspension setup is.

If you going to buy a sway bar package, put it in the closet until you have everything you need to make it work safely. Dont just put mods on that need others to support them safely.

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Blazzin Joe:
Actaully the 32mm BMR is a solid bar and the 1LE is hollow. BMR qoutes themselves as "Our bar is 40% stiffer than the popular 1LE swaybar, because ours is solid."<hr></blockquote>

Thanks. In this case the BMR would counter-act the oversteer induced by the 1LE 21mm (similar to using a 35mm hollow front or higher front spring rate or lower rear spring rate).

[ August 22, 2002: Message edited by: FirebirdGT ]</p>

[V6Bob]

"Sways bars are not balanced to either (understeer or oversteer)."

My language was sloppy. Given a certain set of springs getting new swaybars may (and probably will) change the understeer/oversteer balance. That is the most important thing about choosing them.

I'm not an expert on exactly which bars might work best. But, on stock V6 springs, the 32(hollow)/21s will be unbalanced toward oversteer.

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Bob:
"Sways bars are not balanced to either (understeer or oversteer)."

My language was sloppy. Given a certain set of springs getting new swaybars may (and probably will) change the understeer/oversteer balance. That is the most important thing about choosing them.

I'm not an expert on exactly which bars might work best. But, on stock V6 springs, the 32(hollow)/21s will be unbalanced toward oversteer.<hr></blockquote>

Agreed.

[Dekay]

This is off the Tech database, is this the 1LE sway bar set that we were discussing?

Extreme Sport Suspension Package (1LE 32mm front sway bar, 1LE front bushings, 1LE endlinks, 1LE PHR) GM p/n 12363906

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Dekay:
This is off the Tech database, is this the 1LE sway bar set that we were discussing?

Extreme Sport Suspension Package (1LE 32mm front sway bar, 1LE front bushings, 1LE endlinks, 1LE PHR) GM p/n 12363906<hr></blockquote>

No, not exactly.

1LE bars are not sold as a set from GM. However, the 1993 1LE cars had 32mm front, 21mm rear bars with stock V8 springs. That's what this discussion is centered on.

[V6Bob]

"This is off the Tech database, is this the 1LE sway bar set that we were discussing?
Extreme Sport Suspension Package (1LE 32mm front sway bar, 1LE front bushings, 1LE endlinks, 1LE PHR) GM p/n 12363906"

That's actually the 94-01 1LE package for the V8. It only increases the front bar, and leaves the rear unchanged. This isn't a bad idea. The front bar provides most of the roll resistance, the rear bar mostly just adjusts the balance. The increase in understeer is less than you might think, because the front wheel camber change is reduced.