JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

OK ... as promised I'm chiming back in on the Strano bar. Mounted it this weekend and tightened the end links down juuuust enough to where the bushings were 'slightly' showing deformation, as the instructions stated to do. Drove it and noticed very little (if any) difference from the stock front sway bar I had on it before, even though it felt plenty firm. Came back in and put 3 turns on each end link nut and took it back out ... noticed a slight difference. Brought it back in and put 3 more turns on the nuts on each end link. Noticed no difference.

So, while the Strano bar in my case was no better than any other bar, it only added 3 lbs on the front of my car over the stock sway bar, whereas, the other aftermarket bars I considered would have added an additional 7-10 pounds over the Strano bar. That being said, the Strano front sway bar is probably the best and lightest front sway bar I could have bought ... and the most expensive, as well. However, everyone who praised it as being such a far more superior bar over all the others by it's awesome stability and amazing firmness and quality is living in their dreams.

The was no day-and-night difference that I could feel. And no-one could have rolled into the corners/turns any harder than I did (well, maybe Sam).

As for the extra strong or heavy duty end links that come with the Strano bar ... well, I compared them to the Spohn 32mm solid chrome moly bar and Spohn's end links were superior ... thicker, heavier and seemingly stronger. It was a beautiful piece, but, I sold it and installed the Strano bar to keep from adding another 7 pounds on to the nose of my car.

All-in-all I'm happy with the Strano piece ... just the price and the impression I got of the end links being heavy duty end links, along with the $55.00 higher price disappointed me.

JD_AMG

Hmmm, strange, I don't know how you could only tell a slight difference. I had two of my friends (one owns a Z28 with smaller front and rear bars) that noticed a difference when I gave him a ride, "Holy crap this thing is solid, no body roll in the front..."

916LS1

iTrader: (4)

I went with the Hotchkis front and rear sways, and didn't feel a difference at all. And I think they are THE most expensive ones on the market.

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

im no expurt in suspension, but i dont think there would ever be a night and day diff. between bars on the street. to really see what a bar or suspension does for your car, you have to take it to a track or autox. set a baseline time with stock bars, then see what you can do with the new bars installed. this is of course provided you can drive exactlly the same each lap. bars arent like shocks and springs, where theres a huge, immediate differance. they make a differance where it matter, on the course, cutting time and adding traction.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

I'll have to say that the front bar by itself is a noticeable, but not a dramatic difference over the stock. I'd like to describe the installation of the 35mm with the stock 19mm rear as, "The front having great control, while the rear is just hanging on for the ride." If you are to install Sam's 22mm rear hollow, then it's even more balanced.

Still, there's nothing like having the whole package (a good combination of sway bars, springs, and shocks).

Ironhead

Tell you what, do us all a favor to back up your findings.

Get a calculator and a tape measure. Now use those tools with the following equation:

SM * (D4 - d4) * Pi
L * A2 * 32


SM = Shear Modulus (11.5 x 10^6 in cold rolled steel, Inconel, and carbon steel)
D = diameter of the bar in inches and decimals
d = inside diameter of the bar in inches and decimals
L = effective length of the bar in inches and decimals
A = effective arm length in inches and decimals
Pi = 3.1416

I'm pretty sure the wall thickness of Sam's bar is 6mm. "A" is squared if memory serves.

Perform the above calculation and tell us again (especially those of us who already have 35mm or 36mm bars and know what a difference it makes) how the larger bar is no better than stock.

2002BlackSS

iTrader: (4)

Just a guess, but the length of the bar (L) would likely be relatively equal, leaving a comparison of diameters only.

What's the stock diameter and thickness? Even having a thinner bar (I think stock is 32mm), depending on it's thickness, they could be essentially equal according to this equation.

Still, that is only theory, and only goes so far in describing real world physics. If you replace a part and you do or don't notice much difference, that's really what counts. Experiences may vary for other cars and drivers. He's just sharing his.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

This 'formula' means nothing to me. It does not account for the feel of the car AFTER IT GOES ON THE CAR. Add the inertia x pressure x force with the resistance of each point where the rubber bushings make contact with the bar and its mounting points. And, if you're going to quote me, please quote me correctly. I NEVER SAID THE STRANO BAR IS NO BETTER THAN STOCK. Here what was said:

Should have put AFTERMARKET bar in this statement, for folks like yourself:

This thread is my personal evaluation and how it actually felt, so, if you don't like it, then don't post unless you have something constructive to say. BTW, the wall thickness IS 6mm ... maybe you did not follow my previous thread.

Oops! I guess you did:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspension-brakes/745442-big-enough.html

Ironhead

Different bars have the "arms" bent differently sometimes altering their effective length. The arms act as leverage on the main shaft of the bar. Longer arms mean more leverage and the bar then appears softer to the car.

Diameter is 30mm. Not sure on wall thickness. Seems I had that number at one time but can't find it right now. I'm pretty sure it was less than 6mm. Use 6mm just to compare to Sam's bar


This should mean something to you and is constructive.

You have stated something that directly contradicts the experiences of hundreds if not thousands of people. Subjective results ("feel") are prone to error. You have no lap times or other data to back up your assertion that this bar is not significantly stiffer than stock.

Therefore I'm offering you the calculation to show that we're wrong and your feeling is right.

Some other explanations for your unusual findings may be:
1) There is some mechanical issue with your car (such as broken sway bar mounts) that is affecting the performance of the new bar
2) There is some sort of installation issue with the new bar.
3) Math and physics simply do not apply to your car.

coolformula

iTrader: (21)

Well I have used Stock, ST 35MM and Sams hollow 35mm. And maybe yall guys have really no turns in the road. There is a night and day difference between stock and a car with a bar. I mean HUGE seat of the pants difference. Where I live its curvy in the mtns and I"m talking I wouldn't own a f-car without a bar since there cheap and work!

I'm sorry youdidn't think so.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

LOL ...

Hilarious stuff. Poor guy getting beat up because he was honest in HIS personal take on a part.

People feel the earth move when they install a STB ... others don't
People feel orgasmic when they install SFCs ... others don't
People will fight to the death to install race shocks on a street only car ... others won't

Why is it so hard to understand that what works well for person A might not, and probably won't, for person B?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Look, this is why we use dyno's for account for power gains, or dataloggers to account for handling changes for sure. The fact of the matter is the seat of most folks pants just isn't very good.

The math is pretty simple, my bar is about 30% stiffer than a OE 32mm bar, and about 45% more than a stock 30mm bar. If you can't feel that difference, I don't know what to tell you, except you really are the first person I've heard that from. Of course there is the crowd that says they notice no difference removing their front bars completely. Ok. I don't buy it, but it's a classic case of YMMV. If you don't drive the car hard enough, you wouldn't notice a difference because you need to twist a bar to make it add roll stiffness. If you don't drive the car hard enough for it to really roll much, then one wouldn't notice much difference (which is why the ride is rarely affected).

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

There is a difference between "what works well" and what makes no difference. You've changed bars between 32 and 35 Mitch, did you notice no difference, good or bad?

Nobody is being beaten up here.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I just think the thread title is funny The only analysis that has gone on in here was in the form of an equation, at which point the original poster just threw up his arms in the air and claimed ignorance, and dismissed it as some strange creature that defies logic.

I think this thread would have been better titled "I have an opinion on sway bars. Want to hear it?" Analysis my ***.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Look fellows, I never said the Strano bar made NO difference over stock ... why does this false statement keep getting made? I clearly stated when I tightened the end link nuts, I did feel a slightly better difference over the stock bar. And, I did state I felt Sam's bar was the best choice I could have made for my goals.

As compared to NO bar, there's a TREMENDOUS difference. However, I was not one of those folks who would be ignorant enough to make a statement like that. It would take an idiot to make that sort of statement (IMHO).

Sam, I do plan to order the UMI K-members from you and the upper/lower control arms when the finances are freed up after doing my nitrous setup and a little more work on the car. If I wasn't happy with your bar, I wouldn't be considering purchasing more hardware from you.

Gentlemen, all I was saying in this thread is that I didn't feel the same thing these other folks say they felt ... yeah, those guys ... the guys in the other thread who indicated to me what a night and day difference I would feel out on the street in everyday driving and cornering. I wasn't looking for a road-racing bar ... just a street-n-strip bar and I made this very clear to the STRANO supporters in the other thread. They still continued to indicate I'd somehow feel this tremendous difference ... well, I didn't, but, I do like the difference over the stock bar and that's all I was really looking for ... along with the weight savings.

QUESTION for IronHead: If I add it, will the 'balance' of Sam's rear swaybar make me feel this difference you are speaking of? What is the formula of the 'balanced' package (of both front and rear sway bars being added) ... speaking from a pure physiological point-of-view? And would not the fact the rear sway bar (being currently stock) have a place in your front swaybar formula? I did not see that in the formula anywhere ... could you please add this and re-send me the revised SM * (D4 - d4) * Pi
L * A2 * 32 formula for the 'balanced package' of both swaybars? Some are saying the rear bar makes a major difference, as well, in the feel and performance of the front bar addition. Maybe I'll feel this huge difference in the performance of the front sway bar if I upgrade the rear sway bar?

MrDude_1

iTrader: (4)

i run without a front swaybar. ha!!!

Ironhead

That wasn't me. It was another poster.

There is a way to calculate the roll couple for the front and rear but I really can't remember right now. I think you have to find the roll centers first but don't quote me. It was in a book I read somewhere sometime.

Besides even though my job title used to say "engineer", I'm definitely not one (Bio major actually). I just played one at work for a time.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

What I felt is immaterial to this discussion. What ought to raise your brows more than trying to argue with me or claiming his butt-o-metter is out of cal, is what happened to the Strano Wonder Bar and it's effect on handling for this one guy's car.

And I will agree that there is a difference in what is SUPPOSED to work well and what, in the end user's reality, actually does. Which illustrates my point perfectly about what works for 1 person typically doesn't for the next.

You have to respect the guy for raising his hand and proclaiming that it didn't work. He's no lemming ...

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

If you go between a 32 to a 35mm front, I'm sure some people won't notice that much of a difference if you just took it for a spin on the street. The best place to test it would probably be a slalom.

All in all, the point is to set up the best balance for the car front and rear. If you are willing to pay an extra 55 bucks to shed front end weight, then get the Strano bar. If I had different bars on my hands and had the time (and wasn't lazy) I would bring them all to the next autox test n tune and do a few runs with each bar and see how the car feels.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

You sound like a reasonable person. Don't take anyone's "word for it". Draw your own conclusions. Just be prepared to pay the internet penalty if your conclusions go against the "accepted norm".

Good post.