94LT1TA6spd

Looking to get some insight.

The car is stock-ish. It presently has Koni 4/3 shocks, BMR lowering springs, C5 Z06 brakes front and rear including rotors, steel lines, magnesium C5 wheels with Nitto NT05's. It is lightly street driven (less than 1000kms per year), but I am trying to set it up for AutoX and a couple times a year want to run it on a local road course.

I am planning on ordering some front and rear sway bars this week.

There seem to be many to choose from.

These are what I am looking at:

UMI - solid bars, 35mm front and 22mm rear, comes with bushings and endlinks. cost: $339.99 + shipping

Spohn - solid bars, 32mm front and 22mm rear (chrome moly), comes with bushings and endlinks. cost: $349.00 plus shipping

BMR - hollow bars, 35mm front and 25mm rear (coldformed?), comes with bushings and endlinks. cost: 359.99 + shipping

Strano - hollow bars, 35mm front and 22mm rear, comes with bushings and endlinks. cost: $369.98 + shipping

***disclaimer*** I went on a rant the other day about me not buying Strano parts cause I found him rude in the couple of interactions we have had on this site. I have decided to forgive, forget and give him a chance, as I belive from all the reading that I have done, that he really does know his stuff, and could really help me get my car set up the way I want it.
Sorry Sam.

Thanks for the help guys.

JD_AMG

Honestly being completely unbiased I don't know why other vendors other than UMI or Stranoparts are even in the poll. 35mm/22mm have been literally proven to be the neutral balanced setup for handling. The other two are too much rear bar biased, and would only be "acceptable" (still not ideal) if you had a staggered wheel setup or just wanted more oversteer.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Since you want to autox and possibly use it on a road course, I would probably go for the Strano set. It's a hollow front and rear. You save a lot of weight and it's an ideal stiffness. I would save your stock bars though, as you may want to test and tune over the years. I went back to a stock rear for what I do. I switched back to see if it would help make the car more controllable around turns and not break free as quickly.

The only other bar set I'd consider is UMI's. They are solid though. Weigh more and a tad stiffer but not much. BMR's rear is way too stiff and Spohn's front is not stiff enough. Id throw those two out due to an odd balance. A 25mm rear is geared more toward a drag race application.

94LT1TA6spd

Thanks for the info guys.

I do have staggered wheels, does that make a big differnce?? the fronts are 17x8.5 and the rears are 18x9.5.

Thanks.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

No that shouldn't make any difference with what swaybar you should pick. Even if you had like a 9 inch wide front and an 11 inch wide rear.

Since we're on the subject though.. once you get more into autox and road race, my personal opinion would be to get the same size wheels and tires front to back. Go 17x11!

94LT1TA6spd

^^^
okay cool, good to know.

17x11 would be great from a tire perspective for sure... I gotta go with what I have for now though. Until I have all the suspension finished up anyways LOL

Anyone else? Lots of votes for Strano, what is everyones experiences with these products??

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Honestly swaybars I think are pretty much all the same when it comes to quality, assuming they are cast right and all the holes line up. After that it's a matter of weight, vs stiffness. Not like a shock which is much more complicated and can easily be f***ed up (like many companies do)

Other opinions are welcome.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

I'm probably going to go Strano myself because UMI and Strano both have the right balance for most cases and for the minor price difference I'd rather have the lighter bars.

HoLLo

iTrader: (17)

Anything hollow.

I'm the same way. I choose not to buy from him because of the interactions I've had and how rude he was. He thinks it's dumb or wrong or whatever, but as a consumer, my opinion = money.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

It's sad when folks take the attitude like "my opinion = money". I could easily pander and tell you what you want to hear and take your money, which seems to be exactly what you want to have happen. Trouble is, I don't see my job as taking your money, I'm here to setup cars which often means that what y'all read on the internet isn't right.... you know, just like when you say "Anything hollow" like all bars are the same because they are hollow.

Here's the deal. My bars have been around a while, in the same sizes I've always used. I didn't change them after years like others have. I always wanted hollow bars at both ends for the inexpensive weight savings (and fwiw, GM fronts are a hollow to start with). I could make solid bars and sell them for less, but there is no reason because I also sell UMI bars which are solid and are a little less so I don't need to bother. If I was after the almighty buck only, you bet your *** I'd make solids too, and tell you why they are 54 times better than the UMI's. Truth is the UMI's are fine, but are heavier and cost more to ship because of that and in the end you add weight and save very little money.

My bars have won multiple National Championships and events (I also make bars for other cars ranging from FR-S/BRZ's to Corvettes and Mustangs). I offer an adjustable rear bar as well should folks want it.

There is a massive difference in stiffness between a 22 or a 25mm rear bar, so the anything hollow statement is just silly. Might as well say any tire with a Z speed rating is the same too, because that's about how accurate that statement is with regards to the bars.

94LT1TA6spd thanks for thinking about my stuff....

Yun Gunz

+1 for Strano, he is in it for us to win it.

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

Sam, do you have your sway bars in stock right now for ls1 fbodies?

94LT1TA6spd

Thanks everyone for the information.

Sam, are you able to give me any idea as to shipping cost on your bars to Ottawa ON, Canada. Postal K2J1V8.

I was quoted $76 from UMI's site.

Also, I will call you to order (when I get there) and would be interested in chatting with you regarding the order to do things to get the car set up to suit my interests. Is that a possibility??

Thanks everyone again.


BTW: kinda surprised that neither BMR or UMI chimed in on this thread and tried to endorse their product???

Yun Gunz

I know personally when you get ahold of Sam he will do his best to set your car up to the way you want it best. He helped me with mine, and couldn't be happier.

TA_Moscow

iTrader: (4)

I don't know what do you mean rude, but with my english we've talked about 20 minutes, and he had given me all the answers for my questions. Sam thanx from Russia! I'll get some more parts during the summer.

transwiz

iTrader: (26)

I have strano hollow sways. I would say that if anyone knows this stuff it Strano.I would trust his opinion before anybodys.

Blackpanther99

iTrader: (8)

For autocross definately Strano.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

This is exactly what I thought before reading Sam's post. Everything I have always read from Sam has always defined himself as someone who is just not out to make a buck. Some people appreciate facts and truth about parts and some people just like to be told what they like to hear.
I would go with Sam's sway bars.

00transamws6

iTrader: (4)

Strano bars without question. I recently switched from Spohns, huge difference. Car actually is balanced to go around turns and not just in a straight line. Talk to Sam, he will only sell you what you need and not just waste money.

96z28_lt1

iTrader: (3)

i ordered some strano sway bars from sam about 3 weeks ago told me they were on back order and itll probably be a few weeks before i got them, needless to say within a week and a half i got the bars in. Still have yet to install them though.