JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Well, I have the Strano 35mm hollow bar and love it. Instead of the Strano 22mm hollow rear bar, I went with the Spohn 22mm solid chromemoly rear bar. The bar only weighed in at 10.3 pounds. Do you think I did the right thing and why?

vatechguy3

iTrader: (4)

from talking with sam, i would say wrong.

his bars are designed specificly to work with each other. i'm sure sam will chime in tomorrow morning about this in more detail.

out of curiousity, why did you make this choice?

tony

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

After I do back-to-back dragstrip runs with the rear 22mm chromemoly Spohn bar, I'll order the Strano hollow bar and do the saem thing. I did the same thing with the front bar ... first bought the Spohn solid front bar ... then a few days later, I bought the Strano front 35mm hollow bar and wouldn't have anything else on the front.

I'll get into it a little deeper later when I have time. I bought the rear Spohn chromemoly bar (for now) and get 5 back-to-back runs. I next plan to ordered Sam's rear bar and do the same 5 back-to-back runs so I can compare timeslips and know I got the best bar for my needs. I don't road race, so, a 'matched set' is not as important to me as it is to other folks.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

The Strano bar is 22mm hollow and the Spohn is 22mm solid, right? Sounds like its a little more stiff than the strano bar.

How do you like the way your car handles? If you like it's current balance, I'd just keep the Spohn one. If your doing drag runs, the stiffer the rear the better, so you'd probably want the Spohn for that application.

I got a 35mm suspension technique bar and a 21mm BMR bar before I ever heard of Strano. I like it. It has a good balance. If I could go back and do it over, I'd go with Strano's bars in a heartbeat for the less weight. The 35mm ST bar is a PIG and weighs around 30+ lbs I think. Though I'm doing ok with what I have now so unless I feel like dishing out some extra money for some decent weight removal, I'm keeping my current setup.

What do you have for the rest of your suspension?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Did you do the right thing? I don't think so. You bought a bar that was really no stiffer, and heavier. If solid was so much stiffer than hollow, you'd have solid bar race car frames. A bars move much more on the OD than the very center. Hollow bars are not tangible softer than their solid equivilents unless there is a paper thin wall being used.

Recall your front bar. My bar was stiffer, despite claims that solid 32's are 40% stiffer than hollow ones. My hollow 35 is about 45% up on a stock 30, and 30% over a stock 32 front. Which is why, despite being able to sell solid 32's, I don't. There is no point and you only add weight vs. a GM hollow 32. I dirgress. Didn't you try both my front and the 32 front? Mine was certainly lighter, but is also stiffer. DON'T buy into the supposed *HUGE* stiffness difference solid vs. hollow--it's not true. And even if it was, too stiff is too stiff, regardless of the bar size.

CM is NOT lighter given the same size as mild steel. Tubular CM parts can sometimes be lighter (or not) if the tubing is sized differently vs. mild steel. If it's the same size, it's the same weight. It's steel, with a slightly different chemical make-up. NO solid bar is as light as a hollow one. And CM does not make for a stiffer bar. CM is stronger in tensile and strength, not twisting strength. Bars have to twist, and what's more is that CM is actually more brittle when twisted, not stronger.

My rear bar is lighter than a stock 19mm rear, comes in around 5 pounds or so.

INMY01TA

iTrader: (1)

I just got the same one, I wanted the Spohn install kit with the mounting brackets. I may go with a Strano front bar if I change it at all, it's gonna come off for the 1st trip to the track this year.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Well, I love the Strano 35mm hollow bar ... mainly for the weight savings, but it feels really good, as well. As for the new Spohn chromemoly 22mm rear bar, I haven't had time to install it yet. it's going on tomorrow after work. It weighed in at 10.4 lbs with the heavy duty end links/hardware. Extra pound or so in the back is probably more good than harm. The way it is bent, it's not going to be a problem with my Strange 12-bolt ... looks like it will clear the center section cover by about 3".

Just for ***** and giggles, I'm seriously thinking of doing 5 back-to-back runs and average out the timeslip numbers. Once this is done, I believe I am going to order Sam's rear hollw 22mm bar and do the same to see which one proves to be the best bar for my car at the dragstrip. I really don't care about how the car handles road racing. anything over the stock rear bar is fine for me for daily driving.

Here's my suspension setup

Suspension/Chassis:
Heavy Duty Bilstein Shocks x4
Strano Front 35mm Sway Bar
BMR Adjustable Torque Arm > -1.5 pinion angle
BMR Sub-Frame Connectors
BMR Driveshaft Safety Loop
BMR Relocation Brackets > set to lowest position
Spohn Lower Control Arms
Spohn Panhard Rod
Spohn Rear 22mm Chromemoly Sway Bar

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

A rear bar doesn't make a car faster unless the car launches really crooked. A rear bar will help the car leave more straight, and if that keeps you from pedaling the car, you'll go faster. I don't think you'll see any tangible difference unless the car can leave that hard. And if it does you'd want more of a drag bar.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Swapped bars today. I took the rear stock 19mm bar off and did not realize how weak and flimsy it really is. The end links were like something made for a kid's tricycle. The car has been launching about as straight as anyone could ask for, so, maybe the new bar won't do much good. However, just having a good, solid bar feels good just knowing it's under the car.

I stood the old stock 19mm bar off and stood it up in the driveway and put all my weight (220 lbs) on it and it really gave a lot. I did the same thing with the new bar and it hardly gave or flexed at all. Haven't driven it yet, but, tomorrow I'll take it out for a drive and see how if feels.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The new bar should be stiffer, it's bigger. But that's not an accurate test because that sort of load isn't what the bar sees on the car. On the car it's a pure twising load, not a compression load like you were putting on it.

You'll like it better than the stock bar, because it's a better match for my front. I have little doubt you'll hate it. That's a function of size and not solid or hollow. Mine just weighs less. And because it's unsprung weight on the rear it can help the ride a little bit because you have slightly less mass moving up and down, and less to have to control. It's not a lot considering the amount of weight, but it adds up....

robertbartsch

I have the Samie hollow bars front and rear; they made a huge improvement in handling.

...well worth the dough.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Sam, the end links for the Spohn bar look identical in design to yours. They're heavier and very nice. Do you get your end links from the same supplier? They look like high hardware quality. I bought your front bar and like it a lot better over the solid Spohn bar I sold ... just curious about the end links is all.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I have no idea where they get their's. I'm sure there are only so many companies that make end-links in the world....

Just a reminder (since we are talking about bars). $399 shipped (48 states only) for a pair of Strano Bars. Now back to scheduled programming.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Thanks ... lol! Got your front bar. Hey, how far is Brookeville from Meadeville? I might stop by your shop and see what all you have. My wife is from that area ... north of Pittsburgh.