Hotchkis sway bar kit worth it?
05-12-2009 | 10:45 AM
#21
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24
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sway bars are used to even out the compression of the inside and outside springs when you turn. the stiffer the bars, the better they accomplish this and the more level the car stays when the weight is transfered to the outside of the car in hard cornering.
stiffer springs obviously don't compress as easily so that helps keep the ride height from changing and keeps the car level.
shocks help return the springs to their normal height after initial compression (like hitting a bump or hard cornering). so the stiffer the shocks the faster they accomplish this, and the more resistant the outside wheels' suspension pieces are to staying compressed after that initial weight transfer.
strut bars prevent body flex, which is essentially another form of compression during weight transfer.
upgrading any of them will help your handling, and strut tower bars will have the least effect on ride comfort, followed by sway bars. well unless you were to get adjustable shocks, but that is a different story.
stiffer springs obviously don't compress as easily so that helps keep the ride height from changing and keeps the car level.
shocks help return the springs to their normal height after initial compression (like hitting a bump or hard cornering). so the stiffer the shocks the faster they accomplish this, and the more resistant the outside wheels' suspension pieces are to staying compressed after that initial weight transfer.
strut bars prevent body flex, which is essentially another form of compression during weight transfer.
upgrading any of them will help your handling, and strut tower bars will have the least effect on ride comfort, followed by sway bars. well unless you were to get adjustable shocks, but that is a different story.
If the springs are compressed, the shocks control the rate of that compression. Once they are subsequently unloaded, the expansion of the spring is controlled by the shocks rebound rate. The shocks basically prevent the springs from just pogo-ing uncontrollably.
Also, a stiffer shock does not mean that the spring will return to its initial height faster. The stiffer shock just means that the spring will have more resistance to compression and/or expansion.
