Solid Front Sway Bar Upgrade
Solid Front Sway Bar Upgrade Well, i received my GMPP 34mm solid front swaybar today...she's solid, alright. Now i'm wondering if i should upgrade to Poly bushings & links to go along with it. Problem is that the Energy Suspension bushings don't come in 34mm...only 33 and 35. Am i out of luck, or do i go with the 35mm? I did find a set of ES bushings from a 88-92 Camaro that were 34mm...but do you think those would work with ours?
What about endlinks? Obviously, as expected, nothing shows for the new Imps. Should i just grab a set of universal "domestic car" endlink bushings & washers and just go to it, or should i get the new bolt, too. If so, what size (length) should it be?
Thanks in advance!
What about endlinks? Obviously, as expected, nothing shows for the new Imps. Should i just grab a set of universal "domestic car" endlink bushings & washers and just go to it, or should i get the new bolt, too. If so, what size (length) should it be?
Thanks in advance!
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My advice is to stick with a 34 mm one. After a quick search I found the 34's for the Camaro also. They said they were vehicle specific, figuring the mounting holes? I would say give summit a call and ask them. I would also figure that the poly itself is standard exterior dimension, to fit any bracket.
Did you ask a sales rep if they had a line on a 34? That old fashioned tele comes in handy every once in a while!
On my Regal I just bought a universal end-link kit from ES. It comes with a longer bolt, in case the stock won't fit. I think it's thicker than stock. I usually assemble them, mark the bolt and cut it before final install. (remember to leave a nut on the bolt while you cut it to chase the threads out)
Did you ask a sales rep if they had a line on a 34? That old fashioned tele comes in handy every once in a while!
On my Regal I just bought a universal end-link kit from ES. It comes with a longer bolt, in case the stock won't fit. I think it's thicker than stock. I usually assemble them, mark the bolt and cut it before final install. (remember to leave a nut on the bolt while you cut it to chase the threads out)
No, kaz...never tried calling. I did eMail and never got a response, which pisses me off, but i could easily call.
Bow, the front bar on the Imp & MC is 34mm & hollow. The GMPP bar is solid. The rears are already 18mm solid and there is no upgrade available. And i don't actually know that this GMPP bar will fit. I cross referenced bars between the 00-05Imp and the 06-07 and determined they "should" be the same. Only time will tell.
Bow, the front bar on the Imp & MC is 34mm & hollow. The GMPP bar is solid. The rears are already 18mm solid and there is no upgrade available. And i don't actually know that this GMPP bar will fit. I cross referenced bars between the 00-05Imp and the 06-07 and determined they "should" be the same. Only time will tell.
I did the upgrade to all poly bushings for the front and over time the ride was very harsh. Remember the vibration with the poly front mount Buffalo? Well over bumps like I have here in New England there is no give with poly mounts. I guess it all depends on each individuals ride preferences. Personally, if I did it all over again I would have just bought new rubber factory mounts. Good luck with whatever you decide.
-Mike
-Mike
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Well, i attempted the install yesterday afternoon to no avail. The b**ch gets hung up on the DP, amongst other parts, and would not budge. I ran out of time and patience, so i didn't attempt to remove the DP to get more clearance. I couldn't even get the bolts off for the catback, so removing the front DP bolts wouldn't have helped much. I also needed to install a new gasket for the catback, which i didn't do when i installed the MagnaFlow, and didn't get that done yesterday either 
.
I will say that for anyone looking to replace links & bushings, it's not too bad. On the D/S bushing bracket, it's hard to get to the rear bolt due to a pair of brake (?) lines being in the way, but the front bolt and the P/S bolts were relatively easy with a 3/8 drive ratchet and 13mm shorty socket. I needed a ratcheting box wrench for the D/S rear bolt...that made it much easier to get out.
After fighting with the bar for about an hour, i gave up....very annoyed.
I tried to compare the weight of the two bars while i was under there, and to be honest it didn't seem all that much lighter than the GMPP solid bar i had. Maybe b/c it was resting across the frame i couldn't gauge the weight very well, but in the end, i reinstalled the bar and let it be.
.I will say that for anyone looking to replace links & bushings, it's not too bad. On the D/S bushing bracket, it's hard to get to the rear bolt due to a pair of brake (?) lines being in the way, but the front bolt and the P/S bolts were relatively easy with a 3/8 drive ratchet and 13mm shorty socket. I needed a ratcheting box wrench for the D/S rear bolt...that made it much easier to get out.
After fighting with the bar for about an hour, i gave up....very annoyed.
I tried to compare the weight of the two bars while i was under there, and to be honest it didn't seem all that much lighter than the GMPP solid bar i had. Maybe b/c it was resting across the frame i couldn't gauge the weight very well, but in the end, i reinstalled the bar and let it be.
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Originally Posted by kissmyss03
in my opinion these cars are boats and to try to make them handle like a sport compact car is to much $$.
I'll need to set aside more time for this install...or at least go in with a better plan. I know i need to yank the DP now, so next time i'll be prepared. Maybe by that time i'll have invested in the Hogan and kill two birds with one stone.
