Difference between strut bar and sway bar?
07-13-2009, 06:29 AM
#1
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Difference between strut bar and sway bar? I know installation of either will produce similar results... I want to reduce roll and sharpen my handling without making the ride so stiff and uncomfortable that we always "take her car" if you know what I mean... Which is the better way to go? 
07-13-2009, 10:42 AM
#2
TECH Senior Member
Swaybars are a suspension piece that limits body roll similar to springs.
Read the stickies in the suspension section:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...eal-world.html
The way to go is to fix the real problem with our cars in the first place: the stock shocks. All the sloppy body movements, snap oversteer, choppy ride quality, looseness, floatyness etc. is cause by the shitty valving the stock decarbons have. The key here is to get shocks with good valving, not just some cheap ebay replacements. At the very minimum go with some strano bilstiens:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7
If you really want some jaw-dropping handling and a creamy BMW-like ride quality you can step it up to some konis:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7
I have these and absolutely love them, worth every penny and would not own another fbody without them.
07-13-2009, 10:47 AM
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The results are not similar because they are two completely different things. A "Strut tower brace" ties the two strut towers together on the front of the car and theoretically makes them stiffer (unfortunately these do nothing for our cars don't waste your money unless you like the look).Swaybars are a suspension piece that limits body roll similar to springs.
Read the stickies in the suspension section:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...eal-world.html
The way to go is to fix the real problem with our cars in the first place: the stock shocks. All the sloppy body movements, snap oversteer, choppy ride quality, looseness, floatyness etc. is cause by the shitty valving the stock decarbons have. The key here is to get shocks with good valving, not just some cheap ebay replacements. At the very minimum go with some strano bilstiens:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7
If you really want some jaw-dropping handling and a creamy BMW-like ride quality you can step it up to some konis:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7
I have these and absolutely love them, worth every penny and would not own another fbody without them.
Read the stickies in the suspension section:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...eal-world.html
The way to go is to fix the real problem with our cars in the first place: the stock shocks. All the sloppy body movements, snap oversteer, choppy ride quality, looseness, floatyness etc. is cause by the shitty valving the stock decarbons have. The key here is to get shocks with good valving, not just some cheap ebay replacements. At the very minimum go with some strano bilstiens:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7
If you really want some jaw-dropping handling and a creamy BMW-like ride quality you can step it up to some konis:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=20&ModelID=7
I have these and absolutely love them, worth every penny and would not own another fbody without them.
From my thinking he's the man when it comes to suspension and I did intend on bypassing that part. I'm hardheaded and like to try somethings. I bought the cheapest one I could find new which was a umi.
I previously installed weld on sfc's, lca's w/brackets, 35mm front/22rear, and I noticed a great difference in the handling and stiffness of my car. With my driving style, stiffness of the chassis equals a better feeling car.
Well I installed the stb. My steering response improvement was the first thing I noticed. If you've ever driven a 350Z or G35 you know what I mean. The 2nd thing I noticed was less understeer. With my sway bars I had less lean and less understeer, but when I added the stb I eliminated a lot more understeer. Maybe its because my car is convertible. 3rd, on the highway my car feels even better. The whole car feels stiffer in conjunction with everything else I've done. On the highway lane changes feel "easier." The car feels as if no matter what, it stays flat since I added the stb. Those are my findings. Sam's great, but don't be scared to experiment stuff for your self.
That being said, I will still be buying his springs and some konis when I get the cash lol.
jd amg, since you have all this other expensive stuff on your car, I suggest you give a stb a try. Add it to what you've got and test it out for a week or two.
Last edited by 7camaro7; 07-13-2009 at 11:03 AM.
07-13-2009, 01:23 PM
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I had some ricer tell me one time when he was looking under my hood that I needed an upper sway bar to help stiffin up my car, lol. BTW I wasn't asking advice or talking about the handling. Apparently that is the first mod you do to a Civic or Cavi to help you go faster.
07-13-2009, 04:02 PM
#6
TECH Senior Member
You sound like Strano on the stb. I have had many talks with sam about suspension and I asked him what he thought about the stb. He basically thinks its useless.
From my thinking he's the man when it comes to suspension and I did intend on bypassing that part. I'm hardheaded and like to try somethings. I bought the cheapest one I could find new which was a umi.
I previously installed weld on sfc's, lca's w/brackets, 35mm front/22rear, and I noticed a great difference in the handling and stiffness of my car. With my driving style, stiffness of the chassis equals a better feeling car.
From my thinking he's the man when it comes to suspension and I did intend on bypassing that part. I'm hardheaded and like to try somethings. I bought the cheapest one I could find new which was a umi.
I previously installed weld on sfc's, lca's w/brackets, 35mm front/22rear, and I noticed a great difference in the handling and stiffness of my car. With my driving style, stiffness of the chassis equals a better feeling car.
Well I installed the stb. My steering response improvement was the first thing I noticed. If you've ever driven a 350Z or G35 you know what I mean. The 2nd thing I noticed was less understeer. With my sway bars I had less lean and less understeer, but when I added the stb I eliminated a lot more understeer. Maybe its because my car is convertible. 3rd, on the highway my car feels even better. The whole car feels stiffer in conjunction with everything else I've done. On the highway lane changes feel "easier." The car feels as if no matter what, it stays flat since I added the stb. Those are my findings. Sam's great, but don't be scared to experiment stuff for your self.
That being said, I will still be buying his springs and some konis when I get the cash lol.
jd amg, since you have all this other expensive stuff on your car, I suggest you give a stb a try. Add it to what you've got and test it out for a week or two.
That being said, I will still be buying his springs and some konis when I get the cash lol.
jd amg, since you have all this other expensive stuff on your car, I suggest you give a stb a try. Add it to what you've got and test it out for a week or two.
You like the way the 350Z and G35 handled right? Having been in a Z, and driven a G35, both feel sloppy and slow compared to how my car sits right now.
07-14-2009, 09:43 AM
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No matter what driving style someone has, a stiffer chassis will benefit them. The argument here is whether or not the STB noticeably stiffens it.
Check my sig, I have an STB, it was the first thing I did suspension wise to my car and I noticed absolutely nothing unfortunately. If you want results you need to fix the weakest link, the shocks. I did all my suspension mods seperate to see the difference and the shocks were by far the biggest change in the way the car handled, rode and behaved. If your riding on stock shocks you are missing out big time, end of story.
You like the way the 350Z and G35 handled right? Having been in a Z, and driven a G35, both feel sloppy and slow compared to how my car sits right now.
Check my sig, I have an STB, it was the first thing I did suspension wise to my car and I noticed absolutely nothing unfortunately. If you want results you need to fix the weakest link, the shocks. I did all my suspension mods seperate to see the difference and the shocks were by far the biggest change in the way the car handled, rode and behaved. If your riding on stock shocks you are missing out big time, end of story.
You like the way the 350Z and G35 handled right? Having been in a Z, and driven a G35, both feel sloppy and slow compared to how my car sits right now.
and if a 350 or G feel sloppy compared to your car then I'm in for a real treat when I finish my car's suspension is finished. When referring to the 350 and G I was mainly commenting on how responsive the steering feels, but I didn't think the handling was bad either.
What kind of driving do you do mostly?
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07-14-2009, 12:08 PM
#8
TECH Senior Member
do you drive your car on the highway a lot? Maybe that makes a diff if you feel the stb or not.
and if a 350 or G feel sloppy compared to your car then I'm in for a real treat when I finish my car's suspension is finished. When referring to the 350 and G I was mainly commenting on how responsive the steering feels, but I didn't think the handling was bad either.
What kind of driving do you do mostly?
and if a 350 or G feel sloppy compared to your car then I'm in for a real treat when I finish my car's suspension is finished. When referring to the 350 and G I was mainly commenting on how responsive the steering feels, but I didn't think the handling was bad either.
What kind of driving do you do mostly?
07-15-2009, 09:03 AM
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07-17-2009, 09:05 PM
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sway bars and shocks FWIW - Sway bars (or more correctly ANTI-sway bars) control how much your car will roll or pivot about the roll center during a turn. Suspension roll itself is not necessarily bad, it just depends on what the suspension does during roll, or how much camber gain is built in. The shocks only determine at what rate the roll will happen. Generally, when you stiffen the suspension, it will probably also be necessary to use stiffer shocks. If you want faster transient response in cornering, then larger sway bars and stiffer shocks will be the right direction to go. Strut bars of various types only serve to stiffen the chassis itself. Nothing wrong with this of course, but probably the least bang for your buck, and of the least value on any of the newer chassis designed with FEA. A newer Fbody is light years ahead of an old 70's japanese car. I don't see any of the fast Fbody guys at the autocrosses using strut bars.
