Sway bars before shocks?
 

I haven't got the money now for Koni 4/4's as planned, would it be a waste of money to get sway bars with the stock shocks? Am I just better off waiting till I get the money for shocks?

I was planning on Strano's 35/22's and i'm looking to get into more of a canyon carver setup than drag racing.

Thanks!

it'll be absolutely fine to do swaybars first. it'll still make a pretty big difference. you'll wanna do shocks still in the future though.

in my opinion:
stock swaybars with better shocks > stock shocks with better swaybars

if you can, just save and do shocks first (since you're halfway there anyway), but if you're itching to do something swaybars first is fine.

what springs are u runing ?

Hello
I noticed that you are looking into making your vehicle handle better and my opinion is either one that you choose will definitely make the vehicle handle completely different. And you will be satisfied either way I am sure of it. If you are interested in sway bar feel free to check out the link below and it will show you what all UMI Performance has to offer!

http://www.umiperformance.com/catalo...0cbdsc82v1fpt7

If you have any other questions feel free to ask and I will be more than glad to help.
Thanks
Brad :D

I'm planning on continuing to run the stock springs. My plans are just shocks, sway bars, probably SFC's and STB's, and possibly more. It'll be a comfortable but quick car I hope, I don't really want to do a whole lot that will decrease ride quality, and with some crappy country roads i probably won't lower the car much (maybe lower perch/heater hose on the stock springs).

Thanks for the advice tho, I know that shocks will do more, but I wont get more money til the summer (when I'm working again) and couldn't decide if I wanted to work for a while to get the money for Koni's or get sway bars for the first time the cars coming out after the winter.


EDIT: I forgot, I wanted to ask somebody, will my 245/50 16's be a big bottle neck with cornering? I don't have the money for wheels (especially if i want shocks or sways), and replacement tire prices will give me headaches til I graduate!

i noticed a HUGE improvement in cornering stability when i upgraded to my BMR 32/21 bars.
and that was on stock shocks/springs.

you won't be disappointed!!


whether your 245s will be limiting is more determined by the type of tire than the size.

shitty rubber + wide tire = crap
sticky rubber + regular tire = good

my old firestone firehawk sz50s were AWESOME and only 245s



and in case you missed it....Strano has the koni's on sale....

Hmmm, seems I had this very same question just the other day. :)

Bars are springs, but unlike coil-springs they are not damped by the shocks. So unlike coil-springs you can up the bar rate without detriment to ride or stability due to a lack of damping. You still would have a lack of damping, but no different than what you have now, but with quicker response and less body roll.

There are a lot of bars around. I don't just sell my own, but I do feel my bars are the best in a lot of ways.... Weight, balance, hardware, and cost to performance ratio (the combination of the price as delivered vs. the weight savings and balance). But unlike others, I offer options too. In fact I have 5 brands of bars available for the car....

Hmmm, seems I had this very same question just the other day. :)

Bars are springs, but unlike coil-springs they are not damped by the shocks. So unlike coil-springs you can up the bar rate without detriment to ride or stability due to a lack of damping. You still would have a lack of damping, but no different than what you have now, but with quicker response and less body roll.

There are a lot of bars around. I don't just sell my own, but I do feel my bars are the best in a lot of ways.... Weight, balance, hardware, and cost to performance ratio (the combination of the price as delivered vs. the weight savings and balance). But unlike others, I offer options too. In fact I have 5 brands of bars available for the car....

Sorry about that Sam, thought maybe it got lost in your inbox! I guess the only concern I'd have with hollow bars is deformation after lots of use, although I'm guessing the stresses would be far below the yield strength.

As far as tires go, I'd probably be running Fuzion ZRi's or the BFGoodrich g-Force Sports. I know they're not super great tires, but I'm looking for durability as well as grip, and I don't have a ton of money to spend.

So, general thoughts are I should save for shocks, but if I get sways first and shocks later It'll still make a good difference?

YES it will be a noticable difference.

body roll was vastly improved....er..lack of body roll

Let me put to rest any issues about hollow bars being weak. Stock front bar are hollow.... The yield strength of the alloy we use is 75,000 psi. Race car chassis are made from hollow tubing... That's not, no.... NOT and issue. :)

I did answer, or at least tried to. This site has been really strange for me lately (anyone else having posting issues?). I'm only having trouble loading things off this and another IB site--all other sites have been fine. Anyway, I did answer -- or tried. Might have gotten eaten in the midst of these posting issue. As always, PM's are not a reliable way of gaining information anyway. :)

Bars and shocks do different jobs. You don't need shocks to make the bars work. The package simply works better as you add appropriate parts. The bars are no less effective swaybars with stock shocks....

Let me put to rest any issues about hollow bars being weak. Stock front bar are hollow.... The yield strength of the alloy we use is 75,000 psi. Race car chassis are made from hollow tubing... That's not, no.... NOT and issue. :)

I did answer, or at least tried to. This site has been really strange for me lately (anyone else having posting issues?). I'm only having trouble loading things off this and another IB site--all other sites have been fine. Anyway, I did answer -- or tried. Might have gotten eaten in the midst of these posting issue. As always, PM's are not a reliable way of gaining information anyway. :)

Bars and shocks do different jobs. You don't need shocks to make the bars work. The package simply works better as you add appropriate parts. The bars are no less effective swaybars with stock shocks....

Yeah, I never got your message, but by the double posts I'm assuming something is up with the site.

Thanks a lot to all tho, I think I'll go with sways, and give Sam a call within the next month or two!

That explains it. BTW, let someone know you are having trouble. When I do, I get "nobody else is"... I don't buy that.