dbs1

Like everyone else, I'm on a fairly tight budget these days, but trying to buck up the suspension some. Car is an 02 SS. It will see MAYBE a few days at the dragstrip in the course of a year, and possibly 10-12 sessions on the road course, and periodically driven on the street 5-6K miles a year.

I've got plans for new bilsteins, and using the stock springs with the heater hose mod in the rear.

With my limited use I'm wondering if I should just get new bushings for the sway bars vs the cost of upgraded ones?

I have some NT01's for the rc days, and I've upgraded the brake pads.

I've been doing the track day thing for the past 8 years with more car (sold), but trying to keep things on the cheap while still beating the mustangs. Ideas?

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Sam Strano's hollow 35mm fronts and 22mm rears are probably right up your alley. He's won numerous road titles with them and they are lighter than comparable due to being hollow which will help drop weight off the car for the drag strip.

He's also a sponsor and it is always good to keep our sponsors in business.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=126&ModelID=7

Lots of options, and beyond mine I also carry UMI's solid bars, and Hotchkis bars too, plus Hellwig bars so you have options. I built my bars to be what I wanted, and what I felt worked best, and the specs and all that were derived from what I was using on my car. And I now use my bars on my car since they are exactly what I wanted without mixing, matching, or settling.

vjo90rs8

iTrader: (9)

if you have the money, Strano Bars
on a budget, UMI Bars

Carter Hays

I would save some money and get poly endlinks and bushings. The stock bars on that SS are fine for what you are going to do.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

You could say the car bone stock is fine for what's going to do too. My bars free the car up a little bit vs. stock SS bars, but they are about 30% stiffer at each end, which cuts a ton of roll and quickens the steering response too. And in total he'd save a couple of pounds, and get all new endlinks and bushings and brackets too.

Yes, he could just buy poly bushings, but those add any roll stiffness. In fact the GM endlink bushings are delrin and quite hard already, so there isn't a lot to be gained there.

To each his own, but bars are springs--they are torsion springs that only add wheel rate when you want it, when you twist them (when you turn), which means your ride isn't really effected, but you get the benefits of the greater roll stiffness.

Carter Hays

Well, he said he is on a tight budget, and asked for opinions. The stock bars are more than enough for what he does IMHO. The stock endlinks are usually rusted out by now and need to be replaced anyway so while he is under there why not replace them too.. Remember he said budget.

libertyforall1776

iTrader: (2)

IMHO, if you're going to do it, do it right the first time -- you bought an SS, so get quality parts, Strano has a good set of bars to compliment your top of the line 4th Gen. If budget does not allow today, save up until it does.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

He didn't define "cheap" and $400 is way less than his tires cost. Further, bushings alone would cost him a good $70-80, and new ones come with the bars anyway.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

IMO, If you compare the various hollow sway-bars available for our cars Strano's are a real bargain, solid bars are less expensive but noticeably heavier.
Regardless if you go with solid or hollow bars Sam's the man to talk to.

dbs1

Guys-Thanks every single one of you for the replies! There are several concerns here. thx to the guys that picked up on the budget thing, and just how much I intend to use the car. With my const. biz almost non-existant I may only run 3 races this year at 2 sessions each and put the car in the trailer.

Heck, if it keeps going the way it is, I may have to sell the car and the trailer after the first of the year. It really is that bad.

On my last car build (67 camaro) that ended up a beast for the drags/street and road course I redid several things, several times, so I know about doing it right the first time. But back then I had an almost unlimited budget. Now I really don't even have a budget.

So...Sam you're the man from everything I read on here, I would not hesitate to buy all kinds of stuff from you if times were different. Probably stupid to ask, but is there a chance you have any used bars around? Do you carry the end links and new bushings to fit the stock stuff per chance? Feel free to pm me or answer here. My son is bring the car back in 2 weeks before he heads to Afghanistan, and we are going to try to get in a race before he goes.

Again, thx to all for helping to educate me on these newer camaro's.

By the way-the tires are left over from the 67 camaro. Thank goodness I didn't give them away with the 67, as I gave it away for pennies on the dollar.