KILLERARMY

Who do you think have the best sway bar suspension kit in the market for a 02 Camaro SS? Plus which is better between a solid or Hollow sway bar.

ssPetess

iTrader: (8)

Personally I like the Hotchkis bars but many will say the 25 mm is too stiff for the rear but I like it for driving around the street. If I were to order them again, I'd get them from Strano, 35 mm front hollow and 21 mm rear hollow. Hollow are much lighter and just about the same stiffness...

clemsondave

Are they that much better than stock?

ssPetess

iTrader: (8)

Way better. Probably one of the best suspension mods I've done.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

First, I wouldn't get a kit. Start with the front. Get a big one. 35mm hollow is good and light but a bit pricey at $200 plus shipping. The 35mm solid is a tad stiffer and only $140 shipped. Once you have it in, check the balance of the car.

If you think you need a bigger rear sway bar get a slightly stiffer one. Too stiff will make the rear slide easily in corners. You basically need the front stiff and the rear soft to help put down the power.

Choosing the rear bar will just need to come later, if at all.

josh99ta

iTrader: (1)

Just talked a good while to Sam Strano this morning and this is what he agreed upon as well. Shocks are most important, then the front sway bar, then the rear and springs are down the list. I'd go with what Jason is talking about, because that is the best way to not waste money, as well as to tailor the car to your particular driving style.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I've been told that a 25mm rear bar is too much too, but for driving around town, it is perfect. Makes the car a LOT of fun to drive. Now, if you are going to be Auto-Xing your car, I'd definitely be stepping down to a 21/22 bar. The stocker was definitely too small for my tastes.

I've gone through so many iterations on my suspension it isn't even funny.

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

I agree with everyone here, the stranno bar is the way to go. Or hotchkis but thoes are really pricey at near 500 for the two.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I always tell people to take a wait and see approach to rear bar size.

I can't believe I have such a hard time getting my car to understeer.

I've got 550lb fronts, 170 rear, Koni SA all around with fronts about halfway and rear all soft. -1* camber, 35 solid front bar and stock 19 rear. 275 nitto RII fronts and 315 Nitto R rears.

You'd think the smaller front tires and big bar would make the front slide first, but it's the rear that will slide under power. It's weird, I wish I had a BIGGER front bar to balance it out.

That's why I say go big up front. 35 sucka!

On a side note, can anyone make a suggestion to help balance my car. Maybe some 600lb front springs, 150 rears, something?

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Hmmmmmm...what kinda LCAs are you running? In my experience, running a poly/rod or rod/rod LCA will make the bar behave smaller. As long as you can handle the rattles, it would certainly help (if you don't have them already).

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I still have the stock LCA's. You think better ones will add grip? I figure some relocation brackets might help some, also. If I were to get some LCA's it would be the rubber/rod ones that folks are raving about.

pimpmaro

I believe going to a 150 rear spring should help take some of the oversteer out of it. I know higher spring rates in the back will make it easier for the rear to step out, as will a larger rear bar... you could start there. I know bumping up to 600 front springs will reduce the nose dive... but I'm not sure if that will make it push more... hrmmm.

2002 Trans Am

I've got the strano 35mm hollow, it weighs about 3lbs more than stock which is real nice and makes a pretty big difference in the way the front of the car feels, its much tighter now and doesn't roll going into a turn....car feels safer so thats a plus!

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

You can also use a panhard relocation kit to help fine tune things.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I have no interest in running much higher rate springs as well as having the shocks revalved, plus the actual bar and brackets. That's a huge amount of money I don't have.

I'll stick to the regular PHR and just switch to relocation brackets and better LCA's and see how things are at that point.

I don't want to hijack the thread.

absolut_speed

iTrader: (1)

Just in case, if your car came with either of the optional SLP suspensions, you already have a hollow 35mm sway up front and 21 in the rear.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I'd recommend dropping back to 150 rears. Not the first time you'd have heard I think that 170 is a bit on the stiff side.

As for your particular car being loose. You have very different tire on both ends. You have a road race tire on the front, a drag tire on the back. Which one do you think will stick better in the corners? More than a little you are experiencing mis-matched tires I think. I still feel 170 is stiffer than you need, but those springs with a 19mm bar isn't overly stiff at all (I just prefer the 150/21 or hollow 22 combo for tire compliance).