Ralls

iTrader: (32)

I've been searching around all morning for which brands or types of suspension to get. And I came up with Adjustable Panhard Rod and sway bar kit. I couldn't decide to go with Hotchkis or BMR for the panhard bar. The Hotchkis sway Bar Kit seemed better over BMR since its all hollow.

I'm pretty much looking at the difference between BMR and Hotchkis. Are there any other good brands? I've seen Strano, but don't know too much about them. Plus, it didn't say on their website if they are hollow or not (sway bars).

I didn't know what else to get that will reduce body roll. I've heard that strut tower braces don't help too much, that true? Or subframe connectors?

I'm want high quality products, and I'm not worried about price. Any imput would help, thanks.

Mitchell

Ralls

iTrader: (32)

BYUNSPEED gave me a good deal on a Hotchkis sway bar kit and UMI adjustable panhard bar. But is there anything else I should get? The strut tower brace?

SOMSS

iTrader: (1)

Strano sway bars are hollow FYI. You should pick up some Sub Frame connectors and a torque arm.

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

read this:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspension-brakes/513475-canyon-carving-street-suspension-setup-review-long.html

This is an example that is more than enough for the street.

FWIW, strictly hunting down brand names is one horrible way to modify. If you want to modify, first seek a purpose for the vehicle, then research carefully. Even though certain brands are indeed higher quality than others, it's really down to the engineering of the part, not just qualitative (including but not limited to: the welds on the products, lastibility of internal parts, warranty) but also quantitative (including but not limited to: proper useable overall outer diameter of sway bar, the sway bar weight, damper valving, spring rates).

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

blah ...

We all know if you spend a LOT of money, you will be faster. Make sure you get stickers ...

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

CRAP!

With my track freak having no stickers, no wonder why i can't get a lap time better than 30 min.

Now I gotta get in touch with all of those manufacturers to get my stickers they were supposed to send me in the first place.

Azrael

iTrader: (10)

Shoot if I had known I would have sent you all of ours instead of donating them to the guy that owns the 1989 Honda Accord in the carport next to our pickup truck! Funny to see a Honda with an MTI sticker though!

Ralls

iTrader: (32)

Ok, Spohn has an adjustable torque arm for longtube headers. That means I have to get that one since I run LTs?

Should I go with a 3-Point subframe connector or regular from UMI.


I'm not really looking at just brands. I'm looking for words like, Adjustable, bolt-on , or chrome moly. The only brands I don't want to look at are Edelbrock or SLP

Ralls

iTrader: (32)

ttt for the night

Urban Legend

iTrader: (5)

For the front bar go with a bar sized 35mm to 36.5mm and the rear 22mm. Sam Strano can help you with this. Of course I suggest this parts if you are after handling. Anything else and you are on your own.

chupr0kabra

iTrader: (10)

Sam's bars are 35mm front and 22mm rear (or is it 21mm? I forget). Either way, they're Addco bars, and yes they're hollow. These cars like a bigger front bar, but you have to be somewhat careful when going bigger on the rear bar. I run the 1LE front bar (32mm), but I'm running the stock rear bar. When I put the front bar on, it dramatically reduced body roll and I really liked the way the car handled. I put the rear bar on and found the car wanted to understeer. At first, I thought it was something I was just not used to, but the more I drove it, the more I wanted to go back to a 32/19 setup. So I did. I've kept the 21mm rear bar in case I ever decide to get a bigger front bar.

Your mileage may vary.


-Mike

Andros

iTrader: (5)

Nice write up

Foxxtron

iTrader: (1)

You've heard correctly. FWIW, STB's on this type of front suspension (short/long arm) don't do a thing for front end geometry, nor for the towers themselves, since there are very small loads at the shock towers. SFC's at their best serve as extended jack points, and 3-points serve as ideal stress transfer braces for those who are using floorpan mounted torque arms.

If you are trying to reduce body roll and have no plans for dedicated drag racing, then you need to concentrate your handling on the more important items such as:

1. Shocks (ones with decent usable valvings)
2. Stabiliser bars (preferably hollow and 35mm front/21 or 22mm rear)
3. tyres (they need to be sticky enough and in good condition)
4. adj. PHB (couldn't hurt to get one, however it depends on whether you're lowered and/or your factory PHB is not within a good length to allow the proper centering of the axle.)

Ralls

iTrader: (32)

Actually, I'm more on the side of drag racing. I'm not into road racing and sharp corners, but sometimes I like to drive fast around turns. I would like to take a turn and not feel like I'm driving a jello cube. I know shocks are key, but I'm trying to buy things that are easy to install right now. Untill I go back to school, I don't have access to a strut compressor. Suspension is easy to work with, I'm just limited to tools right now.

I want my car to be half-handling half-dragracing. So do you all feel that these are what I'm looking for:

*UMI "On Car" Adjustable Panhard Bar
*Hotchkis (or Strano) Anti-sway bar kit
*Spohn Adjustable Torque Arm (for Longtube headers)
*UMI 3-Point Subframe Connectors

BTW, The only Strano sway bar for LT1's is a rear 22MM

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Hang on a second here.

First, my bars are hollow. And while for best handling use I offer the 22mm rear, I also have a hollow 25mm rear as well--should you want that, or deem it necessary.

Everything else comes down to the purpose of the car. I don't think an PHB is a huge necessity right now, but if you want one I'm going to say UMI. I sell more of those than anything, and they are right up the road from me and you can do it all on one order if you like.

The shocks are the key. Might not be easy, but they are what you need most. The issue you'll have with doing other things first is you'll be trying to fix something that is the shock's responsibility, but you'll be using parts that have other effects. When you get shocks, they you could be standing in a place where you don't like the car because you put some other parts on you didn't really need.

Decent shocks start at *less* money than the hollow bars (and mine are less costly than Hotchkis and fwiw I sell those too).

Ralls

iTrader: (32)

Sam Strano, do you have a front sway bar for my lt1? I know you have a rear one.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

All 93-02 cars can use the same bars. There is no difference because your car is an LT1 vs. an LS1.

So yes, we have bars for your car.