Curious to see who sells the largest sway bars offered for the 4th gen F-bodies, and how big are they?

 

Hotchkis makes the biggest front; 36.5 mm
Bunch of companies make a 25 mm rear bar.

 

Pretty thats right. I don't know of too many people running the 36.5 front bar however.....

I wondor how much that bar weighs?

 

The 36.5 is hollow, it's not that heavy. I'd run a 35 or larger in the front (for handling purposes) and the rear seems to like something in the 19 to 21mm range (on a 4th gen, 3rd gens are different). Just going out for the biggest bars isn't likely to give you the results you want. Of course, that depends on your intended goals and the kind of results you're looking for.

How do you use the car?

 

I would use the sway bars for their intended purpose, to improve the cars handling around corners.

In my 95 Z, I got a suspension package from SLP in which I got 1LE sway bars (not sure the size, but I know its an increase over stock). This really helped the way the car handled around corners. Now that I have my new 98 Bird, I would like to do the same to it, but go for the larger ones.

BTW, I also have Eighbach lowering springs that will be going in the car as well.

 

I have been using the Hotchkis 36.5 mm front bar for over 1 year. Great bar, but costly.

 

Yeah, they definatly aren't cheep, but as with everything else, you gotta pay to play.

 

Your SLP package was likely a 32mm front and 19mm rear. I believe it was the 1993 cars that got the 32mm/21mm combination.

What I was trying to explain is that just buying the largest things you can get for both ends will not result in a balanced car. If you are looking for maximum grip, you don't want a 25mm rear bar. It's just too much bar and the car gets very loose. Also, it will unload the inside tire and can make it hard to put power down out of a corner. I'd buy a 35mm or larger front bar, install it and see what you think. If you really think you need more rear bar, I'd probably look for a 21mm "1LE" rear bar, or call Sam Strano for his 22mm hollow bar. I'd stay away from the 25mm bars.

For reference, I've run the following combinations (with springs, shocks, etc).

30/19
35/25
35/19
35/22 hollow

My front bar is a Suspension Techniques 35mm solid front bar. All of the rear bars were solid except the 22mm hollow "Strano bar".

And, the 25mm rear bar is just way too much bar on these cars.

 

It's not that simple.... Bigger isn't always better. The front like a big front bar, the rear IMHO does not. Hotchkis front is bigger than mine (by about 1mm, but I use thicker wall tubing and it's bent a little differently which uses less bar length, which means less deflection and that's stiffer than a longer bar). I've not jigged them, but there is very little stiffness difference between the two, and mine costs a bunch less...... Also they're rear bar is too big @ 25mm for best balance and handling. My rear is a 22mm (also hollow).

I sell Hotchkis. And ST, and Addco, and can even get Hellwig..... I commissioned bars because there were things I didn't like about parts of each of their "kits".

 

strano you got a pm............

 

I already know how much the front Hotchkiss sway bar is. How much do you sell your large front sway bar for?

 

$199.

 

Thanks.