[Guest]

Hey everybody, Im new to the forum. Just got a 95 9C1 with 130k miles and looking to stiffen up the suspension a bit. Ive already read almost everything I could find, and was pretty set on the H-O Sway bars with new LCA's. I just started wondering are there downfalls to bigger sway bars? Does it start to effect ride quality?

Thank you
MT

 

[Guest]

No, it won't affect ride quality. If you don't match the front and rear bars you can throw off the handling, but the HO front and rear work well together (at least I like them).

 

[Guest]

Yes, it will effect ride quality a little bit, but in a good way. It seemed to stiffen up the car a little bit for me-not in a harsh ride kind of way though.

There really is no downfall to this, unless you don't match up the bars and end up with too much oversteer. I'd hate to discover that on some forest road near Yosemite. Just make sure you get new bolts and upgrade your rear LCA's.

 

[Guest]

Well I'm going to say yes it moderately affects ride quality over uneven surfaces. When the car goes over bumps and uneven surfaces the body rolls more than you realize. Stock sways are more compliant and lets the body roll more than stiffer aftermarket sways. Once you put stiffer bars on, that minor amount of roll is restricted so instead passengers will get jostled side to side more.

You can really feel this going over a speedbump with stiffer sway bars. If you take a speedbump straight-on you will not feel any difference because the car will only pitch. However if you take it at even a slight angle it will feel harsh.

That said, ride quality is fine on reasonable road surfaces. I would go so far as to say it is fine on LA freeways too.

I think sways and LCA's are freakin' great!

 

[Guest]

You guys must be more sensitive than me. LOL

 

[Guest]

So, "you" advise against replacing just one end's sway bar?

 

[Guest]

That one I can't comment on since I never did it. I've had stock with stock springs, HO rear/F body front with Hotchkis springs and HO front and rear with Hotchkis springs. Of those three combinations, I like HO front and rear best with my springs (and I like it a whole lot). I think there are a lot of guys running stock rear/F body front, but off hand I don't know how that's working out for them.

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by DARKWAV:
Well I'm going to say yes it moderately affects ride quality over uneven surfaces. When the car goes over bumps and uneven surfaces the body rolls more than you realize. Stock sways are more compliant and lets the body roll more than stiffer aftermarket sways. Once you put stiffer bars on, that minor amount of roll is restricted so instead passengers will get jostled side to side more.

You can really feel this going over a speedbump with stiffer sway bars. If you take a speedbump straight-on you will not feel any difference because the car will only pitch. However if you take it at even a slight angle it will feel harsh.

That said, ride quality is fine on reasonable road surfaces. I would go so far as to say it is fine on LA freeways too.

I think sways and LCA's are freakin' great!

+1

I LOVE my HO sways and UMI lcas, best money I ever spent on the car! Don't worry about ride quality, negative change is minimal, but performance gain is great!

Bruce at Malibu Performance was super nice guy to do bussiness with. I picked the bars up from his house to save on shipping. Give him a call, you wont be dissapointed.
818-222-6725

 

[Guest]

A while back there was some discussion that the rear HA/HO bar might be too big and stiff for the b-body frame construction. Any thoughts on this or just disregard??? Thanks.

Jeff

 

[Guest]

Can't say I heard about that. You definitely need aftermarket LCAs, but as far as I know, my frame's been fine. Of course, that's as far as I know.

 

[Guest]

I did a search on "swaybar" & read for hours yesterday.

I too got the impression the HO/HA was too stiff & that a lighter sway (but bigger than stock, less than HO/HA?) with stiffer springs results in better handling?

If that's the case, what's the ideal config?

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by LAYGO:


If that's the case, what's the ideal config?

It's going to be different for everybody, depending on personal preferences and what the vehicle is used for. Too many factors come into play to say one is difinitevely better in every given situation.

You should probably get with your local club, see what they have done, ride in their cars and take notes as to what you prefer.

 

[Guest]

No input on the Hotchkiss front and rear kit?

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by BigBadGreenLT1:
No input on the Hotchkiss front and rear kit?

They have broken in the past.

SStewart

 

[Guest]

Doesn't a large bar like the HO slightly decrease traction too?

 

[Guest]

Actually increases it. It equalizes the rear traction because the bar won't allow the right rear to rise and lose traction, it will actually force it down better.

As for bars, Herb Adams said that he has never seen too large of a antisway bar. Hence his 1.5" rear.... The front isn't as big, but has short levers to make up for it. According to Jim Crocie at HO Racing, the front bar is 500-550 lbs/in deflection (I forget exactly, I'll dig up the email). So it is pretty strong, but I have a Rancho bar on my 80 T/A that will be coming off when I get some time that goes up to 900 lb/in with its adjustable lever 1.25" bar. Stiff in corners is an understatement, but I LOVED it. If you drive pot holes often, you may not like it.

I have a 64-72 A/G Body 1.5" bar I hope to get on mine soon too, but I won't till I put on the Rancho front (note it is an adjustable bar, so I can range it from 500 to 900 lb/in as needed). From what I have read, it looks like the 68-72 A/G LCA's will work on the 73-77 A/G cars and the 77-96 B/D cars were related to the 73-77's, so I am hoping it all works out.

Anyone know for sure??

Originally posted by FlyingFortress:
Doesn't a large bar like the HO slightly decrease traction too?

 

[Guest]

My experience has shown that the HA rear IS too big. Put tires that actually stick (hint : not stock BFGs ) and the bar is big enough it'll lift the inside rear in cornering. This is NOT a good thing. For a car set up for handling, you might be surprised what I'm running in back right now

For original question, if I were buying now for a "street" car I'd go get the bars from SpeedInn.com with their "medium" rear bar. Also run some good rear lower control arms, my opinions on which are good and which aren't can be found with a little looking around here...

 

[Guest]

My adjustable bars were nice, I had them set to nearly max in the front and almost min in the rear. This made it somewhat understeer just a tad and the 455 made up for anthing else....

That is my concern, I prefer throttle induced oversteer vs bar induced. I want the additional control. Nothing like a 94 Fleetwood going through the intersection at 12 and 120 in Volo, IL drifting!!!! That is a lot of car to keep in line!!!

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by BigBadGreenLT1:
No input on the Hotchkiss front and rear kit?

That's actually what I have. I have the springs, sway bars and stock length lower trailing arms. I went with them because I figured being from the same manufacturer, the parts should be engineered somewhat to compliment each other and work together. The sway bars and trailing arms were the single biggest improvement to the suspension.

I got these prior to b-body performance coming into being and if I were to do my suspension now I would seriously look into their springs and swar bars. The hotchkis sways are hollow, but I have not had any problems with mine yet. Hotchkis does have a newer design for the rear sway bar and seems to have a good track record of replacing any ones that do break.

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by AutocroSSer:
My experience has shown that the HA rear IS too big. Put tires that actually stick (hint : not stock BFGs ) and the bar is big enough it'll lift the inside rear in cornering. This is NOT a good thing. For a car set up for handling, you might be surprised what I'm running in back right now

When you say tires that actually stick, you're still talking in the realm of street tires, not R-Compound, correct?