The great sway bar debate

XxSlowpokexX

Registered User
What do you reccomend? I have S/T springs now with tokicos.

TCCO has 1 3/8's front and rear for 252.98 according to their website

on SHOX.com I seen
1.375 and 1.25 for both front and rear

I;m looking for handeling of course and realize bigger is not alway sbetter...So anyone???
 
I believe some people have reported problems with the 1-3/8" rear bar damaging the mounting points to the chassis, and worse, because of the large amount of added stress. IMHO, our cars don't need bars that huge, especially if you're also running stiffer aftermarket shocks and springs. I'd suggest going with 1-1/4" max. front and rear.


cheers
Ed Nicholson
SCCoO
 
To me, it's an 'all or nothing' bid.

But first, I would weigh it on the road conditions, in your area. If your roads are smooth like a baby's bottom (an SCer's dream), go for the 1 3/8" - the car will handle like a dream. However, if your roads have a lot of potholes and bumps (kinda like my neighborhood roads, unless I'm on the highway), I'd stick with the stock bars.

Also, it depends on what kind of handling characterisitcs you want. Thicker sways in the rear, over the front will give you more oversteer, (something this car should have) over stock - vice versa, for thicker sways in the front. Equal thickness gives your car stock steering, with less body roll.
 
Last edited:
Like what was just said - depends on conditions & trade-offs.

Although I'd state it as reducing understeer. :p

I wanted the best handling I could get and still have a reasonable ride on most surfaces and comfortable for long trips.

I went with 17x9 Cobra R's with BFG Comp TA 255/45/17 ZR, 1 1/4" rear sway bar, factory auto Tokico's (not the after market 1's), front tower brace, rear poly bushings and a glass hood.

This setup gives me what I was looking for in performance and ride. There is still a little understeer, but that is easily controlled with power. Just the way I like to handle the twisties - with power on! Ugh! Ugh!. :D

Lee
 
unfortunately my 94 handled like crap from the factory..Nice plush ride I'd call it...Now the sway bars are the misisng peice of the puzzle (stock 94 sway bars are crap compared to earlier models)..I only want to do this once so I;ll keep seeing who chimes inon it:O)..Thanks guys/gals
 
bars

I went with 17x9 Cobra R's with BFG Comp TA 255/45/17 ZR, 1 1/4" rear sway bar, factory auto Tokico's (not the after market 1's), front tower brace, rear poly bushings and a glass hood.

thats what i got except, i have bilsteins, and no glass hood. I also have polyurethane everywhere.

Having a 94 your car will obviously change ride characteristics, for the better. But i guess it depends on what you want.

the road around you is something to really consider. You may want to consider your shocks too. As Rivlee stated: he thought his ride was nice for long trips. I also think my car rides nicely, but i know that for most people it is a little too harsh, so you may want to stay with stock shocks. Another thing to look into would be getting the stock bars from early model SC's.

I guess you need to examine the way you drive/ corner. Like rivlee stated: powering out of the corners. It all depends on how you want your car to react. How you like the steering to feel.

jim
 
At the same point too much sway bar regardless of degragation in ride can be bad for handeling..I'm not so concerned with ride quality as my SC will ride better then any of my other cars even with super stiff suspension..So I basically want teh best size for handeling on this battleship as possable. I have S/T springs (linear). Tokicos (crap) 98 17 inch cobra rims with 255/50/17's..Still running stock sway bars...I also have every poly bushing to install as well as every chasis brace known to man for the SC. Being my motor is out its the perfect opportunity to change the front bar which is why Im looking at that mod now..I still have a little time to deciede however:O)..SO anywya thats the boat im in:O)
 
I'm thinking 1.25" for both on my 95. I don't really know much about the stuff though.
Let me know what you get Damon.
-Julian
 
I sold Chris Mendola some Konis and 1 3/8 front and rear bars when Wise rebuilt his motor about 18 months ago. His car is a 94 and certainly was fun when I drove it in Vegas shortly after the install. I would contact him and get some feedback there.

Paul
 
Paul,
You sell addco's? I didn't know that. I might be needing that 5% that I put off earlier. I'll let you know Monday on that one.
-Julian
 
this is what i have come up with,

you want this "battleship" ( i like that) to have the tightest ride possible.

You are already putting on/have.... lowering springs, old shocks??, which shocks are you going to put on?? poly bushings everywhere, and chassis braces out the wazoo.

with that in mind i say just get the biggest bar.

it sounds like that would suit you just fine.

jim
 
I sell lots of things people dont know about, like I always say, if you dont know..... ask lol. I do not advertise them because you can get them cheaper through the TCCoA.

Paul
 
Aftermarket tokicos and the poly bushing are going in here and there although I have a set for the whole car..Ill hav eto ask Mendola about this one as well
 
I've got 1 3/8"s F&R. Aftermarket Tokico's, H&R springs, Poly everywhere.

I will caution you that the ADDCO front bar that I have doesn't work well with the end-links, as the hole in the bar is too large.

Since my engine is currently out, I'm going to use this oppourtunity to weld inserts into the bar so it'll work with the stock end links.

Just something you might want to check, before you install any size aftermarket bar on the car.
 
Damon Slowpoke Baumann said:
Hey D how do you like the ride with those sway bars??

Handles like a slot car, rides about like my IRS Cobra, firm, but not overly harsh.
 
Damon Slowpoke Baumann said:
Aftermarket tokicos and the poly bushing are going in here and there although I have a set for the whole car..Ill hav eto ask Mendola about this one as well

I would strongly recommend NOT using the aftermarket Tokico Illumina II shocks ... many people (including myself) have experienced them going soft with not a whole lot of miles on them ... by the time I had about 50,000 miles on them, the rears were almost completely dead. Go for a set of Konis or Bilsteins instead, they will be much better handlers than the Tokicos.


cheers
Ed N.
 
fast Ed N said:
I would strongly recommend NOT using the aftermarket Tokico Illumina II shocks ... many people (including myself) have experienced them going soft with not a whole lot of miles on them ... by the time I had about 50,000 miles on them, the rears were almost completely dead. Go for a set of Konis or Bilsteins instead, they will be much better handlers than the Tokicos.


cheers
Ed N.

I would agree. I usually run around town in firm, as the fronts have pretty much given up, after about 40K.

I'll probably change to Bilsteins pretty soon.....
 
When mine died, I went with Koni Sports ... I like the adjustability for the open-track stuff I do occasionally. They are a big improvement over the Tokico IIs.



cheers
Ed N.
 
fast Ed N said:
When mine died, I went with Koni Sports ... I like the adjustability for the open-track stuff I do occasionally. They are a big improvement over the Tokico IIs.



cheers
Ed N.

I considered the Koni's, I've got DA's on my Cobra and I'm happy with them. However, I don't have the stock fronts to use for the Koni's, and I'm not sure if the Tokico shells will work if I gut them.
 
Back
Top