Suspension Sway Bars
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Suspension Sway Bars
Hello All,
Very new to the forum. I have an 82 Collector's Edition. It appears to be very stock, although I have a lot to learn. I don't particularly care for the rough handling. I'm looking for advice on whether users would recommend sway bars on front/back both or none.
Also curious what type/brand of shocks might improve handling and give it a smoother ride.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Bill
Hampton, IL
Very new to the forum. I have an 82 Collector's Edition. It appears to be very stock, although I have a lot to learn. I don't particularly care for the rough handling. I'm looking for advice on whether users would recommend sway bars on front/back both or none.
Also curious what type/brand of shocks might improve handling and give it a smoother ride.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Bill
Hampton, IL
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 4
From: Springfield VA
If you want it to ride smoother then give up some handling. If you want a better handling car then give up some smooth ness.
Don;t take off the sway bar you have, should have 1 in the front but none in the rear if factory.
For shocks monroe sensatrac are factory style shocks. Smooth ride but will not help handling.
KYB Gas-a-just are a little firmer than the monroes but not super firm, good middle shock.
Don;t take off the sway bar you have, should have 1 in the front but none in the rear if factory.
For shocks monroe sensatrac are factory style shocks. Smooth ride but will not help handling.
KYB Gas-a-just are a little firmer than the monroes but not super firm, good middle shock.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 9
Whatever you do, don't go overboard. A slightly thicker front bar, plus a mild rear bar, will make the car feel a whole lot nicer.
Maybe a 1" front bar, and a 9/16" (from a big block car in a boneyard) or a 5/8" rear, will be plenty for the street. Often, the frame is already drilled and tapped to mount a rear bar by the factory. Crawl under there with a wire brush and look.
You can spend a bunch of money on your car, and make it different. But it's not too easy to make it better.
Most of the fellas seem to like the Bilstein sport shocks.
Maybe a 1" front bar, and a 9/16" (from a big block car in a boneyard) or a 5/8" rear, will be plenty for the street. Often, the frame is already drilled and tapped to mount a rear bar by the factory. Crawl under there with a wire brush and look.
You can spend a bunch of money on your car, and make it different. But it's not too easy to make it better.
Most of the fellas seem to like the Bilstein sport shocks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
As mentioned, comfort and better handling don't come together.
Also, bars do more than make a car feel different; they have a large effect on understeer/oversteer balance, whether you race or not. Be wary of advice to stiffen up the rear too much in relationship to the front. What often "feels" great at 7-8/10ths of a car's limits can come back to bite you in the backside if you ever find yourself out on the edge, intentionally or not.
.
Also, bars do more than make a car feel different; they have a large effect on understeer/oversteer balance, whether you race or not. Be wary of advice to stiffen up the rear too much in relationship to the front. What often "feels" great at 7-8/10ths of a car's limits can come back to bite you in the backside if you ever find yourself out on the edge, intentionally or not.
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Last edited by TheSkunkWorks; Sep 18, 2012 at 07:33 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Important observation
I have had 3 82's and the one that I now have has the optional fe7 package.The big difference besides the rear sway bar is that it does not have the fiberglass monospring.Just look at the rear if it has a stack of metal leafs it's the upgraded package.This package probably handles better on a test track but it is a hard ride.The monoleaf was much more confortable for everyday driving.I know others will flame me and say it is to cushy with the fiberglass spring,but everyone has the own threshold between comfort and handling.Sure wish I had the monospring,but I am one of those guys that wish's the original owner did not swap out the 2:87 rear for the 3:70 gears in the car presently.It' cool off the line but un cool on gas mileage.Just an old fart that likes to cruse slow on sunday.best of luck
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Thanks all for the input. No rear sway bar, just the fiberglass leaf spring. Not sure how old the tires are. Treads are good.
Lots of stuff to consider. Maybe I should elaborate. I definitely will not be racing my Vette. This will be a weekend driver. Let me explain the symptoms a little better. When driving 55-66 on a rough road, sometimes when I hit a bump, the car feels like it wants to jump all over. Kind of frightening. I guess I'm looking to soften the ride over really rough roads (but am not expecting the ride of an Oldsmobile).
So if I wanted to put a rear sway bar, is the consensus 9/16"?
Lots of stuff to consider. Maybe I should elaborate. I definitely will not be racing my Vette. This will be a weekend driver. Let me explain the symptoms a little better. When driving 55-66 on a rough road, sometimes when I hit a bump, the car feels like it wants to jump all over. Kind of frightening. I guess I'm looking to soften the ride over really rough roads (but am not expecting the ride of an Oldsmobile).
So if I wanted to put a rear sway bar, is the consensus 9/16"?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Before jumping to conclusions, I'd jack the car up and start checking suspension and steering components for wear, including your TA bushings and diff yoke endplay, among other things. If your alignment is within reason and there's no apparent wear (highly suspect one or the other), you could have a dead shock.
As for a concensus on rear bar size, there's not one. And, before just slapping one on, you should know that they aren't always necessary to achieve desired balance. Only stiffen up rear anti-roll resistance if you know for certain if and how much you wish to shift balance towards oversteer, as without a like change to the front adding rear bar will necessarily do so.
As for a concensus on rear bar size, there's not one. And, before just slapping one on, you should know that they aren't always necessary to achieve desired balance. Only stiffen up rear anti-roll resistance if you know for certain if and how much you wish to shift balance towards oversteer, as without a like change to the front adding rear bar will necessarily do so.