Swaybar options

ikle

Active Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
I am building a street/strip/autocross car and was wondering what I should use for swaybars. I just completed my front suspension build (thanks to charlief1) and on to the next step "swaybars". I am thinking a pro touring type set up for the rear and a upgraded hollow swaybar for the front. Who's swaybars are you autocross guys using ? I was thinking Hellwig pro touring bar for the rear #55809 and their front #55700. What do you think ? Thanks,Kyle.
 
I'm using the hellwig front sway and the sphoon pro touring rear bar. The hellwig front sway is massive and solid, the rear has adjustment points and mounts to the frame, not the lower control arms.
 
I was thinking Hellwig pro touring bar for the rear #55809 and their front #55700. What do you think ? Thanks,Kyle.

Thoses are great choices. I run the 55700 tubular bar on the front. I also run the Spohn on the rear, but that is because of the Watts Link. The Hellwig 55809 on the rear is a good choice. Both are light, and top quality bars.
 
I am building a street/strip/autocross car and was wondering what I should use for swaybars. Who's swaybars are you autocross guys using ? I was thinking Hellwig pro touring bar for the rear #55809 and their front #55700. What do you think ? Thanks,Kyle.
I am using DSE hollow sway bars front& rear, the rear one is adjustable too...
 
I think it all depends on what type of springs you're using. Two types of thinking here. Stiff springs/small bars or soft springs/big bars. Remember the stabilizer bar is an auxillary spring. I used to run the firmest spring and the biggest bar I could find on my 86 GN. 20 years of that thinking(and winning) I'd like to change my combo to soft or medium springs and stock bars. I've found that I overpower my tires so I usually end up running the course or track like some dumbass drifter. I'm thinking a softer set up might help the tires hook a little better.

I can remember back 20-25 years ago. NASCAR racers used to use high rate springs. Than one day somebody figured out that by going with a spring with 50% less rate they picked up a second on the lap times. Now they all run a softer rate. You may remember reading about the Great Roush Racing sway bar theft scandel, I think its going on about 5 years ago. Seems the key to a good handling car just might be in the correct sway bar. Of course the NASCAR guys use a fully adjustable one where as we are limited to off the shelf stuff. They do make adjustable stabilizer bar links. I used them for years. Quite fun playing around with them. IIRC make the link longer to raise the rate. Shorter to lower the rate.
 
Thanks for joining in Eric, and glad to see you on again.:) You're right on the mark with the way everything's set up these days. The biggest difference is that before they were trying to prevent chasis roll as much a possible and now they want the chasis to react and let the suspension do the work. The better option is to have a medium rate spring and larger sway bars but the suspension must be allowed to move freely in static rather than bind up or be held in a specific location.
 
Have a look under an 82-92 Iroc or Trans Am, they'll have basically a non-adjustable pro-touring style rear bar that'll work on a budget. The one off the Blazer works pretty well but the F-boady one has the bar clamps closer to the ends of the exle for more leverage, and the endlinks should work as they are. Blazer bar hangs down a bit as well, Camaro bar probably won't. I believe the WS6 Firebirds have a hollow bar that bolts right onto a G-body as well. Total cost $100.

Many guys seem happy with the HR bar as well, best of both worlds.

To do it right, go with a package from Savitske or somebody. Total cost $500+.
 
Got a rear F body bar here along with a Blazer bar. The F body ends are to wide to work on mine. The center is perfect but where the links go puts the ends at the LCA mounts.:(
 
I have the ATR monster solid bar in the back of my car and the hollow F-body up front along with new Moog springs, better control arms, etc.. and was very happy years ago when I was taking on twisty courses. The newer bars seem a lot nicer but in my experience the basic bars mentioned are cheaper and the extra $$$ can be used to fix up other weakpoints that affect handling like the 20+ year old body bushings, proper chassis bracing on a big car, better wheels/tires, etc..

If you do get an ATR type solid bar, which bolts to the control arms, make sure you have good control arms if you plan on doing lots of turns..

Billy
 
HR Parts makes a nice adjustable rear bar. Ridetech makes a killer splined adjustable front bar. Neither are cheap but both work great.

Hotchkis makes a hollow powder coated non-adjustable front bar. Tires DO NOT rub it.

I had one of the Camaro BIG hollow 1LE front bars but tires rubbed it. I replaced it with the Hotchkis bar above.
Conrad
 
HR Parts makes a nice adjustable rear bar. Ridetech makes a killer splined adjustable front bar. Neither are cheap but both work great.

Hotchkis makes a hollow powder coated non-adjustable front bar. Tires DO NOT rub it.

I had one of the Camaro BIG hollow 1LE front bars but tires rubbed it. I replaced it with the Hotchkis bar above.
Conrad
I went with a Hotchkis front and a DSE adjustable rear, works pretty well, still fine tuning things. Should have great results this year. Thanks, Kyle.
 
Ikle,
Are you autocrossing your car? How are you doing with it?
Conrad
 
Conrad I havent autocrossed it yet but i plan to in the near future. What I am trying to accomplish is having a fast, great handling GBody that I can have fun on the street, track or at the autocross. Kyle.
 
Sounds like a fun car. Let us all know how it goes.
Conrad
 
I have found Hellwig 55809 rear bar on E-bay for $240 but their web site says correct (up to date?) it is 55809J. Photo on e-bay doesn't appear to be that of an adjustable bar. Is 55809 for an older non-adjustable bar? Anyone know what gives?
Conrad
 
Correction....245-40-18 (8.5" wide wheel) rubs the Hotchkis bar!
Conrad
 
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