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Swaybar: pros & cons...

Printed From: West Coast Fieros
Category: Technical Topics Forum
Forum Name: Technical Questions and Discussions
Forum Description: Got a technical question about your fiero? ask it here.
URL: http://www.westcoastfieros.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=285
Printed Date: 18 January 2025 at 9:17pm
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Topic: Swaybar: pros & cons...
Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Subject: Swaybar: pros & cons...
Date Posted: 10 July 2007 at 10:17am
I have an extra front swaybar that want to install in rear.
Question: Is "The Fiero Store's" rear swaybar better than using front bar?



Replies:
Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 10 July 2007 at 11:57am

Originally posted by Car-2-Lo Car-2-Lo wrote:

I have an extra front swaybar that want to install in rear.
Question: Is "The Fiero Store's" rear swaybar better than using front bar?

A few people in the club have installed rear anti-sway bars.  Out of the factory, our Fieros understeer.  The purpose of the rear anti-sway bar is to reduce understeer.   Our Fieros are balanced such that if the (anti)swaybars on the front and back are the same stiffness (read thickness), your car will OVERSTEER....fun, but definitely not safe.  Your front swaybar needs to be stiffer than your rear.  Figuring out that balance is the tricky part.  You might consider adding a thicker swaybar on the front of your car also.

The front swaybar on the rear is mounted under the engine cradle.  This will reduce ground clearance under your car.  The Fierostore and other purpose built rear swaybars (I will erroneously call it swaybar to reduce the typing of 4 letters) for our Fieros are bent in such a manner as it does not reduce ground clearance as much. 

Anti Swaybars reduce the ability of your 4 wheel independent suspension to act independently.  I say this just as a reminder.  Your ride will be stiffer and not as smooth over normal road surfaces.

Adding a rear swaybar reduces understeer up to the limits of your tires.  You need to make sure you have good tires particularly in the rear.

Finally, when adding (in particular) a rear swaybar, be careful you don't add one that might take you beyond your driving skill.  It may be great fun to have stiffer handling but your car will have the ability to come back and bite you.

Having said that, if you get the right balance, a rear swaybar is the best bang for the buck handling improvement you can make to your car.

 

 



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Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com   Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd


Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 10 July 2007 at 12:13pm
WOW, beken that's to heavy for me!
Last week Clynt did install front 1" heavy duty swaybar from Fiero Store.
Now I have an extra front bar, just wondering if the Fireo Store's rear bar
is better than using front bar at rear.


Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 10 July 2007 at 3:47pm
Jon with the size of your rear tires, you could go with a very stiff rear bar and still be fine.   What are your rears, 325/20/20's or something to that effect.   You will have a hard time getting that car into a slide assuming you don't drive it like I do my car.

-------------
Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.


Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 10 July 2007 at 4:26pm
Originally posted by Capt Fiero Capt Fiero wrote:

Jon with the size of your rear tires, you could go with a
very stiff rear bar and still be fine.   What are your rears, 325/20/20's or
something to that effect.   You will have a hard time getting that car into a
slide assuming you don't drive it like I do my car.


Okay which is stiffer, the Fiero Store swaybar or the extra front swaybar at
rear? What would you use?
I got lots of bump steer with those(325/25/20) steam rollers.




Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 10 July 2007 at 5:03pm
I belive the front bar will be stiffer.  The Fiero store rear bar is designed to be used with a stock front bar. (so it should be softer than a stock front bar) 

-------------
Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.


Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 11 July 2007 at 4:23pm

[QUOTE=Car-2-Lo]WOW, beken that's to heavy for me!
/QUOTE]

Sorry.

As long as the front bar is slightly stiffer than the rear, you should be safe.

 

 

 



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Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com   Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd


Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 11 July 2007 at 6:44pm

 

Ken you also have to take into account the larger front bar rule is really geared towards a front engine rear drive or front drive car.  Having so much of the weight moved rearward allows the use of a move even sized bar front to back.  When you take into account as well that people running larger rear tires than their front tires have more grip on the back end which helps to alleviate (sp) oversteer.   

 

Oh Jon, one last thing, if you are going to buy a bar and want to go full boat on it, there is a really nice adjustable sway bar you can get for the Fiero.  The arms are adjustable which greatly increases or decreases the effective strength of the bar. 



-------------
Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.


Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 11 July 2007 at 10:19pm

I just want to keep it simple, bolt on and go ( no bump steer).


Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 12 July 2007 at 2:28pm
Originally posted by Capt Fiero Capt Fiero wrote:

 there is a really nice adjustable sway bar you can get for the Fiero.  The arms are adjustable which greatly increases or decreases the effective strength of the bar. 

I was wondering if there was an adjustable bar available for the Fiero too.   Thanks for the update, David.

 

 



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Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com   Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd


Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 12 July 2007 at 2:34pm

Originally posted by Capt Fiero Capt Fiero wrote:

Ken you also have to take into account the larger front bar rule is really geared towards a front engine rear drive or front drive car.  Having so much of the weight moved rearward allows the use of a move even sized bar front to back.  When you take into account as well that people running larger rear tires than their front tires have more grip on the back end which helps to alleviate (sp) oversteer.   

I was wondering about this too.  A couple of years ago, I pulled out of a street on Heritage Mountain in Coquitlam (Pt Moody?) and ran over some black ice and found my self sliding down the hill pointed the wrong direction.  Just managed to pick up enough traction to avoid hitting anything.   My car is totally stock and the suspension is worn and soft.   So it will be the first thing worked on when I get around to doing a restore on my car.   I've been thinking and researching the effects of suspension changes and still have lots to learn. 

 



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Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com   Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd


Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 18 July 2007 at 4:54pm

All I will add it that the rear FS bar Blair installed for me did nothing but improve my performance and feel...andn since you put the red front one John, you have to make it look pretty also and put the RED rear one also:)...lol

When I get my front end work done next week, I wish I had bought the FS front...I may down the road



-------------
Brian (Bassman)

86 GT Fastback 3.2L

2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive

[IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png">


Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 18 July 2007 at 5:00pm

John...this is for you:).  I saved this as David posted it back some time ago, but heavy duty adjustable sway bar...very nice.

http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum4/HTML/036556.html - http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum4/HTML/036556.html



-------------
Brian (Bassman)

86 GT Fastback 3.2L

2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive

[IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png">


Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 19 July 2007 at 10:31am
Originally posted by Bassman Bassman wrote:

John...this is for you:).  I saved this as David posted it
back some time ago, but heavy duty adjustable sway bar...very nice.


http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum4/HTML/036556.html - http://
www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum4/HTML/036556.html



Thanks Brian, it's to complex for me, I'm just thinking using the
spare front swaybar, painting it red and installing it on rear.
(I do like your FS rear swaybar)





Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 14 August 2007 at 8:21pm

This is what I ended up doing...
Using an extra front swaybar (painted red) installed at rear.
INSTALLED BY CLYNT









Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 14 August 2007 at 9:46pm
So John, how does it handle.  I am assume with those large rear tires it must be great.

-------------
Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.


Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 14 August 2007 at 10:00pm
Look good man:)

-------------
Brian (Bassman)

86 GT Fastback 3.2L

2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive

[IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png">


Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 16 August 2007 at 7:46am
Originally posted by Capt Fiero Capt Fiero wrote:

So John, how does it handle.  I am assume with those
large rear tires it must be great.


Well, I did notice with new front 1" heavy duty swaybar and now swaybar at
rear, the ride feels a lot more solid and tracks nice & flat.

(last year new tie rods, KYB shocks & coilovers, slowly getting there)



Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 16 August 2007 at 10:26am

That looks very cool.   Especially in red.

 

 



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Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com   Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd


Posted By: Car-2-Lo
Date Posted: 16 August 2007 at 10:24pm
Thanks Ken, Dave and Brian for your info...
(Clynt for installing everything)

Ken, you're the TechMan...
Your technical info makes more sense to me now.

Well, everybody knows me by now...
It doesn't have to perform, it just has to look good, hehe

John



Posted By: Patrick
Date Posted: 24 August 2010 at 11:08am

Originally posted by Car-2-Lo Car-2-Lo wrote:

It doesn't have to perform, it just has to look good, hehe

Oh man, what a setup for a non-automotive comment!

 



Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 24 August 2010 at 5:23pm
Originally posted by Patrick Patrick wrote:

Originally posted by Car-2-Lo Car-2-Lo wrote:

It doesn't have to perform, it just has to look good, hehe

Oh man, what a setup for a non-automotive comment!

 


Heresy. And HOLY THREAD BUMP, BATMAN. lol

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Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.



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