Well, i have a 2007 cobalt LS, this is the first car i have bought myself and my first new car and i am happy i can mod it anyway i want with out parents saying "blah blah blah" but i am not sure what to do next. I am thinking strut bar because i know going fast can get me in trouble but i enjoy the hell out of going fast in corners (highway 69 south is FULL of curves, and not to mention on ramps) so i guess my question is, how much of a difference will a strut bar make for cornering even with the shitty stock tires? Is it worth the money? I will lower my balt eventually but not til next spring at the earliest so please don't suggest that instead of answering my question (i will also be getting new tires and rims next spring). Thank you.

 

My opinion on better handling in the 2.2...


First tires, you don't need anything crazy, but from what I hear the stock continentals are horrible.

Next, I'd go with SS/SC springs or Eibach springs with Koni struts if you're willing to spend more money.

After tires and springs/struts I'd go with a front strut (DC Sports is great) and possibly sway bars.


Go with that or upgrade to a full SS/SC FE5 suspension from create engine depot for like $700.

 

Yeah the stock continentals suck. So you would reccomend other things before strut bar? Different tires (and wheels) are in the plans but not until next spring, so do you think strut bar would be worthless until new tires? Just trying to get all my info together, i am excited that i can mod my car (that is what i have been wanting to do since i could drive but just got my own car in very late may) and i just want to do things in right order for what i want, which happens to be cornering before speed. thanks,
Justin

 

If I'm not mistaken the tires are whats holding the car back in the corners. You can do tons of suspension mods, but if the tires can't allow you to physically go any faster in the corners, whats the point?

 

I can attest.

My car is stock suspension, but I do have aftermarket rims and tires.

It handles 4000097097 billion times better than stock, and I don't even have strut bars or braces.

I would go with the wheels tires and strut bar all at the same time for max handling gains..

 

Thanx everyone. I used to own a 2001 civic and i figure the main reason why the balt does handle as well was the tires (i mean hell, everytime i take off without the a/c is chirps the tires) all of you just confirmed my thoeory, i was just really hopeing i was wrong because a strut bar is a hell of alot cheaper than tires and rims, but does the strut bar still make a difference even with the better tires (both upgrades WILL happen). Thank you for all the replies, i truely appreciate it.

 

Rear sway bar seems to help more then the front strut bar imo /shrug

 

my cobalt came stock with pirellis..however you spell it...so am i good?

 

i don't have the continentals, my tires are pretty good. when i put the strtu bar, i noticed an immediate difference. for *****, there is an exit by my that's a big s turn. i was able to take it at about 40-45 comfortably. it's a 10mph exit. after the strut bar, i took it at 60 and felt like i could have gone a little faster, though i won't ever test that out.

 

Anyone can afford Tires/Rims if you have a Les Schwab around. $75/month payments man. Cant beat that. They usually want about $100 down to get you started, but if you have a decent job then you should have no problem getting credit through them. Trust me, i got new tires and rims after the turbo and it feels like a brand new car. Yay for traction!

 

Just get tires without rims for now. Tires for your stock rims could not be that expensive.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I seems i need new tires, which that is going to wait until i get new rims next spring, but it also seems a strut bar would help after i get better tires, maybe i will just put the strut bar off until spring too then.

 

225/50/15 on the stock steelies from tirerack.com; less than $300 bucks, is going to make more of a diffrence thatn a 1/3 of that spent on a strut bar.