what is the thickness of the front sway bar for
2.4-
2.0-
2.2-
next question is, do they fit other cobalts.
my reason for asking is to find out whether it would be worthwhile to buy one from another cobalt, and put in on my 2.2
also what about the rear sway bar thickness
i know they sell aftermarket ones but is there a dif between the different models.
thanks for your help!

or even still what is the classification of the cobalt LS's suspension
FE1
FE3
FE5
i found a lot more info about that, but still am unsure about which model has what...

 

Thicknesses I am not sure. Don't quote me but I believe they are 18,22, and 24mm respectively. All I know for sure is that all aftermarket front sways are the same you would have on a 2.0 so it is not an upgrade in anyway.

All bars fit all models as they are all built on the same platform.

Crate Engine Depot should have more information on the suspension set-ups

 

thanks man, thats exactly what i wanted to hear!

 

Sorry to thread jack but I was thinking of just making my own with aluminum......Does anyone see why it wouldn't work?
/thread jack

 

oh and in addition to that, i was doing some research and found this. VERY HELPFUL!!!
http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...XgsRUVcjBxwxC4

definately wouldn't work. i think your talking about a rear anti sway bar, like the one progress makes.
reason it won't work first because you want to use aluminum. not strong enough. you would need some cold rolled steel, much stronger! it would have to be stress proof, and should be around an inch thick.
you would have to fabricate brackets from steel, to attach to the mounting holes, then weld to steel rod.
yes you could do this, but it would be just as expensive i think. oyu might only save a little in the end, or none at all. those brackets alone would cost a bundle to have fabricated.
if your a machinist then more power to you! if not just buy one...

the part i'm reffering to is the stock front and rear sway bar, and if oyu follow that link i posted you'l see that the LS has the smallest diameter of all models, so getting the sway bars from an SS would be an excellent option, and a cheap way to upgrade!

here's a good site if you would want to order some steel rod
http://www.speedymetals.com/ps-1587-...-finished.aspx

 

just a side note... no rear sways on the 2.2 and 2.4.... I heard the 2.0 had one stock, but not sure.

You plan on doing the front sway yourself?

 

yeah there are....
i dunno if i'm calling it the wrong thing but every car has a rear anti sway bar from the factory. follow that first link i posted. really good info there.
here you go:
• FE1 suspension – standard on LS, LT and LTZ models, it provides a smooth ride and includes a 19-mm front stabilizer bar and a 16-mm rear stabilizer bar

• FE3 suspension – standard and available only on SS models, it delivers a firmer, more direct ride and includes 22-mm front and rear stabilizer bars, four-wheel disc brakes, monotube shocks and 17-inch wheels and performance tires

• FE5 suspension – standard on the SS Supercharged, it was developed on the racetrack to deliver sports car levels of handling and grip; 24-mm front stabilizer bar and 22-mm rear stabilizer bar, higher-rate springs and bushings, four-wheel disc brakes, monotube shocks and 18-inch forged aluminum wheels with complementing performance tires

i don't but that one guy was mentioning.
i wouldn't bother

 

I am going to make mine out of alum

 

its going to twist the first time you take it on the road. then all your hard work will be wasted

 

Actually the sway bars are made out of spring steel, it has a stretching capability, hence the reason they use it in springs and torsion bars. Its like memory foam, moves a little bit, but always returns to the same place

 

How is it going to twist........After market company's make them out of aluminum.....

 

Be advised that if you buy a stock ss sway bar to upgrade from your 2.2 you will also need the insulators since the bar will be thicker.

Also, the GM catalog does NOT list a rear stabilizer shaft for any Cobalt that I can find. If someone has other info about that I can't say one way or the other.

The only kind of shaft you can make out of aluminum is a driveshaft. once you start putting bends in aluminum it won't take the torsional stress that iron will. Any aluminum sway bars you find will be a straight bar with seperate end pieces. Like this:

 

what he said^^

 

ooopppps I thought we were talking about strut bars. reading>me

 

hmm.. what do you think the article is reffering to then...?
and thanks for the heads up on the insulators. they have them on the Crate Engine Depot site as well

 

I believe there may be something like a sway bar built into the factory rear axle but it's nothing that can be replaced independently. I may be wrong. It happens more than I'd like it to.

 

yeah i don't understand what the rear sway bar is either, but i read the info and assumed it was correct

 

This is actually what I thought you were making reference to. Its the bar that is connecting the rear suspening it is a Torsion bar. It links the suspension (hence why it is not independent suspension) but is not a sway bar. The sway bars connect and run close to the torsion bar to add extra stiffness, but it is not as if you would be removing and replacing a stocker with an aftermarket one.

Specifications
The front suspension is independent with MacPherson struts, while a semi-independent torsion bar is used in the rear. The wheelbase is 103.3 in (262.4 cm), longer than its competitors, and the width is 68.4 in (173.8 cm). Weight is high at 2808-2989 lb (1273-1355 kg), and overall fuel economy is 23 mpg (10 L/100 km). The car is notable for its use of electrical, rather than the conventional hydraulic, power steering. It is built at the General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GM also offers 'Stage' packs, 1 and 2, which essentially add 30 and 40 bhp respectively, and you may find you need this on account of the car being a touch heavy for its class and doesn't push out a huge amount of torque, at just 200 ft-lb at 4400rpm (though the cam timing was altered to push out more mid-range torque to match the high-end power). Still, figures of 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds are not to be sniffed at, and score well against its main competitors, Japanese and Korean pocket rockets.

Below the surface you have tech alert MacPherson struts and coil springs at the front, and at the back a rear torsion bar for stiffness and sprung independent suspension with performance shocks and stabiliser bar. It may therefor be wise to throw in limited slip differential for $800 or so. It's all bolted on to the Delta chassis it shares with stablemate the Ion.

 

Cool. Junkyard Tech FTW