Suspension Springs, Shocks, Brakes

Strut and sway bars

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 03:01 PM
  #1  
Stevo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: 08-02-06
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
Strut and sway bars

i dont know much about cars and what not . i was just curious as to what either of these do, is it worth it to purchase them, how hard of an install and which ones are the "best".
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 03:18 PM
  #2  
cawpin's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 05-26-06
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
From: N/A
Strut bars go across the top of the strut tower. They are just another brace for the chassis. I've never put one on but they supposedly do a very good job of stiffening the car. Sway bars connect the right and left wheels. When you go into a turn the outside wheel gets loaded pushing the wheel into the wheel well and you get body lean. A sway bar reduces this tendency. It pulls the inside wheel up into the wheel well when the outside wheel moves up. It keeps the car flatter through turns.

From what I've read the Eibach sway bars are good but a little pricey. The other one people seem to like is from Progress. I can't remember what strut bars people prefer. Just do a search and you'll find them.
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 03:25 PM
  #3  
Stevo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: 08-02-06
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
Thanks man.
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 03:32 PM
  #4  
zomghax's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 01-02-05
Posts: 833
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, MB
Eibach never got around to making sway bars for the Cobalt. Every vendor just still has them listed because... I don't know why. Progress is the only option for a rear sway bar.
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 04:13 PM
  #5  
Stevo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: 08-02-06
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
So is it worth it to get both or one or the other?
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 06:13 PM
  #6  
g5mike's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 03-17-06
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
From: Moncton Newbrunswick Can.
Stut bars are pretty good, but on my last car I noticed the rear sway bar had more of an impact
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 06:24 PM
  #7  
Stevo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: 08-02-06
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
Ok thanks
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 11:45 PM
  #8  
mjbroeker's Avatar
New Member
 
Joined: 05-12-06
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: WI
I just got the progress rear sway bar and it does make a noticable difference. It was only 149. at Turbotech and installed in 10 min. Very easy. Well worth it IMO.
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 11:52 PM
  #9  
zomghax's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 01-02-05
Posts: 833
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, MB
Turbotechracing kicks so much ass, even the ass that they kick kicks ass
Reply
Old Aug 14, 2006 | 11:55 PM
  #10  
mjbroeker's Avatar
New Member
 
Joined: 05-12-06
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: WI
Originally Posted by zomghax
Turbotechracing kicks so much ass, even the ass that they kick kicks ass
agreed
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 12:18 AM
  #11  
Stevo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: 08-02-06
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
How hard was the strut bar, injen and ingalls to put in? Im looking into getting those too.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 01:33 AM
  #12  
tonio5555's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 11-10-05
Posts: 2,477
Likes: 0
From: USA
Originally Posted by Stevo
How hard was the strut bar, injen and ingalls to put in? Im looking into getting those too.
DC Sports strut bar is an easy 15 minute install. All I used was a jack and a wrench.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 12:30 PM
  #13  
mjbroeker's Avatar
New Member
 
Joined: 05-12-06
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: WI
Originally Posted by Stevo
How hard was the strut bar, injen and ingalls to put in? Im looking into getting those too.

Strut bar and ingalls were easy 15 minute installs. The injen wasent hard but it was a little time consuming removing all of the popcorn things around the wheel well and getting a good fitment without pushing on the bumper. Do a search on injen and it will explain it better. I also believe there are "how to's" on each of the items.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 01:59 PM
  #14  
Stevo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: 08-02-06
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 0
From: Massachusetts
Hey, thanks everyone.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 02:42 PM
  #15  
LandonElf's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 07-27-06
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Yea seriously, ingalls torque dampener MAY take you 15 minutes. And ten of those minutes will be trying to find the right socket.

Injen CAI no longer have fitment problems, just make sure to disconnect your battery before installing it or you will have a CEL (check engine light) like me.

Also, when installing the Injen, make sure you place the jack in the correct spot, i misplaced mine by about 1 inch (experienced but got in a hurry) and my floor began to cave. And i had a big hump in my floorboard for a few weeks.

Its nothing that a small metal sledge hammer cant fix, but its quite unnerving when your car starts falling down and your under it......
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 03:07 PM
  #16  
xspyder85x's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 06-08-06
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 0
From: Greenwood, SC
Originally Posted by LandonElf
Yea seriously, ingalls torque dampener MAY take you 15 minutes. And ten of those minutes will be trying to find the right socket.

Injen CAI no longer have fitment problems, just make sure to disconnect your battery before installing it or you will have a CEL (check engine light) like me.

Also, when installing the Injen, make sure you place the jack in the correct spot, i misplaced mine by about 1 inch (experienced but got in a hurry) and my floor began to cave. And i had a big hump in my floorboard for a few weeks.

Its nothing that a small metal sledge hammer cant fix, but its quite unnerving when your car starts falling down and your under it......
isnt the jack that are cars come with designed to go right on the frame, there is a slot in the frame that fits into the jack/
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 06:11 PM
  #17  
LandonElf's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 07-27-06
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Originally Posted by xspyder85x
isnt the jack that are cars come with designed to go right on the frame, there is a slot in the frame that fits into the jack/
Yea, i was using a camaro jack that was in my garage. I didn't place it far enough under the car. It was lined up with the little arrows on the sideskirts, but apparently just not deep enough. It was like a heat index of 115+ ( i live in GA) so obviously i wanted to get it done quickly....

I was wiggling the tire and walking it off the studds when the jack failure occured. It was crazy, the caliper was actually like 2 inches from the ground. Fortunently no structural or wiring damage happened, and i wasn't directly under the car.

But in retrospect, i really wasn't that far off of the correct point, i was seriously suprised at how much of the underbody is just thin alluminum. Heck, when i jack up either of my camaro's, i placed it pretty much anywhere.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 06:29 PM
  #18  
cawpin's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 05-26-06
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
From: N/A
Originally Posted by LandonElf
Yea, i was using a camaro jack that was in my garage. I didn't place it far enough under the car. It was lined up with the little arrows on the sideskirts, but apparently just not deep enough. It was like a heat index of 115+ ( i live in GA) so obviously i wanted to get it done quickly....

I was wiggling the tire and walking it off the studds when the jack failure occured. It was crazy, the caliper was actually like 2 inches from the ground. Fortunently no structural or wiring damage happened, and i wasn't directly under the car.

But in retrospect, i really wasn't that far off of the correct point, i was seriously suprised at how much of the underbody is just thin alluminum. Heck, when i jack up either of my camaro's, i placed it pretty much anywhere.
If it was a Camaro jack it should fit the same as ours do, slip over the body lip. Also, I'm pretty sure our cars don't have aluminum floors.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2006 | 06:37 PM
  #19  
zomghax's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 01-02-05
Posts: 833
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, MB
I've never even taken the stock jack out of the trunk. Always just use a hydraulic jack on the frame and jackstands. Really want to get some ramps though...
Reply
Old Aug 16, 2006 | 12:48 PM
  #20  
LandonElf's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: 07-27-06
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Originally Posted by cawpin
If it was a Camaro jack it should fit the same as ours do, slip over the body lip. Also, I'm pretty sure our cars don't have aluminum floors.
Okay thin metal or whatever, its irrelevant. Whatever its made of, it failed. It was a 1983 Camaro jack.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bigdeertz
Parts
47
Nov 17, 2016 09:41 AM
SSLOW06
Complete Cars
1
Oct 1, 2015 07:21 PM
DANRICKARD
Problems/Service/Maintenance
8
Oct 1, 2015 12:08 AM
Tupp
Suspension
5
Sep 30, 2015 08:18 PM
GBRunner24
Featured Car Showcase
3
Sep 26, 2015 06:44 PM




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:46 PM.