Replace/install both sway bars or just rear?

[im4gzs]

I have what may be 2 stupid questions, but I've noticed that most of the discussions involving sway bars usually revolve around replacing both the front and rear (or installing a rear one for the first time for those of us with the "integral rear axle" sway bar) instead of just replacing/installing a rear sway bar.

What would be the disadvantages (handling-wise) of installing/upgrading only a rear sway bar (and leaving the front one stock)?

Any advantages to just installing/upgrading the rear (besides cost)?

Thanks,

[IRPT]

im4gzs, check out this article, it has a good explanation of anti-sway bars. This should answer your question.

http://www.grmotorsports.com/swaybars.html

[rice_killing_GT]

just to replace the rusted front POS is reason enough to do both

[PTGT Redman]

if ur gonna put in an aftermarket rear, I'd do them both. Front one is ok, but is a rusted junk. Front install is actually easier to mount than the rear.

[im4gzs]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I don't like the rusty front stock sway bar, either!! Looks awful when I get under there to change my oil.

I read the well-written "inside scoop on anti-roll bars" that IRPT suggested and it indicated that if I leave the front sway bar as is and add a rear (and leave everything else the same), then I'll increase oversteer (the tendency to have the rear end be "loose" or to lose traction).

If I were to replace the front only with a bigger diameter bar than stock (and leave the rear sway-bar-less - which I'm not even considering, but I'm making an illustration), it'll increase the tendency to understeer (or "plow" through curves).

So, I can surmise that it's better to replace both sway bars at one time, because the effects of increasing understeer in front and oversteer in the rear will "cancel each other out," so to speak, and result in a overall better handling car than stock.

Guess I'll be asking for a set of front and rear sway bars for Valentine's Day (as opposed to just a new rear sway bar)! Now, I gotta decide what brand...I already have Eibach ProKit springs, so I'll probably go Eibach (part number 2860.320)...(and get the aftermarket rear sway bar installation hardware kit, of course, either from Eibach or Ma Mopar). Wyckoff has the MoPar/Eibach stuff here: http://store.yahoo.com/wyckoff-chrys...tcroemres.html

[im4gzs]

After further thought and discussion, since the stock front sway bar on my '03 GT turbo is about 26mm (according to my vernier calipers), then it's not going to do much good to replace the front with an Eibach 25mm swaybar and add a 22mm Eibach rear sway bar (since the Eibach front swaybar is smaller diameter than stock), so I've decided to get a Progress rear sway bar (also 22mm) and leave the front as is (and rusty as it is...), since I can't seem to buy an Eibach single sway bar (they always appear as a front/rear kit).

[PTGT Redman]

Bars may be made of different materials with different tensile strength. So a 26mm bar might not be stronger or torsionally more rigid than the 25mm bar.
I got the Eibach's and like them a lot. Gonna cap it off with a set of Koni adjustables.

[im4gzs]

PTGT Redman, we did discuss the fact that the bars could be made of different material and thus that would affect the torsional strength/rigidity, but decided it wouldn't matter for my application, since I just want better handling for the street and I'm not tuning specifically for autocross or some other kind of competition.

[IRPT]

quote:Originally posted by im4gzs

and leave the front as is (and rusty as it is...),

Why not remove the front, sand it and paint it.

I have Progress sway bars and painted both before installing.

[im4gzs]

IRPT, I am seriously thinking about painting that front sway bar; I think a nice turquoise might do! I still have some turquoise engine paint left over (I think) when we re-did the original 340 in my '69 Barracuda... http://www.mooresmopars.com/ModInterior.html