Installed the rear swaybar over the weekend...wow!

[Cal Cruzer]

I took my car out for a "spirited" drive today after installing the stock swaybar on my GT to see if I could really feel a differnce. In a word...YES! Curves that used to feel a little perilous are now flat and the car really holds on. The only downside was up around 9/10ths of the cars ability. It had a tendency to push a little sooner, but I really had to be trying to get this. For my everyday driving I don't drive at 9/10ths, or even 8/10ths. This really tightend the car up for 99% of the driving I do. My next suspension mad will be a strut bar. I highly recommend the addition of the rear swaybar. If I was really prepping the car for road racing I would probably step up to the Eibach's but for the street the stocker is great.

[mcruz]

Did you have much trouble with the installation? Most of the posts I have seen seem to indicate it is a bear to install.

[PTGT Redman]

It's "easy" to do, but little things like the rear retainer bracket is a bitch to work with.

[Gear_Head]

I am told that the Eibach installation kit uses a nut/bracket assy. that makes the complete install much easier by inserting the whole nut/clip assy into the retainers on the axle housing. If I had it to do over, I'd purchase that kit.....

[Dragula]

That's interesting. Usually when you tighten up the rear of a car it tends to oversteer (loose) instead of understeer (push). I'd like to know if anyone else had that effect because I was thinking of just adding the stock rear stabilizer bar as well.

Maybe that's why Eibach went with a smaller front bar than stock. That would loosen the front end adding a bit more more bite. It's all about balance.

I would also think that if you installed the strut bar you would tighten up the front end causing more push.

[Cal Cruzer]

Install was pretty easy. If you assemble the bushing and clamshell over the bar and bend the retainer tab down to hold it together all you have to worry about is lining the nut up behind. Since it is a cap nut, I just loaded it into the open end of my wrench and held it up against the back of the hole. I used a vice-grip to hold the clamshell assembly up against the axle.

The one thing I could not get was the bottom of the clamshell assembly into the slot it is supposed to fit into. If I put it into the slot I could not get the bolt started. Then I looked at some pics here of another install and noticed that he didn't use the slot either. I may someday take it off and work with that.

[PT2NV]

quote:Originally posted by Gear_Head

I am told that the Eibach installation kit uses a nut/bracket assy. that makes the complete install much easier by inserting the whole nut/clip assy into the retainers on the axle housing. If I had it to do over, I'd purchase that kit.....

I installed Eibach front and rear sway bars, using the 'optional' Eibach rear link kit. Kit came complete with links, urethane bushings and all hardware, including captive nuts for the 'U' bracket on axle . . . simply slide retained nut on factory bracket, and it stays put . . . you don't even need a wrench to hold the nut when tightening.

[JohnM]

I installed the stock rear bar to my GT too. Turn in is way better and handling greatly improved. I didn't notice any increase in understeer or push.

As for the nuts to attach the bar to the axle: I used contact cement to glue them to the back of the bracket and didn't even need to hold them with a wrench to tighten. I did not use locking nuts however. I've checked tightness several times after many miles and they stay tight. I'm convinced that Chrysler must use the speed nuts or nuts on a clip as you've described with the Eibach kit, but the parts catalog does not show any part for that nut. After I installed mine I saw some large speed nuts in the nut and bolt department at Lowes, so I'm sure with some searching they can be found. As I recall the correct metric nut size is 10x1.5. As Cal Cruiser says, make sure you clamp the bushing retainer halves together and bend the tab down to lock together - this will make installation much easier. I bet it took Chryler about 10 seconds to do this install at the factory with the speed nuts in place!

[Cal Cruzer]

quote:Originally posted by JohnM

I installed the stock rear bar to my GT too. Turn in is way better and handling greatly improved. I didn't notice any increase in understeer or push.

Only at the limits of the stock tires did I experience this.

[Cal Cruzer]

quote:Originally posted by Dragula

That's interesting. Usually when you tighten up the rear of a car it tends to oversteer (loose) instead of understeer (push).

No, tightening up the rear induces understeer (push). The idea is to reduce roll, keeping the full contact patch of the tire to the road. Less roll control in the rear induces an oversteer condition because the inner tire will have more of a tendancy to lift. These cars already push a lot being FWD. We used to play with this a lot by means of adjustable drop links that we could dial in for conditions on a 914 that we used to race .