For all you guys with no rear sway bar

[anthonychacon80]

I have had my Cutlass since I was 16. So.. since 1996. IN all those years I never had a rear sway bar. They were not standard in 1980 on the Cutlass Supreme. I don't think they became standard till 1981? I have never seen a G body without one. I guess they were not considered necessary on A bodies at the time.

As part of my SB-GM rebuild i knew that my rear end would be very very sloppy with all the HP I would be sending to the rear. My worst fears were confirmed when I did some high speed turns and some tire squealing engine break in runs. Yup... it sways, sinks, floats and leans ALL over.

So I put in a Edelbrock rear sway bar on my existing lower control arms (I had to use stock spacers inside. thanks to someone on here that hunted a junk yard for me!). I also used to time to install some new Edelbrock red shocks.

OH. MY. GOD.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE

The car sits almost level when turning (I bet my front sway bar and shocks are sucky) and when I accelerate hard the car do longer wants to sit down on it's *ss. I seem to get more power to the wheels AND I can go around curves without breaking for fear of going flying out of my car from centrifugal forces.

I HIGHLY recommend getting a rear sway bar. It will make your car feel like (compared to how it was) a sports car!

 

[Black Sheep]

I totally agree. I currently have 2 g-bodys, an 81 cutlass that I drive everyday and an 86 cutlass that my wife drives. My 81 had a 1.25" front bar and a .5" rear bar. Wife's 86 had a 1" front bar and no rear bar. I took off the 1.25" bar and put a 36mm bar (off a 86 T/A) on my 81 and added a rear frame rail brace. Big difference. Then took my wife's 86 and put the 1.25 bar, a .75" rear bar, and a front and rear frame rail brace. I can feel a big difference, she just thinks the car "doesn't feel like it's falling apart anymore" :lol: :lol:

Gotta dig out my other .75" rear bar and make another front frame rail brace for my car. Might even add the T/A steering box I got, too.

 

[sickolds]

dude am with you i just did my rear trailing arms (boxed them in )and air bags with sway bars BIG DIFFERENCE!

 

[RITTER]

I so need to install a rear sway bar :!: I already got new shocks. I am wanting to get lowering springs all around, so I can install the shocks and springs all at once. I am going with the Sensa-Track all the way around and probably the Eibach springs.
I would love to buy one of those touring kits that comes with the control arms, sway bars and springs. Any recommendations on these kits :?:

 

[87LS-WITH-AN-LS]

dude am with you i just did my rear trailing arms (boxed them in )and air bags with sway bars BIG DIFFERENCE!

nice!!!how do u like those air lift bags?and what shocks are you running..im running some monroe air shocks and the ride is terrible,too jumpy and not stiff enough unless theyre filled up and that adds a rake to my stance that i hate..might go billstein shocks all round this time

 

[joeairforce]

I have had my Cutlass since I was 16. So.. since 1996. IN all those years I never had a rear sway bar. They were not standard in 1980 on the Cutlass Supreme. I don't think they became standard till 1981? I have never seen a G body without one. I guess they were not considered necessary on A bodies at the time.

I HIGHLY recommend getting a rear sway bar. It will make your car feel like (compared to how it was) a sports car!

Isn't that somethin...... I've had mine since I was 16 too (since '98)

I'm swapping in the F-41 bars into mine... mine never had a rear sway bar either....

 

[Phoenyx]

If your aim with that car is more on the handling side. I would recommend upgrading your front bar too (if it's still the stock non F41 bar).

 

[G_Body_Enthusiast]

after putting a rear bar from a GN on my car i couldnt believe how much better it handled. it really balanced out the 1 1/8" bar in the front nicely and it feel quite stable and "even" in turns and curves. i need bigger bars though since i'm driving the car harder since doing all the suspension work. bigger wheels and tires would probably help more though. 205/70/14's are some BS for handling.

 

[megaladon6]

just don't overdo the rear bar. it's very easy to make a g-body oversteer.

 

[tc1959]

If your aim with that car is more on the handling side. I would recommend upgrading your front bar too (if it's still the stock non F41 bar).

X2 I run a 34mm ft bar from a 93 F-body,and a Monte SS bar in back. Very nice handling.