Handling improvement

[Sumariner]

My 86 Monte ss currently has the stock f41 jounce bar, stock springs and 32mm swaybar. I recently upgrade the rear sway bar (hellwig anti roll bar). I intend to upgrade the springs to the moog 5660. The car is a cruiser/DD. Which front sway bar size is better (34mm or 36mm)?

 

[L92 OLDS]

My 86 Monte ss currently has the stock f41 jounce bar, stock springs and 32mm swaybar. I recently upgrade the rear sway bar (hellwig anti roll bar). I intend to upgrade the springs to the moog 5660. The car is a cruiser/DD. Which front sway bar size is better (34mm or 36mm)?

I have the hollow 34mm bar from an IROC Z and the Helwig rear sway bar with factory 442 springs. The car handles great and in my opinion doesn't need anything bigger in the front end. I have never experienced understeer in a sharp corner so why go bigger? It's a balance between front and rear. The Helwig bar is set on the middle position. The car also has Poly Eurethane Energy suspension bushings with factory GNX rear seat brace welded in, Grand Prix front bar and rear UMI shock tower brace. I've never tried the 36mm front bar but seem to remember reading somewhere that it doesn't fit the factory F41 hardware. Although my car handles really good for a G body usually the only time I test the cornering is on a hairpin on or off ramp to the highway.


FRONT





The REAR

 

[565bbchevy]

I have both Hellwig bars on my Monte and the front bar is a 1-5/16" diameter solid bar which would equal 34 mm for diameter but because it is solid a larger 36 mm hollow bar might be a better equal but I am not sure how they compare.
My car is too heavy to worry about saving a few pounds on a sway bar.

 

[pontiacgp]

I have the 36 mm hollow bar up front with 5660 springs trimmed 3/8 of a coil and 1/2 tall lower ball joint. I have a GTA 24mm rear bar with a 67 Chevelle rear. I had a passenger in my car who builds the G body for asphalt circle tracks said my car was the most stable G body he had been in.

 

[Sumariner]

I really appreciate the replies. Very informative! I just installed tall upper ball joints, which helps handling and wheel geometry. Sounds like I'm going with 5660 springs and a 34mm or 36mm sway bar (whichever one is cheaper). Anubis that undercarriage looks amazing! I need that horizontal bar that's bolted to the jounce bars. Where did you find that?

 

[UMI Sales]

My 86 Monte ss currently has the stock f41 jounce bar, stock springs and 32mm swaybar. I recently upgrade the rear sway bar (hellwig anti roll bar). I intend to upgrade the springs to the moog 5660. The car is a cruiser/DD. Which front sway bar size is better (34mm or 36mm)?

If your running"stock" springs I would look into replacing those with something with a little more rate if your looking to upgrade the handling.

Craig

 

[pontiacgp]

another thing that helps is changing the wheel alignment set up, the caster and toe is ok but I change the camber from positive to 3/4° negative

 

[L92 OLDS]

Anubis that undercarriage looks amazing! I need that horizontal bar that's bolted to the jounce bars. Where did you find that?

Thanks for the kind words.... I think you're referring to the lateral brace between frame rails on the front correct? That is a bar you can find on any Mid 80's Grand Prix.

 

[Sumariner]

I plan to add 5660 springs, tall lower ball joints and maybe the spherical sway bar links.

 

[Sumariner]

Wheel alignment is something I plan to look into after the upgrade I just mention are the installed. Is anyone running tall upper and lower ball joints on their gbody???