Hmmm. a car company modified a part to make the car easier to service? I thought they always made changes the other way.....🤔
Straight rear swaybar on 78's
- Thread starter DoubleV
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It usually only happens when they get a lot of bad feedback from the dealership service departments as in lots of part failures/fitment issues, or servicing gripes. Typically, the engineers don't do well with people so they redesign a part for their own sanity. That's what one of the Corvette engineers told me years ago during a private plant tour by my dad. How true that is - anyone's guess. I've been around enough engineers in my lifetime to know that could be plausible.
Well I suppose I won't bother trying to get an F41 later style swaybar as it seems it would most likely not be any better than the straight one. I'll use the money to get some really rad fuzzy dice instead....
You could always upgrade the front bar which is notoriously small on the earlier A bodies. The stock performance front bar on the 83-88 performance models was a solid 32mm bar. Many guys will use a hollow 34 mm or 36 mm front bar off of an IROC z or a WS6 Trans Am.
Be careful trying to compare hollow bar sizes to solid. For a given sizes bar like 32 mm for example a solid bar is stiffer than the same size hollow bar. I’m betting the Iroc bars are equivalent to the solid. Hollows are lighter. But regardless you don’t want to go too stiff either. Otherwise it’s like a Flintmobile tire. You’ll lose your spring compressibility.
My comments are based on what guys over at montecarloss.com and turbobuick.com have been doing for years.
I have never seen anyone post anything negative about the larger bars with the exception of some clearance problems with the stock location intercoolers used on the 86-87 Turbo Regals.
im using a 40mm front sway bar on my 81 malibu from addco suspension and it barely clears the two front frame braces. wouldnt go any bigger than a 36mm in front and add thick rear sway bar and you will be fine for daily driver and autocrossing.
Purchased a 78 Cutlass Salon Brougham new in 78. Had a 260 V8, a front sway bar but no rear one. Bought a oem rear (which was straight) & upgraded the front to 1-1/4". Made a big difference in how the car handled. Currently I own a 79 Century Turbo Coupe with a factory rear sway bar which is bent.
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