I'm looking to get better handling from my ride and I was told that lowering + sway bars were the best improvments for Cavaliers.
I'm already lowered 1.2" with Suspension Technique springs on stock struts, and I'm now looking for sway bar. I was looking for a rear Addco swaybar, but someone told me I should get front + rear to get better balance. Is the improvement really worth it? And which are the best between Eibach/Addco bars? Because they're the same price.
Regards,
Guillaume
Well you have the potatoes, and a good choice too (SusTech 1.2"). But you still need the meat. I suggest Koni Yellows, KYB AGX, or Tokico HP or D-Specs for struts. Read the FAQ for more details.
Once you have the meat and potatoes you canl work on the rest like strut bars and sway bars. But that's my recommendation.
What are you looking for out of your suspension?
Do you have a sway bar in the front already?
If you're looking for a quick and easy "works for many people" you can always go with Eibach front and rear sway bars. Addco bars are a bit stronger.
And if you really want the most out of your suspension, just tell us exaclty how you want it to handle, and we can help you find exactly what you want.
Thanks for the answer.
The goal is to get the most fun out of my car during lapping days at the track near me.
So you think changing my struts will give better handling improvement than adding swaybars? I've read the install guide for Koni Yellows, and I doubt I'll be able to do that myself, must be pretty pricey to get those installed...
Konis are actually pretty easy to install yourself. Don't be afraid of the angle grinder!
I concur on the recommendation though. Keeping the wheels on the road should be your first priority. When the springs compress to absorb a bump in the road, you need to keep them from rebounding the car upwards and losing valuable traction. Once the tires are firmly planted, you can start thinking about how to keep them level.
Sway bars are a tuning item. "Balance" is all about the driver's preferences and you use them to tune accordingly. Since you've got a base model, you likely don't have a front sway bar at all right now so you probably do want both front and back. What you get though, depends on what you're tuning for.
If you're just looking to stiffen things up then the Eibach kit is probably as good a choice as any since it includes both front and rear bars and is fairly well matched for the average driver. From there, if you want to make further changes you can look into going bigger or smaller in either the front or back as necessary.
I would get KYB AGX's for shocks. They are adjustable, require no grinding, and are cheaper than Koni Yellows. Pick them up on ebay for about $365 shipped. Once you get those you can dial in your handling much easier.
If you still find yourself having problems with understeer, add a rear sway bar. I like the Addco's myself, but just about any one will do.
I would avoid the eibach sway bar kit as much as possible. They use a bigger front sway bar than the rear and our cars already understeer with out any sway bars.
If you have no front sway bar, see if you can pick up a used 22mm somewhere from a car with the FE2 package (I think in years 2000+). If you compliment that with an Addco rear bar (which is 25.4mm) you will have a very good handling car.
I ran an 18mm front and 25.4mm rear for awhile and the oversteer was a little much at times, but it was something that could be easily compensated for with adjustable shocks and different tire pressures.
Also, if you don't have any strut bars, I would suggest adding those before the sway bars.
he's got a front sway bar (the stock one) and i told him to go bigger in front smaller rear cause I had this expereince in a 2nd gen,well it seems like our 3rd gen are different
oh yeah his stock shocks are brand new btw and around here a set of AGX is around 650$ and 900 for the koni yellow! couldnt he just get away with a set of tokico hp ? its only a 1.2 inch drop after all!!!!
Zach wrote:I would get KYB AGX's for shocks. They are adjustable, require no grinding, and are cheaper than Koni Yellows. Pick them up on ebay for about $365 shipped. Once you get those you can dial in your handling much easier.
Why the AGX over the Koni Yellows?
Konis are also adjustable, and I've gotten price quotes in 3 shops around me for both and the best prices where 840+tx for AGX and 875+tx for the Yellows (CDN$). And I won't buy from Ebay for the lack of warranty on a such important part of the car.
Both are good struts and both work well for mild drops AGX is pretty much plug and play Koni i would recommend for any drop but more for those who go lower than 1.5"
2004 Grand Prix GTP (Competition Group)
SOLD-->1999 Z24 5M-#30 to register on JBO
"You can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all the people'
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if you dont have a front sway bar ( i dont ) do you need anything to get one on the front or does it come with all the necessary hardware?
You'll need the D clams, which are cheap and you can get from GM. You need the bolts that hold them on too. You will also need the end link kit for most kits, check with the kit first.
The kit should come with just a the bar and bushings on the front; a rear kit should come with everything you need.
Zach in another thread wrote:Optimal handling is at a 1.5" drop because the control arms are parallel to the ground at that point.
I just saw the deal at Gravana for B+G springs and Koni Yellows, really cheap. For track racing should I keep my S.Tech springs (1.2") or get the B+G (1.6") for optimal handling?
By the way thanks for all your replies Zach, always been very helpful to me.
Those will work great. B+G makes excellent springs.
i dont know about how yall are getting these out ragious prices for KYB AGX Adjustable...i can get them but i can get the front and rear sets for a total of about 530$....thats what im going to be workin on next after i pay off my car but ill be riding with eibach pro-kit and then the KYB AGX Adjustables...
Hey wheres Event? His car handles pretty good I'm sure he could also give excelent advice as to what set up to run with.
My car is just dropped 2 inches, front and rear strut tower braces, low profile 18's and
a big Eibach front sway bar from E-bay. I think it handles pretty good for what it is but I would deff ask Event or some of the auto cross guys.
Good luck
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
jackalope ( a.k.a. the prick ) wrote:Hey wheres Event? His car handles pretty good I'm sure he could also give excelent advice as to what set up to run with.
My car is just dropped 2 inches, front and rear strut tower braces, low profile 18's and
a big Eibach front sway bar from E-bay. I think it handles pretty good for what it is but I would deff ask Event or some of the auto cross guys.
Good luck
Zach knows his @!#$ too; he just gives you the Readers Digest version of what you'll get from Event.
Oops did it come out like I thought he didn't? my bad I never meant that I was just saying Event should join in too as he does the same stuff. Sorry for any coonfusion.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
