slayerxxx213

I just picked up some new sway bars yesterday for my car at the e-town swap meet. I'm not sure what brand they are but they are like 32mm front and 21 or 22mm rear. They are red and they are solid, (heavy as hell)...I got the guy to give me them both, (they are brand new), plus one set of Prothane end links and the inner bushings for $120. Then I went to Pep Boys and got another set from Energy suspension for $40. The total came to $160. So, I have a few questions...Did I get a good deal? I figure I got a really good deal. Which bushings should be harder, the Energy or the Prothane and which would you run in the front/back? Also, should the the endlinks be a different length in the front/rear and if so it's the longer ones that should go up front? Right now the ones I have are the same length...In this pic they look like two different lengths. I've only taken the front bar off so far so I haven't seen yet if there is a difference. Lastly, anyone have any idea what brand they are? Thanks for the help EDIT: I really wanted to get Sam Strano's sway bars but you guys think that for the price I got that it was worth losing a little performance?...I know there is a significant weight difference but in terms of actual handling a 32mm solid should be about equivelant to a 35mm hollow, and a 21mm solid should actually be stiffer than a 22mm hollow?

TobyZ28

Going by memory I don't think a 32mm Solid = 35mm hollow. I think a 35mm hollow is closer to a 34 solid. It should still be an improvment over stock. You can't go wrong for that price

Bud M

Sounds like they are probably BMR bars if they are 32/21. Its not a bad set of bars for the street, and worth the price. You can always step up to Strano's front bar later on.
The front endlinks should be longer than the rears. The rears should be 4" from chassis mount to swaybar or a little shorter for lowered cars. I don't know the length on the fronts.
Strano's 35 hollow bar is significantly stiffer than a 32 solid. 21 solid is probably a little bit stiffer than 22 hollow.
edit: BMR swaybars come with 4.5 inch front endlinks

slayerxxx213

Update, I got the bars on earlier today and the car feels really good...A definite improvement, not huge but for $160 I'm pretty damn pleased...Just wondering, I tightened everything down pretty good, but how tight should the end links be? Also, I put grease on the inner bushings on the front and rear bars but I didn't grease the endlinks...They almost seemed alittle greasy when they came out of the packages and I figured I'm gonna' go back under next weekend and check anything and if any squeaks develop I'll take care of that then. Am I hurting anything by not putting some grease on them?

slayerxxx213

I just checked on the bars Bud...They are the BMR's and I'm now extremely pleased with the deal I got

Lil Dog

The bars in the photo say Hotchkis, or is it just my oldtimers disease acting up again?

Lil Dog in a big pound

Bud M

I always grease the endlinks too. No reason not to and they will squeak eventually if you don't. And of course do not use petroleum based grease. You can get siilicone based grease from Spohn or BMR.

slayerxxx213

One quick question...Am I going to hurt anything by having the endlinks overtightened at bit? When I put the stuff in I didn't know what brand they were and I had no instructions...Therefore I just tightened everything 'till it felt "good and tight". I've now found a link to instructions with the recommended torque specs so I plan on borrowing a torque wrench this weekend to go back and get everything tightened to spec, (and I'll probably grease the endlinks while I'm at it)...I just want to make sure I'm not hurting anything in the meantime if stuff is overtightened....

TobyZ28

you should be ok Theyre just squishied a bit more than they should be probably.

slayerxxx213

That's what I figured...When I put them in I was like, "Gee, I might be better of making things a little tighter vs. having everything fall apart on me." I guess the poly bushings are pretty tough too, so I figure they shouldn't crack or deform at all in a week. Thanks for the encouragement BTW, lol...Also while I'm at it: Anyone who is thinking of doing a swaybar upgrade I'd highly recommend it. The car feels so much more predictable in corners. Where as it used to break away and get all sloppy, it now transitions to oversteer alot more smoothly, progressively and predictably...I used to get a bit of a wiggle when it was getting towards it's limits and that has been reduced. On fast on ramps the difference is very noticable as the car doesn't, (for lack of a better word), keel over like a dying animal anymore, lol. Anyone looking for a noticeable improvement in handling should really consider it...

TobyZ28

I did shocks/stiffer springs/phb all at once... and then did a swaybar (35mm hollow) after. The swaybar was by FAR the biggest difference

wayfastwhitey

Endlinks are supposed to be torqued to 17 ft. lbs.

hot white z

32mm front is the same size as a stock 1le sway bar (pn 26032907).
21mm rear is the same size as a 1993 only 1le sway bar (pn 10021221).
Hollow is not stronger OR weaker than solid when it comes to sway bars.
Check out www.1le.net for some cool old articles and most of the info you could want on these parts. By the way, third-gen rear sway bars bolt up to fourth-gen cars just fine and they are larger than even the 1993 rear bar was...I like the way mine feels. Spark plug boot grease is also silicone, so if you don't want to order some silicone grease online and wait for shipping you could just roll over to NAPA and pick some up. Prothane vs Energy Suspension bushings is a moot point- urethane is urethane. I use Energy Suspension because it's available right on the shelf at my local Autozone. Hope this helps.
michael

Bud M

Not true. Aside from the fact that it can be easily demonstrated by doing the math, I've had both solid and hollow 35 mm bars on my car and there is clearly a difference.

menace6786

what sway bar do you like better?