JSkeet

what are the best **BUDGET** brand swaybars to use for Autocross Competition? My '94 Z is getting lots done to it before next spring's Autocross season begins and I want swaybars for sure.

Here's a short list of what'll be done to the suspension/chassis:
-Spohn Tubular Lower Control Arms and Relocation brackets
-Lakewood Adjustable Panhard bar
-boxed upper panhard bar
-Tubular Strut Tower Brace
-Tubular Subframe Connectors

I'll be keeping the factory shocks all the way around for the first season anyway. The car also might get a 4-point rollbar just at add some stiffness. (I dont really care if I have to chop the car up, a car is a car...)

I understand the hollow/solid swaybar differences. In theory, hollow would flex... solid wouldn't. Hollow weighs less, solid weighs more.

But what's the tried and true best bang for the **BUDGET** buck? I'll be looking to pick these items up either second hand or score some in a junkyard.

Thanks Fellas,

John

Camarorob1997

The shocks are the most important part of your suspension and the stocks are horriable.

Total budget swaybar would be just to do the 1le front.

What bushings are in those lower control arms? if there poly stay away.
Why reloaction brackets those will hurt your handling espically if your car isnt lowered.

JSkeet

I dont plan to lower the car... that changes too much geometry and I'm just not prepared to go that far.

why "stay away" from poly? Of course they're poly, they're aftermarket LCA's.

Camarorob1997

If your staying with stock springs(there great anyway) dont use relocation brackets that will hurt your handling. Poly bushings bind, LCA need to twist with the turn. If you really want to upgrade get Rod-ends otherwise just keep the stock ones.

Also the STB is just for looks really doesn't do to much.

The truth is the Shocks/Bars are the most important part of the suspension. Just doing these will make your car handle amazing.

Just do it right the first time, best investment.

94CamaroZ28

Might also want to read the class rules for Autocross. Some of your proposed mods put you in a class you CANNOT be competitive in. Want real world experience? Call Sam Strano, do whatever he tells you to.
I'd say his Autocross finishes speak for themselves.

OBE1 95Z28

Swaybars are a torsion spring, meaning that the important characteristic is its twisting properties. This is mostly a function of it's diameter. Therefore a hollow bar and a solid bar of the same diameter will perform nearly the same. Therefore go with the weight savings of the hollow bar.

As stated above, Sam Strano is an F-Body handling expert; consult him.

convertz

Plus a hollow bar will most likely be larger in diameter than a solid bar, still keeping the weight savings, but greatly increasing rigidity.

Sam Strano

Not only is a 1LE front not enough bar, NO 32mm front bar is enough bar.

You say "budget", I have no idea what that means, and it means different things to different people.

And further, most of the things on your list blow your budget idea out of the water. It's money spent on parts that are not helpful to the speed of the car, and a huge hit to your classing.

In short, you jumped the gun and bought parts before knowing what parts you really needed and now your wanting to save money on some of the most important parts on a handling car.

JSkeet

essentially... yeah... but I haven't spent much money yet and the parts I do have are fully functional for a 3rd gen (which i'll be getting a few years from now)

lead me in the right direction, that's why I posted, because I'm clueless.... everyone I know that mods their cars is all about straight line performance (not much fun in my opinion)... im just being a follower....

Sam Strano

I don't lead anyone in the right direction. First off, I really can't without details. And I kind of tried, with the response being the parts you have are functional for a future 3rd gen. Ok--they are, but not any more helpful than they are or aren't for a 4th gen. And isn't it a little bit silly to buy parts for a car you don't own, and don't help you with the car you do? And some of those parts don't work on the 3rd gen anyway.

Either your serious, or your not. I think you might be, but I'm not sure.

Regardless, I don't, and it's because I *can't*, do the work I do by way of e-mail and expect to get it right. I don't know what you know, what you have done, and/or what you understand.