Ok, I have done the search thing, but no-one has seemed to have summed up the question - What is the best type of bar/brace to put in if you are only going to put in one. eg. Front strut brace? or rear sway bar etc...?

I only have enough money and am only willing to fork out to get one of these handling improvers as I have super lows front and lows rear with monroe GT Gas all-round and it just doesn't "stick" to the road the way I would like it to.

Which one would give the best benefit with my setup?

Edit: and oh, tis a TJ 3.5

I'd say go the rear sway bar. As the fronts are so close to the firewall the design of the engine bay etc already gives a lot of bracing for the front wheels.
just my uneducated opinion tho.

Peace

Tim

Thanks stimulate :D

that's what I was thinking, also the fact that it's front wheel drive, bracing the back will make it stick a little better i'd imagine. Won't slide out as much. just a guess?

Still open to opinions..

i was alwasy advised that its IRS for a reason, and so dont put a rear sway bar in.. best upgrade i would say is a heavier front sway bar..

Depends. If you wanted the big rear sway bar (22mm?) then I would go for the front strut brace instead.
Reason: The 22mm bar is so stiff that a large amount of the improvement may be lost due to the front strut towers flexing. Remember a 22mm bar can lift up your inside rear wheel!

If you were going to get a 20mm rear sway bar, I'd go the rear swaybar. Not as firm, and wouldn't lose too much performance.

My opinion only.

I believe that after lowered springs, a front strut brace is the next best thing (bang for your buck wise).

if you dont agree, you can all get fugged..... lol

I dont agree, a good swaybar setup is essential for good handling.
Thats only my opinion, but you can get ****ed anyway :D

From what I understand - they both have quite different effects.

Strutbrace will reduce have the most noticable effect on eliminating torque steer. While a rear sway bar will actually improve handling mostly by reducing body roll.

Thats as I understand it anyway.

From what I understand - they both have quite different effects.

Strutbrace will reduce have the most noticable effect on eliminating torque steer. While a rear sway bar will actually improve handling mostly by reducing body roll.

Thats as I understand it anyway.

Most noticeable effect of a strut brace will be reducing understeer, not torque steer, that's a lesser benefit.

A rear swaybar on both IRS and beam axle systems, will reduce understeer through increasing oversteer.

A front strut brace will reduce understeer slightly though hard cornering, by more limiting the amount of strut tower flex (proximity to firewall has nothing to do with it).

IMHO the best upgrade if you can only get one, is the rear swaybar. After springs and dampers, it is the single more effective upgrade in a FWD car. I would then follow with a front strut brace, then front swaybar, and fitting camber pins, urethane bushes etc.

I'd go front strut brace

A rear swaybar on both IRS and beam axle systems, will reduce understeer through increasing oversteer.

A front strut brace will reduce understeer slightly though hard cornering, by more limiting the amount of strut tower flex (proximity to firewall has nothing to do with it).

IMHO the best upgrade if you can only get one, is the rear swaybar. After springs and dampers, it is the single more effective upgrade in a FWD car. I would then follow with a front strut brace, then front swaybar, and fitting camber pins, urethane bushes etc.


Most noticeable effect of a strut brace will be reducing understeer, not torque steer, that's a lesser benefit.

My thoughts also, but from my experiance on other cars, not magnas. Cant be much different however.

I've got both rear sway and front strut and have tested one without the other. Definitely go the rear sway bar if your car doesn't already have one.

Thanks for the help guys, definately food for thought. Seems to be such a hairy one with so many different opinions, I spose it boils down to how you drive in the end as to what will benefit you more...?

I have taken it all in and will make a decision at some stage im sure, thanks again!

Isn't the stock front sway bar thick enough on these cars? I have an 02 ES and I had consider swapping out not only the rear sway bar but also the front. I trhink it was on this forum I was told that the stock front sway bar was good enough on these vehicles. Instead the advice given to me was to go for the strut brace for the reasons mentioned before and the rear sway bar.

These two items along with the Eibach springs made a huge difference in the handling of the car.

If you've already got Super Lows and Monroe GT gas, your ride should be Very flat already... if you are still understeering into and out of corners, prehaps you need better Tyres! Sway bars and Strut braces are only fine tuning equipment....

Better tyres than I do?.... Pffft, I doubt that!!! :nuts:

Bridgestone RE92's on a nice set of steelies with ADVANCE (not standard executive)polished plastic hubs :2cool: .

I challange anybody on this forum to have a better set up than that!

And they are 15". I mean, the tyres are nearly brand new! :nuts:

And they are 15". I mean, the tyres are nearly brand new! :nuts:

What problems do you have at the moment anyway? does it not turn flat enough around corners or does it understeer or what????

Tyres make a big difference, RE92 is great for a passenger car that isn't being pushed to the limits all the time, but when you work it, it will over heat quickly and it is med to hard compound as compared to most sports tyres, soft compound.

You can only improve your handling so much with Braces and Bars, but if you don't find the root cause, those fine tuning tools won't do you any good.

Thanks for the help mate!

Oh and I was joking about the tyres by the way... They were new when I bought the car so I decided to let them ride until I need a new set....Then bring on the 18's and some decent sports tyres. I also got 1 degree negative camber on the fronts to try and expediate that wearing process when I got it lowered and alligned :D

The car rolls a little too much for my liking. It just doesn't seem to have the "on rails" feeling that other cars I have been in have.?

I for one wouldn't want a car that "handles like it's on rails" Only trains and trams should handle on rails; cars should go where you steer it.

If your issue is with bodyroll; after replacing worn springs/dampers, swaybars are the FIRST item that should be addressed.

Exactly!

Wasn't talking so literally mate. I just mean when I turn a corner there should be no body roll!

I've got both rear sway and front strut and have tested one without the other. Definitely go the rear sway bar if your car doesn't already have one.

Very good comment. No guessing and Immathinkaso, but pure simple test. :cool:

Better tyres than I do?.... Pffft, I doubt that!!! :nuts:
Bridgestone RE92's on a nice set of steelies with ADVANCE (not standard executive)polished plastic hubs :2cool: .
I challange anybody on this forum to have a better set up than that!

I don't think anyone here can contest that (amount of slipping and sliding that is... :bowrofl: ).
And if you are waiting for RE92s to wear out, you'll be changing your engine before that.
Now, since we are on the subject of tyres - burn those ones!!! And buy Bob's All Rounders, they're even better (has to be, Aussie made!) :confused:

Yeah I have heard quite alot of good things about those! And they are australian made which I am sure most people look for when buying performance tyres...Whats wth these italian ****ty tyres, i mean pirelli? what kind of a name is that for a performance tyre? Or asian tyres, made in chop shops... Somitumo, Yokohama pfffft :bowrofl: what a joke!
I say a good old aussie made set of Bob's 195/70/R15...B-E-A-UTIFUL!!!

In fact, what am I waiting for....*grabs wallet and dissapears off into the distance*

i've had the front strut brace in now for over 1 month. swear by it. improves handling, braking. reduces torque steer.

Well from what I noticed the most...
Strut Brace = Heaps less torque stear, better stearing response at speed.
Then adding a whiteline fixed sway bar later = much more stable at speed when on bends. The back doesn't seem to bounce around (or kinda like wobble around) as much now. Most noticeable on the highway at 100k/hr, when there are bends and the road level varies a lot. (eg: Gateway motorway on the northside of Brisbane).

A rear swaybar on both IRS and beam axle systems, will reduce understeer through increasing oversteer.

A front strut brace will reduce understeer slightly though hard cornering, by more limiting the amount of strut tower flex (proximity to firewall has nothing to do with it).

IMHO the best upgrade if you can only get one, is the rear swaybar. After springs and dampers, it is the single more effective upgrade in a FWD car. I would then follow with a front strut brace, then front swaybar, and fitting camber pins, urethane bushes etc.
I 100% AGREE couldn't have put it better. :D

if your car is not a vx/vr or sports then i would definately put my money in the rear swaybar, then front strut brace
rear sway bar is going to make the rear end sit flatter under cornering, making it feel more stable and predictable. a sway bar works by "pulling" the inside wheel downwards and towards the centre of the car under lateral load (reducing body roll)
If you can afford both, do it. But if its one or the other than swaybar is the way to go lol