Smitty1017

how much of a handling difference does a sway bar/springs/strut tower brace make?

i dont really like the way the car feels on the highway and at high speeds, feels like it floats around, would those things help for that, or does anyone make a 2.2l cobalt specific rack?

HickOverLOrd

I just got my springs on saturday and love them. The car "sticks" to the road and that will cure your floating problem easily. A sway bar prevents understeer and causes your car to have more oversteer. From what Ive heard, it makes your back end more planted.

Cobalt2.4ss/sc

yea i need a strut bar...i hear that u feel it when u first put on and then u dont even nottice..but with the strut bar and rear sway bar...thats a big difference..i hear from guys on the site....i guess i recommended both...

DarkCobalt13

I think springs make the biggest difference but if your looking for track performance, go with adjustable coilovers then swaybar set.

TurboTechRacing

iTrader: (24)

Sportlines makes a good improvement, however the Progress rear sway back and DC Sports front bar also work Awesome, between those 3 items your car will handle so much better.

YellowLT

I whole hell of a lot of differnce. I've spent more money on the suspension than going fast.

blktrax

TIRES!!

The #1 problem with the LS

either get some 225 50 15's on the steelies or get a wheel tire combo. Everything you want the car to do or how the car feels is translated through the tires.

Springs will lower the center of gravity (CG) making the car more stable.

Bars will keep the weight from shifint side to side as quickly (makes the car stay flatter during cornering) The front bar is a bit difficult to do.

Tires (optionaly wheels first)

Springs

Then Sway Bars

The Strut bar is nothing but bling, unless you have the supporting parts ot compliment it. Even then its only noticable under extreme cornering situations.

Sw4y1313

I agree. I put some HP 215/45/17's on my car and it made a world of difference. it was one of the best purchases i've made, besides the turbo... Handling greatly improved and so did my traction =P I can still break loose shifting from 2nd-3rd tho..

OrngBalt

tires and springs made a HUGE difference. I have sway bars and a strut bar on the way.

Black07LS

Why not get the 225 50 15's on light rims and not have as much rotating mass.

blktrax

Thats the racing thing to do, and most want the bling bling if they payin for wheels fo sho

I on the other hand am a cheap bastard. and see no reason to pay for something that i already have and works just fine.

OrngBalt

i went 205/50/16's.... much more lower profile and smaller wheels all round but it is an amazing difference

DrPuttsSS/SC

Click on the Crate Engine Depot link and then suspension. They show the difference between yours and the SS and SS/SC, with factory parts. You may not have the option but if you can drive/ride in someone elses' SS or SS/SC you can judge for yourself how much better they are.

If you don't like the way it "floats around" at high speed, springs would probably make the biggest diff. You can get used upgrade springs pretty cheap from guys here.
Low profile tires on larger diameter wheels will help with "float" too. With a shorter sidewall they don't have as much "give" and will also quicken your steering response.

Just my 2 cents, your reality may differ.

durka

i put my springs in the other day, sportsline. when i was going 90mph+ my car started bouncing out of control in the back. anyone one know why they would do this?
thanks.

Novajoe

I'd check and make sure all the bolts on the rear subframe are tight. Also check that the springs are properly seated. Kinda hard to diagnose a suspension problem like that over the net. Just make sure everything went back togeather the way it's supposed to.

XM15

I've got SS/SC springs, a strut bar, and a rear sway bar, and with those three things the car feels completely different around corners than it did when I first got the car. Definately get these mods; you won't regret it.

OrngBalt

XM did you put a front sway on as well? or just a rear?

bluebaltjim

tires should be #1 on your list, they're the only thing that acctually makes contact with the road. 215/45/17 is a great size for the LS, i went with 225/40/18 which is what the ss/sc comes with stock and even with light 18" wheels and fairly light tires you can really tell a difference because of the unsprung weight increase. as far as sway bars go whichever end of the car you put one on it will loose traction, for example stock LS front sway bar with the progress rear sway bar the understeer will dramatically decrease because the rear has lost traction due to the sway bar. any spring you put on will be stiffer than stock by differing degrees, and strut bars are really only helpful when you're throwing the car into corners.

XM15

I have a front strut bar. Is that different than a front sway?

If there is another handling mod out there to buy, I'm game.

g5mike

Do I have this correct,you are saying if I put on a rear sway bar without putting a front one on also,will cause the rear to lose traction

-NIVEK-

From what ive heard most are only doing the rear sway bar and not the front. Since the rear is stiffer now it will oversteer instead of understeer. Doing the front sway bar also is causing the car to understeer again. Yes with oversteer the rear end will loose traction easier.

bluebaltjim

that's correct, if you put one on the both the front and rear then both the front and rear will loose traction. sway bars tie the right and left sides of the suspension together and act to transfer some of the stress while turning which causes the car to corner flatter, at the same time it doesnt allow the suspension to articulate as it would if the sway bar wasnt there causing a loss of traction. for autocross the front bars are often removed entirely to allow for maximum articulation while under load.

OrngBalt

well I just got a front and rear sway in the mail and strut bar coming. I was going to wait to install the sways cuz i thought you need to do both at the same time.

bluebalt, since you seem to know alot about this, what would you think of putting on a rear sway and strut bar on a 2.2? I am already on prokit springs and better tires. This sound like a decent setup?

blktrax

And you'll have the same setup as mine; minus the front FE5 bar. positivly wonderful

OrngBalt

yea, i liked the sound of your setup.... i got a set of suspension technique front and rear sways... was gonna hold off on the front cuz of the crazy amount of work