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Home > Performance Mods > Suspension & Brakes > Strut Bar vs Sway Bar

Strut Bar vs Sway Bar

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WangeR
Orlando
Florida, US
  • Tech Advisor
 Couple questions for you guys.

1. What's the difference between a sway bar and strut bar?
2. What aspect of handling do each component help in handling?
3. Which brand of sway bars and strut bars are best for the price and performance.

Thanks in advance!

[#] Jun 27, 2006 08:13am
kurker
  • Tire Changer
 1. An anti-sway bar ties the left and right suspension together. In the case of our car the mounting points are called endlinks. On the front suspension the endlinks are mounted on the strut. On the rear the endlinks are mounted to the control arm. An anti-sway bar reduces body roll by transfering load from the compressed side of the car to the decompressed side.

A strut tie bar provides more triangulation of a cars chassis, thereby reducing chassis flex. Most of the comercially available strut tie bars for the tC mount between the two strut towers. This doesn't provide much resitance to chassis flex because out strut towers are very close to the firewall. In the rear of the tC a strut tie bar is damn near useless.

2. Anti-sways reduce the amount of roll a car has in a corner. Strut tie bars reduce chassis flex durring cornering.

3. I recomend the Hotchkis anti-sway bars. They are great bars. Do not waste your money on a strut tie bar. I have one, I have autocrossed with it on and I have autocrossed with it off. It doesn't make an improvement. I keep it on as underhood bling.

[#] Jun 27, 2006 05:30pm
GReddyTC
Carlsbad
New Mexico, US
  • Master Mechanic
 well put!! On some cars strut tie bars are useful, for example the rear one on my wrx wagon but on this car the strut tops in the front are right by the firewall and in the rear they are on the body metal.

[#] Jun 27, 2006 05:40pm
HUNT
  • Detailer
 Excellent answer and great question.

Thanks!

[#] Jun 27, 2006 05:40pm
WangeR
Orlando
Florida, US
  • Tech Advisor
 Thanks for the reply!

Still a little confused, what's the difference between roll and chassis flex?

[#] Jun 27, 2006 08:24pm
SquallLHeart
  • The Techie
 when you turn into a corner... roll is when your car is leaning outward during the turn.

let's just say you'll notice the difference if you add a sway bar vice a strut bar.. ok?

[#] Jun 28, 2006 02:08am
kurker
  • Tire Changer
WangeR wrote:
Thanks for the reply!

Still a little confused, what's the difference between roll and chassis flex?


Take a Tupperware container that is rectangular in shape. Hold it by the two short ends and rotate them in opposite directions. That is what a car does durring a trun or when the car hits a bump in the road. Some cars flex more than others. The tC is a reasonably ridgid car for not really having a roof.

To demonstrate roll hop in a lifted Jeep and go a round a sharp turn quickly.

[#] Jun 28, 2006 06:06am
Jason
  • Oil Changer
kurker wrote:
A strut tie bar provides more triangulation of a cars chassis, thereby reducing chassis flex. Most of the comercially available strut tie bars for the tC mount between the two strut towers. This doesn't provide much resitance to chassis flex because out strut towers are very close to the firewall. In the rear of the tC a strut tie bar is damn near useless.



Ingalls makes a four point rear strut bar which works very well and makes a noticeable difference. I would recommend getting it after getting new sway bars.

[#] Jun 28, 2006 06:18am
WangeR
Orlando
Florida, US
  • Tech Advisor
 Thanks everyone for clearing things up!

[#] Jun 28, 2006 07:01am
kurker
  • Tire Changer
Jason wrote:
Ingalls makes a four point rear strut bar which works very well and makes a noticeable difference. I would recommend getting it after getting new sway bars.


What this thing?!?!?!? I have seen how it mounts into a tC. The engineering behind this looks sketchy at best. The two mounts that go closer to the end of the car will do nothing to add stiffness. The only triangulation the is happening here is in the wrong plane. The whole thing needs to be rotated 90° for it to add any type of benefit. Please do not waste $304.12 on this paperweight.

[#] Jun 28, 2006 03:47pm
Jason
  • Oil Changer
kurker wrote:
Jason wrote:
Ingalls makes a four point rear strut bar which works very well and makes a noticeable difference. I would recommend getting it after getting new sway bars.


What this thing?!?!?!? I have seen how it mounts into a tC. The engineering behind this looks sketchy at best. The two mounts that go closer to the end of the car will do nothing to add stiffness. The only triangulation the is happening here is in the wrong plane. The whole thing needs to be rotated 90° for it to add any type of benefit. Please do not waste $304.12 on this paperweight.


Yes that is what I'm talking about. I have it in my car and I notice a difference. You are entitled to your own opinion but at least try it out before you pass judgement. Everyone who has the bar agrees that it makes a difference Reviews. Also I got it for $165 not $305. Here's a link where they have it for $175 Rear Strut Brace. Again you can do whatever you want, but for me it was a good purchase and is definitely not a paperweight.

[#] Jun 29, 2006 06:19am
GReddyTC
Carlsbad
New Mexico, US
  • Master Mechanic
Jason wrote:
kurker wrote:
Jason wrote:
Ingalls makes a four point rear strut bar which works very well and makes a noticeable difference. I would recommend getting it after getting new sway bars.


What this thing?!?!?!? I have seen how it mounts into a tC. The engineering behind this looks sketchy at best. The two mounts that go closer to the end of the car will do nothing to add stiffness. The only triangulation the is happening here is in the wrong plane. The whole thing needs to be rotated 90° for it to add any type of benefit. Please do not waste $304.12 on this paperweight.


Yes that is what I'm talking about. I have it in my car and I notice a difference. You are entitled to your own opinion but at least try it out before you pass judgement. Everyone who has the bar agrees that it makes a difference Reviews. Also I got it for $165 not $305. Here's a link where they have it for $175 Rear Strut Brace. Again you can do whatever you want, but for me it was a good purchase and is definitely not a paperweight.


Do you have any evidence of this? Before and after testing besides how it 'feels'? Like better lap times? skidpad? slalom? Just curious?

[#] Jun 29, 2006 06:28am
Jason
  • Oil Changer
GReddyTC wrote:
Jason wrote:
kurker wrote:
Jason wrote:
Ingalls makes a four point rear strut bar which works very well and makes a noticeable difference. I would recommend getting it after getting new sway bars.


What this thing?!?!?!? I have seen how it mounts into a tC. The engineering behind this looks sketchy at best. The two mounts that go closer to the end of the car will do nothing to add stiffness. The only triangulation the is happening here is in the wrong plane. The whole thing needs to be rotated 90° for it to add any type of benefit. Please do not waste $304.12 on this paperweight.


Yes that is what I'm talking about. I have it in my car and I notice a difference. You are entitled to your own opinion but at least try it out before you pass judgement. Everyone who has the bar agrees that it makes a difference Reviews. Also I got it for $165 not $305. Here's a link where they have it for $175 Rear Strut Brace. Again you can do whatever you want, but for me it was a good purchase and is definitely not a paperweight.


Do you have any evidence of this? Before and after testing besides how it 'feels'? Like better lap times? skidpad? slalom? Just curious?


One of the guys in the scionlife thread went autocrossing with and I think has some proof. The only thing I have is how it feels. sorry :mrgreen:

[#] Jun 29, 2006 11:09am
kurker
  • Tire Changer
 Honestly I place no stock in feels. The placebo affect is far too strong. You think it makes the car faster so it must BE faster. I would be convinced only by skidpad Gs and slalom speeds. You are not hurting anything by adding this bar. But for the cost and the wieght I do not think it is worth it.

[#] Jun 29, 2006 08:54pm
Jason
  • Oil Changer
kurker wrote:
Honestly I place no stock in feels. The placebo affect is far too strong. You think it makes the car faster so it must BE faster. I would be convinced only by skidpad Gs and slalom speeds. You are not hurting anything by adding this bar. But for the cost and the wieght I do not think it is worth it.


I can respect that.

[#] Jun 30, 2006 06:10am

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