2 Front Sway Bars?

[Ski Bum]

I have a 1990 GSX that i have been using for parts on my 91 GSX. I noticed today that the 90 had 2 front sway bars. One is in the factory position, above the control arms and close to the chasis. The second is mounted on the under side of the control arms and just under the exhaust pipe between. The lower sway bar is mounted with polyurethane bushings at the control arms and the "U" type sway bar clamps on the subframe on either side of the exhaust and transfer case.

What is the deal with that, I have never seen multiple sway bars before. Is that something common with the GSX?

I took some pictures today, ignore the grease EVERYWHERE, its my parts car

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Is it a lower arm bar that mounts like a sway bar? It has some level of flex because of the bushings.

 

[Defiant]

Your car had been used on a farm.
No, that's not a usual solution. Are you certain it's actually a sway (anti-roll) bar?

 

[playitlouddsm]

Picture might be nice in this situation.

 

[IHeartTurbo]

I have a 90 parts car and it definitely doesn't have two front sway bars.

 

[Ski Bum]

It is definitley not a stock sway bar, nor are the mounting bolts or bushings.

I'll get a picture up later on.

 

[FORMONTOYA]

propbably a lower tie bar like rre sells, although i thought the 1g awd did not need one. but then again, unless you are really pushing it on track, none do.


jim

 

[Ski Bum]

I just added some pictures.

 

[mavisky]

Wow, that's definitely a front sway bar in addition to the stock one. I've never seen that done before. I'm going to guess that this car plows like a friggin snow truck in the corners?

 

[oldman]

That's an aftermarket sway bar, I have the same setup but mine is clean.

BTW, you need to change the bushings, pepboys sells them.

 

[Ski Bum]

Wow, that's definitely a front sway bar in addition to the stock one. I've never seen that done before. I'm going to guess that this car plows like a friggin snow truck in the corners?

Youre probably right but I never had the car running long enough to hit any hard corners. I also never had it running with fully functional power steering but it did however have pretty responsive steering.

It seems to me like having two bars, both with different endlinks and bushing materials would create different deflection chracteristics that really wouldnt help handling. Turn in could be a dual stage process

 

[Ski Bum]

That's an aftermarket sway bar, I have the same setup but my is clean.

BTW, you need to change the bushings, pepboys sells them.

So should the lower bar be a replacement for the stock bar or an addition?

Without a proper rear setup would'nt that cause the front end to push like crazy?

 

[oldman]

I'm no expert in suspension yet but I can tell it it's like night and day with the bar. Remove it and take a real hard turn then put it back on with new bushings and take that same hard turn and you will see.

 

[Ski Bum]

I'm no expert in suspension yet but I can tell it it's like night and day with the bar. Remove it and take a real hard turn then put it back on with new bushings and take that same hard turn and you will see.

Oldman, who makes the bar you have? You said it looks similar to the grease covered one I have? I did pull a Suspension Techiniques rear sway bar from that same car, could it be the same?

 

[oldman]

Oldman, who makes the bar you have?

I do not know, someone put it in for me 10 years ago before I even knew what "DSM" mean.

You said it looks similar to the grease covered one I have?

No, the bottom rusty one.

I did pull a Suspension Techiniques rear sway bar from that same car, could it be the same?

Very possible, have you check their website?

 

[Ski Bum]

hmm.. I may have to locate some new bushings for that and try it out

 

[mavisky]

Suspension techniques offers a front and rear sway bar. Judging by the size of that front bar I'd assume this person ordered both bars and that the thin bar with the urethane bushings is designed to supplement the factory front bar as opposed to replacing it. I ordered only the rear bar on my car otherwise I could possibly be more help here .

 

[Defiant]

That's one of the most bizarre setups I've ever seen. Well, other than a Rover front end, anyway.
The rule of thumb I've heard is that a sway (antiroll) bar reduces effective cornering traction at the end of the car it's not mounted on. I'm very curious what that setup would feel like.
I suspect there may be an obvious reason why it's not often seen.

 

[mavisky]

To remove the rear bar leaving only the 2 front's would to me seemingly create an understeering monster. That's why I went with only the upgraded rear bar on my fwd to help put the rear to better use so that I can adjust the rest of my suspension to utilize that extra rear grip.

 

[Ski Bum]

Once I get some new bushings for the mounts I'll run a comparrison between the stock setup and the dual setup and post back here on the differences.

 

[Justiven]

That's a Suspension Techniques add-on sway bar. I just installed one last night. At first, I had some confusion as to whether or not it supplements the stock sway bar, or if it completely replaces it. After calling Suspension Techniques, I found that it is to supplement the stock bar. You probably don't see this setup too often because most people are more likely to purchase the rear bar alone than purchase a front bar and rear bar.

 

[underradar92]

The rule of thumb I've heard is that a sway (antiroll) bar reduces effective cornering traction at the end of the car it's not mounted on.
.

I may be shooting myself in the foot here, but are you sure you got that quote right? That is contrary to everything I've ever heard/seen/read.