Chevy 13 Didn't do anything ?? Did you drive it?? That stationary bar is a torsion bar, it twists under load, the swaybar fortifies that reducing body roll. One would have to go a little over 5miles an hour to feel the benifits , but not much.

 

I drove it over 40 miles to work. I highly doubt that steel crossmember connecting the two sides together twists under load. If it did, there would be a problem.

 

Our rear suspension is a torsion beam design that is designed to work semi-independently, meaning one side of the suspension can flex and give a small amount before the other compresses. The stock suspension does have a sway bar but, by design, it flexes a lot because most people like softer suspensions. Its not as rigid as you think. I don't get what you mean by sway bars move and absorb. They are meant to compress the opposite suspension to keep the car flatter in turns allowing it to handle better. The TTR sway bar does a very good job of this. I am flabbergasted you cannot feel the difference. I even took it off for a day when I put in my new springs and the body roll made it feel like a van. Go take a few corners faster than you normally do or some hard low speed turns with and with out the sway bar. No way you could tell us that you don't notice a difference in car handling.

 

hhrfreek is correct. A sway bar also known as an anti-roll bar or stabilizer bar is not supposed to bend or twist under load. If it did it would kind of defeat the purpose. There was an earlier post suggesting that the TTR sway bar is made of mild steel and therefore more prone to bending, of course this means bending is bad. There may be more high performance related ones out there but seeing as I am not track racing I am very happy with my TTR. Try a few more on and off ramps and increase your speed after the apex of the corner. It should make you smile. If not remove it and repeat.

 

I'm not saying they bend, but they do move. They usually connect the frame to the suspension and have the ability to move. I will try more out later

 

Sway bar made a big difference here...... Not an SS but it is the same suspension type. They do work.

 

I'll think traction bars would be my next step.

 

I just installed my TTR sway bar last Wednesday and I felt a instant difference one I took a turn. Way better feeling, and today my upper TTR mount arrived and from what I've read looks like I'm gonna be happy with it. So IMO TTR sway bar and upper engine mount is the way to go. Cheap and easy to install compared to other upgrades. Worth it I think.

 

I am not aware of the type of sway bars you are used to. If you wanted them to move, that would defeat the purpose.

If you think the bar on these is big, I won't show you the ones on my corvette (mounted to what appear to the naked eye as a non-moving metal component). The one on the top of my Eclipse also is not your cup of tea, that runs from front shock mounting post to the other shock mounting post, across the top of the engine bay.


Sorry to inform, metal does indeed shift and twist when torque is applied.
How far is the issue and the questions is "how much do you want to allow?"

 

JeramieJJ: I think the bar running from one strut tower to the other is called a "strut brace" and not a sway bar. Keeps the strut towers from flexing. Just so you know.
Now, about this sway bar, twist beam rear suspension[all HHr's have], debate.
Sway bars and twist beam suspensions both twist, one side up the other side down. It's what makes them work.
The easy solution to this, is to Google "How a sway bar works", and it will explain in detail how a sway bar works, and it's intended purpose, without all the B.S. debate back and forth.
I personally have a 1 1/4" "Harcore" rear sway bar installed, and believe me it works far better than a stock SS, in a very hard turn, or any turn for that matter. I do some autocross from time to time, and so far the only limiting factor in a balls out turn, is tire grip, and how big your "stones" are. Anyone that can't tell the difference, does'nt need a sway bar anyway. Maybe a set of training wheels.