LT Sway Bar upgrade

[donnkesterjr]

I've been reading around trying to find a good upgrade for the sway bars, but I've run into 2 problems that I could use some help with.

2006 Cobalt LT
Auto tranny (wife refuses to learn stick, and it's a shared vehicle)

My two problems are this:

1) I keep getting different numbers from different people about the stock size of the front & rear sway bars. So what are the stock sizes? I want these to compare aftermarket ones as to their increased stiffness vs. costs.

2) I see people selling rear sway bars for the LT/LS/base models, but I've also seen a lot of people talking where it sounds like the rear bars are actually welded into the suspension, rather than bolted on. Is this true? I'd rather not modify the suspension, just to upgrade it.

Thanks.

 

[BankDude]

front sway bar for base model is probably like 14mm, something small like that... just get an SS/SC sway bar, they're 24 or 25mm and handle immensely. but you're going to have to drop the engine cradle a bit to get the stock one out and the new one in. you'll also have to get new bushings and sway bar end links. there is NO stock rear sway bar, there's what's called a "torsion" bar. it acts as a wimpy sway bar sorta.. turbo tech racing makes a nice 25mm rear sway bar, i have it... it's pretty sweet for the price. it uses 4 bolts and no modification to any suspension parts at all, just better handling

 

[donnkesterjr]

front sway bar for base model is probably like 14mm, something small like that... just get an SS/SC sway bar, they're 24 or 25mm and handle immensely. but you're going to have to drop the engine cradle a bit to get the stock one out and the new one in. you'll also have to get new bushings and sway bar end links. there is NO stock rear sway bar, there's what's called a "torsion" bar. it acts as a wimpy sway bar sorta.. turbo tech racing makes a nice 25mm rear sway bar, i have it... it's pretty sweet for the price. it uses 4 bolts and no modification to any suspension parts at all, just better handling

Would the rear Eibach work the same way? I know it's a little pricer, but I've worked with Eibachs before, so it may just be a brand preference.

 

[dman090]

Would the rear Eibach work the same way? I know it's a little pricer, but I've worked with Eibachs before, so it may just be a brand preference.

Turbo tech racings rear bar is very nice and easy to install. I would Recommend it! but if you want the eibach, it installs the exact same way.

you can actually see my TTR rear bar in the middle picture in my sig!

 

[BankDude]

Eibach has had a reputation for rear bars breaking on our cars... Just buy a stock SS/sc front bar and either a Ttr or a Powell rear bar

 

[donnkesterjr]

Eibach has had a reputation for rear bars breaking on our cars... Just buy a stock SS/sc front bar and either a Ttr or a Powell rear bar

I read about that problem as well, but I also read that they redesigned the rear bar.

Have you had a problem with the TTR rear bar breaking at the welds? I've seen a few people have that issue.

 

[BankDude]

I haven't had any issues with mine, I've heard that also. If he doesn't mind spending sub 300, I would suggest a Powell rear bar, they are the best produced for our cars, one solid bar, no welds at all

 

[donnkesterjr]

I don't need anything quite that extreme. It's a DD more than anything. I use it to deliver pizzas in, as well as my wife driving it.

I would get better mileage by being able to take more speed into turns, thus not making me reaccelerate as much, and my wife will be less likely to flip it by taking turns too fast.

But back to the OP, is the rear torsion bar bolted in so I just do a simple remove/replace, or is the new one bolted in to work in conjunction with the torsion bar?

I can't seem to find good instructions for the rear bar anywhere, but I've found about 5 different methods to swapping the front one.

 

[BankDude]

it's an addition to the torsion bar. the torsion bar does not come out. every rear sway bar for our car has 4 bolts that go right into the rear control arms. holes are already predrilled from the factory, so absolutely no customization necessary, just 4 bolts and you're done

 

[donnkesterjr]

Gotcha, and thanks a lot. With this info, I can move forward with getting new sway bars.