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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 1994 - 1995 Specific Tech

Factory sway bars vs after market

  • Thread starter Thread starter acpowell
  • Start date Start date Aug 13, 2018

acpowell

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Aug 13, 2018
#1
  • Aug 13, 2018
  • #1
Is there a big difference between the factory sway bars on my 95 GT Convertible and aftermarket ones?
 

VibrantRedGT

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#2
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #2
It'll make things a bit tighter is that's what you're looking for but might not be enough to feel street driving. You'll need to pull G's so if you're road racing or AutoX it will help.

Here a chart from Steeda's website of their aftermarket bars vs. stock.

Notice the GT front sway bar on a GT is 27MM and a Cobra 25MM.

Untitled by https://www.flickr.com/photos/143276860@N04/, on Flickr
 
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acpowell

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May 16, 2018
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#3
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #3
This is exactly what I wanted to know. I am not going to race/autox/or drive like a crazy person. I just want to make sure I am getting rid of as much body roll as I can with out making my wife complain about how stiff the ride is. It seems like I will be leaving the factory bars on.

Thank you VibrantRedGT!!
 

VibrantRedGT

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#4
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #4
acpowell said:
This is exactly what I wanted to know. I am not going to race/autox/or drive like a crazy person. I just want to make sure I am getting rid of as much body roll as I can with out making my wife complain about how stiff the ride is. It seems like I will be leaving the factory bars on.

Thank you VibrantRedGT!!
Click to expand...

Most people leave the stock sway bars on, they are quite big on our cars.

If you haven't changed the sway bar bushings and sway bar end links I'd do it now. I"m going to Steeda on Saturday to buy these two items as mine are torn, rotted and falling apart on my project car.

This will get the slop out, put some stiffness in but not lose your fillings harsh.

I'm on a suspension bushing changing spree right now. If you've seen my project car YouTube videos you know what I mean.
 

acpowell

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#5
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #5
VibrantRedGT said:
Most people leave the stock sway bars on, they are quite big on our cars.

If you haven't changed the sway bar bushings and sway bar end links I'd do it now. I"m going to Steeda on Saturday to buy these two items as mine are torn, rotted and falling apart on my project car.

This will get the slop out, put some stiffness in but not lose your fillings harsh.

I'm on a suspension bushing changing spree right now. If you've seen my project car YouTube videos you know what I mean.
Click to expand...

I will have to check it out. Right now the wife wants me to just replace things that we know should be, like plugs and wires and what not, before I go upgrading. Since I don't have to by bars, I will have a look at the bushings and make sure they are in good shape. At some point I know I will need to do shocks and struts since they have never been replaced and it is 23 years old. It was well taken care of by the original owner but I am sure it could use the change/upgrade.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
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Aug 15, 2018
#6
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #6
Keep in mind that sway bars are really a tuning item. Their stiffness front and rear can make a difference in how the car handles and if it has excessive oversteer, neutral, or understeer. For instance, if your car tends to understeer when pushed hard, adding a stiffer rear bar can reduce grip in the rear slightly allowing the car to feel more neutral in a turn.

Reducing body roll is really a combination of all parts working together.
 

VibrantRedGT

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#7
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #7
acpowell said:
I will have to check it out. Right now the wife wants me to just replace things that we know should be, like plugs and wires and what not, before I go upgrading. Since I don't have to by bars, I will have a look at the bushings and make sure they are in good shape. At some point I know I will need to do shocks and struts since they have never been replaced and it is 23 years old. It was well taken care of by the original owner but I am sure it could use the change/upgrade.
Click to expand...


You and me brother, my struts and shocks are going too but I'm doing bushings for now.

Here is the link to the YouTube Episodes since we've first purchased the 94GT.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_wzVv1hR_k-vCqoY7yPm1Q?view_as=subscriber
 

acpowell

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Aug 15, 2018
#8
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #8
Since we got onto the topic of shocks and struts is there a good way a beginner (me) can tell if they are bad or going bad?
 

VibrantRedGT

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#9
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #9
acpowell said:
Since we got onto the topic of shocks and struts is there a good way a beginner (me) can tell if they are bad or going bad?
Click to expand...

If they are really the stock 24 year old units there's no sense trying to figure if they are good, I can assure you they are bad.

You can do KYB struts and shocks which are a tad better than stock like this for $180-ish.
Front https://www.summitracing.com/parts/kyb-235060/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang
Rear https://www.summitracing.com/parts/kyb-344433/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang

I'm going this route for $341-ish.
https://www.steeda.com/koni-mustang-str.t-street-shock-and-strut-pack-94-04-279-9404-strt.html

If you want to go stock $150-ish.
Front https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gab-g55681/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang
Rear https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gab-14039/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang
 

acpowell

Member
May 16, 2018
23
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Michigan
Aug 15, 2018
#10
  • Aug 15, 2018
  • #10
VibrantRedGT said:
If they are really the stock 24 year old units there's no sense trying to figure if they are good, I can assure you they are bad.

You can do KYB struts and shocks which are a tad better than stock like this for $180-ish.
Front https://www.summitracing.com/parts/kyb-235060/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang
Rear https://www.summitracing.com/parts/kyb-344433/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang

I'm going this route for $341-ish.
https://www.steeda.com/koni-mustang-str.t-street-shock-and-strut-pack-94-04-279-9404-strt.html

If you want to go stock $150-ish.
Front https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gab-g55681/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang
Rear https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gab-14039/overview/year/1994/make/ford/model/mustang
Click to expand...

I was thinking that, I had been looking at the Koni and I was looking at these Eibachs : http://www.americanmuscle.com/eibach-shocks-7904v8.html
 

VibrantRedGT

"STANGNET'S PENGUIN SMACKER"
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#11
  • Aug 16, 2018
  • #11
acpowell said:
I was thinking that, I had been looking at the Koni and I was looking at these Eibachs : http://www.americanmuscle.com/eibach-shocks-7904v8.html
Click to expand...

Have no experience with Eibach, I don't even run their springs. I think they are pricey. Better off going with the Koni for a few hundred bucks less or spend another hundred more and get Billstein.
 
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