Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension rear sway bar ?

So i recently switched to h&r's and i like the handeling alot but it still has a little too much understeer for my taste. My ? is If i switch to a bigger rear sway bar. How big can i go before i run into rear subframe prob's. I remember reading that people running the auzzie bar had to weld there rear subframe other wise it would break. But i dont remeber details. How big is a auzzie bar anyways? and who else makes a bigger rear sway bar? I also remeber hearing somewere pre 98's had bigger sway bars than a svt. Or was it reg. se's had bigger. Can someone clarefy all this confusion. And any other ideas to help reduce understeer, other than making the car stiffer than a f1 car. thanks

Aussie bar = 24mm hollow

I'm running a SCA 21mm bar, supposedly hardened to that of a 22mm equivalent. No longer produced.

BAT makes a 21mm bar as well.

SVT bar = 18 or 19mm
95-97 SE Bar = 19mm

I have not torn my subrame apart but I could definitely see it happening as I would continually bend the stock brackets. When they bend the bar can move a significant amount and you get the dreaded CLUNK. Basically your bar moves the bracket and then as it unloads CRACK metal bracket slamming itself aginst the stock bracket. I think this scenario is what weakens the stock mounts and breaks em.

I upgraded to Prothane brackets and grooved bushings. I used the stock mount. I used the stock bolt on one end and then headed to the hardware store for some quality washers, bolts, and lock nuts. I placed a washer on the top, wedged bolt into the hole the stock bracket slides into and through the Prothane bracket. Placed another beefy washer and ran a nylon thread lock nut up. Tigthened it down and have been running problem free for 18+ months now. I check them ever 3-months or so to ensure its not bending and no clunk has been heard.

Its ghetto rigged but it works like a champ! Use Marine Synthetic grease (Wal-mart) $1-$2/tube on the bushings and you should be OK for squeaks as well. Non-grooved bushings dont hold the grease well.
I have not autocrossed my car but I'm certainly not babying it on Mountian drives or tight corners on the street.

Perhaps the car has less flex/roll because I'm on Eibachs/Koni's and that helps prevent the stock bar from traveling as much as it would on a stock set-up.

Hope that helps!

There are a few aussie bars in the classifieds for sale. You best mod the rear sway bar mounts though before installing it.

I have a local muffler guy that is real good with a welder. Is this something any decent welder could do?

I completely redid mine in about 2 hours. I have picks I could email you if you wanted. I modeled mine off of the ATI modded subframes

Biggerss@-removemefirst-msu.edu Pleaseeeee....

Ok here is the link to the page where I got my pics to do this mod from.
ATI subframe

It's from the archives and mine is almost identical. I just made my mounts longer for more strength. It's an easy mod to do for any welder

Woohoo, someone is viewing my pictures! Maybe this online community thing really can be a useful, collaborative effort after all.

Fmr12B
do you happen to know what kind/size of bushing/end links I need for the 24mm Aussie bar. The Aussie was already installed when I bought the car and the bushings/end links appear to be shot. I called Summit Racing today and they wanted to know sizes of each. They claimed to not know what the Aussie was.

Thanks,
-ds5192