Anti-Roll Bars... HR vs. ATR vs. ?

[~JM~]

Anyone familiar with the performance of both the HR & the ATR bars? Is there another option that should be considered also?

The HR bar strikes me as possibly being more specific to 1/4 mile launch, while the ATR might be better at cornering. Is the HR good for corners also?

Thanks.

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

For handling it’s important to have the front and rear sway bars matched.
If you had a front sway bar matched to either the HR bar or the ATR bar either would work for handling.
However, being the HR bar is very large and chassis mounted (very effective at controlling body roll, very stiff) I don’t think there is a front sway bar that’s big enough to match, making it more 1/4 mi. oriented.

The ATR rear sway bar is mounted to the lower control arms making it less effective and a pretty good match for the stock front sway bar, of course tire widths, tread compound and air pressure play a part as well.
If you use the ATR rear bar with no front bar it works well for the 1/4 mi. because of its size.

The so called pro- touring rear sway bars offer multiple holes in the arms to make them more/ less effective, basically making them tunable to compensate for different tire sizes front and rear.
You could run a pro- touring bar on the stiffest setting (with no front sway bar) for the 1/4 mi. and run it on a softer setting (matched to the front) with the front sway bar for handling.

Too large a front sway bar will cause the car to push through a corner (Understeer).

Too large a rear sway bar will cause the rear of the car to slide out/ come around (Oversteer).

 

[Rick the pool guy]

They are both good. It all depends upon what you are going to do with the car .I'm running a ATR and absolutely love it

 

[dank GN]

I’ve been running a hellwig rear sway bar that has been working well . It’s was less expensive as the other selections but performance the same imo

 

[Turbo6inKY]

The ATR and H&R rear bars are huge, and the intention is to flatten the car during a hard drag launch. For a handling application, they're too big. If you have enough tire up front to overpower the rear bar and actually get the car to turn, you'll pick up the inside rear tire and that will kill the clutches in the diff quickly.

It's all about the application. For drag, by all means the ATR and H&R are the ticket if you don't want to fabricate a panhard or install the Fayes Watts. For handling, leave the rear bar alone and go huge up front.

 

[WarWagon]

X2 Helwig bar on rear of my chassis. HR bar would have been first choice.

 

[Mr.Spool]

Anyone familiar with the performance of both the HR & the ATR bars? Is there another option that should be considered also?

The HR bar strikes me as possibly being more specific to 1/4 mile launch, while the ATR might be better at cornering. Is the HR good for corners also?

Thanks.

the hr bar is a fantastic peice to have on these g bodies.it helps the car big time from a chassis perspective and is not just a straight line bar but will shine in a straight line.if you want a pure turning car there are cheaper options.if you want to hook it and go around the turns modestly its a great peice.

 

[Mr.Spool]

just a side note on bars,ive driven gns with stock sway bars that recorded 1g of lat acceleration.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

just a side note on bars,ive driven gns with stock sway bars that recorded 1g of lat acceleration.

That's all tire.

Where the sway comes in is when you're pulling 1G in one direction, then try to change directions. If the bars aren't right, the result will usually be quite terrible.

 

[Mr.Spool]

That's all tire.

Where the sway comes in is when you're pulling 1G in one direction, then try to change directions. If the bars aren't right, the result will usually be quite terrible.

245mm.it all works together.dont think it would have done that with no sway bars

 

[IrvJr]

The ATR bar worked great on my car, but with tubular control arms in the back it made some noise from not sitting flush. I switched to a Detroit Speed rear sway bar and absolutely love it. My front is a 1LE 34mm and matches well with the DSE sway bar with changed the handlng of my car dramatically.

 

[ttypewhite]

What is it that you are looking for with your car? Do you want handling or straight line? What mods have been done with your car already? You need to be very specific when asking questions like this so that your responses are chartered to your application.

 

[~JM~]

What is it that you are looking for with your car? Do you want handling or straight line? What mods have been done with your car already? You need to be very specific when asking questions like this so that your responses are chartered to your application.

My car is mostly stock at this time with a few enhanced reliability mods. It will be more street driver oriented than strip oriented. I have accumulated a few upgrade parts over the years. Have also seen earlier trends change. Trying to verify that what I have, is truly what I want to move forward with. That is why my questions often seem generic. I want to hear feedback of more knowledgeable folks without influencing which direction the information might head. Thank you.

.

 

[ttypewhite]

Beautiful car btw!! My recommendation to you would be the ATR bar. Its just a beefier stock replacement that addresses some body flexing on launches and firms up the suspension on cornering. It wouldn't change much of the mannerism that your accustomed to feeling. If you were making more power I would lean more towards the HR bar just for the traction aspect of things. Handling/cornering is a different beast all entirely where the DSE suspension components really shine.

 

[happy4444]

I am running a Spohn rear sway bar which is very similar/identical to the H&R. FYI they run a killer black friday sale on their products.

 

[salvageV6]

I daily drove an ATR bar for 15 or so years it held my WE4 together.

Daily driving the HR Bar now no issues and handles well on twisty on ramps when getting up to speed etc.

Gotta lube the HR Bar at least once a year but since I have the upper and lower arms back there it's easy to get done at any shop cheap.

 

[T- Type Tim]

i'll plug scott @gns for this one....super happy
read thread below:
https://www.turbobuick.com/threads/...ms-and-rear-sway-bar-yes.417666/#post-3491064

 

[captndave737]

I've had ATR, DSE 1 1/8" and now an HR.
I have a Hotchkis 1 3/8" front bar.
In my opinion the ATR bar is ok, The DSE is much better since it's chassis mounted and the HR is too stiff and I'm getting oversteer to the point of it being uncomfortable. I don't drag race so street handling is more important to me.

The HR bar is coming off and the DSE going back on. The car was wonderfully balanced with it.

The HR will be up for sale as will the ATR.

 

[scot w.]

My car is mostly stock at this time with a few enhanced reliability mods. It will be more street driver oriented than strip oriented. I have accumulated a few upgrade parts over the years. Have also seen earlier trends change. Trying to verify that what I have, is truly what I want to move forward with. That is why my questions often seem generic. I want to hear feedback of more knowledgeable folks without influencing which direction the information might head. Thank you.

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JM,

Since you will mostly be street driving the car, possible spirited corners, on ramps and all around better handling.... Immediately that eliminates the ATR & H&R rear bars as the "Rate" of those are way too high. I like to size our rear bars (which we have custom made for us now) by the rate of your rear springs whether or not they are regular coil springs or Coil over springs. I had customers turning so much G's that it was lifting their inside tires 3-5" off the ground, after are newly sized rear sway bars the rear tires stay Planted at all times! We have a entry level "Complete bolt-on" front & rear suspension kit as low as $2,500 shipped! And they go up from there..

Feel free to give us a call, we would be happy to help you out either way.. 865-680-4008

Here is a picture of the $2,500 entry level suspension kit: Kit Includes: Dropped Spindles, Dual Rate Coilsprings, HQ Series Adjustable Monotube Shock Absorbers, Heavy Duty Front and Rear Swaybars, Delrin Front Control Arm Bushings, Tall upper ball joints, lower ball joints, hardware and instructions.

Here are just a few customers car that have this $2,500 complete suspension....

Donnie Brooks

Dave Erdmann