can those front braces under the car replace the front sway bar?

[87grandnat]

basically what the title says?

 

[Swt_86]

No. The braces will stiffen the front end and make the car feel more solid. They may also decrease any squeaks and rattles, but they do nothing for the handling of the car.

 

[whitess]

The frame braces do help with handling and ride quality. They tie the two sides of the frame rails together making it more solid and with less flexing from side to side. This makes the steering linkage more precise because it's better able to turn the wheels as opposed to the frame ends trying to flex when you turn the wheel.
Hold two pencils between your thumb and forefinger with your hands on a flat surface and lift the ends up. You can lift them separately but not together. If you connect the two ends you then can lift them together. This is what the frame braces do. The braces also cause both sides of the suspension to work independently of each other like they were designed to do rather than one side reacting to the flexing of the frame on the other side and vice versa. They'll make even the stock sway bar work better and less body roll too. It's not going to make it feel like rack and pinion steering but the improvement is noticeable.
Try one, you'll see what I mean - turn in, changing lanes at speed and through the "twisties". Even around town you'll notice an improvement. It was probably the best investment I've made for ride and handling.
I even put one on the rear.
Larry.

 

[Swt_86]

I'm not saying the braces aren't a great addition. They are definately one of the better things you can do - outside of adding a set of Bilstein shocks - I AM saying that they are no substitute for the front sway bar. Simply put, the car will handle worse with the braces and without the front sway bar than it will with the front sway bar and no braces.

 

[whitess]

Gotta love those Bilsteins.
Larry.

 

[elcamino383]

Originally posted by whitess
The frame braces do help with handling and ride quality.... It was probably the best investment I've made for ride and handling.
I even put one on the rear.
Larry.

how did you put the braces on the rear? did that help also?

 

[Swt_86]

It is a Monte page but here is about every brace you could put on a g-body and where you can find them.

http://www.geocities.com/jfon101231/brace.html

 

[whitess]

The rear brace is mounted to the bumper shocks using longer bolts in place of the stock bolts.