TTA Front Swaybar

[mark b]

Dumb question time gang. My front sway bar may be MIA. What should I do for a replacement? Should I go the junkyard route and find one from a GTA, or are there aftermarket replacements that are better/lighter/stronger?

Suspension and handling is a sensitive subject to which I take no offense to anyone's opinon, so I'm open to new ideas.

TIA

 

[tta583]

Is the rest of the suspension stock? To be honest, if the bushings are good (that is you don't plan on upgrading them with aftermarket, "higher performance" parts) and you decided to go aftermarket I would replace the front and back with one from the same vendor so that they are matched. If you planon doing other upgrades, such as all of the bushings, you might consider a matched set of bars from the same vendor. I, myself would just locate a stocker but that may just be me and how I use my car.

If you go stock I would guess there are several different diameters out there. Do you need one of us to measure the diameter of ours so that you get the right one?

Brent

 

[Rogue Leader]

Just get a stock replacement off a junker... The factory bar is 36 millimeter, and there arent any aftermarket ones that would make any sort of improvement. Showroom stock racers used the factory bars on this car.

As for the bushings Id assume they are gone... also youre a bit screwed because TTAs have spacers to mount the bar around the intercooler. For bushings go to the GM dealer and order swaybar bushings for a 1LE 1991 or 1992 Camaro (they are the right size and polyurethane... use a LOT of grease). The endlinks are going to require some modification. The easiest way is to get a set of endlinks for a regular GTA and then just shave down the sleeve to get the proper angle.

As for the spacers, I used pieces of aluminum I cut to size, its gonna require some tracing, and maybe if someone can help you and measure the height of their spacers on their TTA. Id do it for you with mine but my car is gone... Let me know if you have any more questions...

 

[tta583]

Good stuff to know. I plan on doing all the bushings as a winter project. What is the deal with then end links now? What real difference does it make if you can reuse the HW and simply replace the actual bushings? I am guessing you needed to replace the HW as well.

As for spacing the bar bushings. Can the spacers just be reused? Why did you fab new ones? Why can I not just get aftermarket sway bar bushings for the 36mm bar as opposed to going to the dealer?

Any other advice would be great so that I don't have any gotchas pop up.

Thanks,

brent

 

[Rogue Leader]

You will want to replace the endlink hardware, you may even end up having to cut them off. The problem is is the standard GTA endlinks are for the swaybar in the stock location... since the spacers put the swayar about 1 inch down it messes up the suspenion geometry. So you need to cut the endlinks to flatten out the angle of the swaybar... its just a metal sleeve in the middle of the endlink... cut it to match your stock one, or bring it with you to the store when youre buying new ones to try and match em size wise by sight.

The factory spacers can be re-used by all means... I had to fab spacers up for my old TTA because when I bought it the swaybar was sittng in the trunk and the spacers were long gone. Bushing wise... nobody makes a bushing that will fit. So you can eitehr go the dealer route for an exact fit or you can custom make one... the bar thins down to 34mm at the mounting points. I personally took some 33mm universal Energy Suspension bushings and ground em out a bit to fit. It DID work, however Id much rather use the factory pieces, they are thicker and seemed to deflect less.

Any other ?s lemme know...

 

[tta583]

Man, that is JUST what I need to know. I knew the bar was spaced down, I just did not "realize" it. I know exactly what you are talking about on the end links in terms of the sleeves, cutting them down will not be a problem.

What about the rear bar and, well the rest of the bushings? The origional plan was to get a matched kit from a vendor and go through everything including trailing arms. I have a spare set that I picked up which I was going to box and prep outside of the car so that I could swap them on at my leisure. The only problem I saw right off, before doing the homework I needed to do before I started, was the bushing type. I wanted to lean away from the poly, one for the noise and two because I seem to get the impression that they will cause a bind if used in the trailing arms.

Any imput here?

Brent

 

[Rogue Leader]

On my 87 TA I had boxed LCAs and Panhard bar with Energy Suspension poly bushings. I had no binding problems with that car whatsoever and it was autocrossed hard. As for the noise, as long as you DOUSE them in polyurethane grease the noise is minimal, or none at all.

PST and Energy Suspension sells complete kits that will fit you may want to look into..

BTW if youre going nuts changing all this stuff, do yourself a favor and install a new poly torque arm bushing, its a PITA to install but the car launches a lot harder... make a noticeable difference in traction

 

[mark b]

wow, lots of good info. For my deal, I'll be a long way from stock. Global West subframe connectors, Spohn rear torque arm, panhard rod, lower control arms, KYB AGX shocks and custom made front K-member with new control arms., blah-blah, probably forgetting some stuff.

 

[mark b]

Hey gang, I wanted to reopen this thread with some additional info and questions.

Global West says they "use the factory sway bars".
BMR fabrication offers a 32mm sway bar that "This front bar is over 40% more rigid than the popular 1LE swaybar".

I thought the TTA had the 1LE suspension. Are these swaybars hollow? I know some TR guys have switched to a hollow 36mm bar (different app obviously).

So... if the BMR one is a valid option it might not be a bad deal. $150 for the kit that includes all the Prothane bushings and end links.

I know a boneyard swaybar would be cheaper, but add in new bushings and endlinks and the cost gets a little closer.

Do you think the 32mm bar might actually be worth it?

Thanks again!

 

[fly89gta]

Tom, make me spacers so I can put my sway bar back on lol

 

[Rogue Leader]

Originally posted by mark b
Hey gang, I wanted to reopen this thread with some additional info and questions.

Global West says they "use the factory sway bars".
BMR fabrication offers a 32mm sway bar that "This front bar is over 40% more rigid than the popular 1LE swaybar".

I thought the TTA had the 1LE suspension. Are these swaybars hollow? I know some TR guys have switched to a hollow 36mm bar (different app obviously).

So... if the BMR one is a valid option it might not be a bad deal. $150 for the kit that includes all the Prothane bushings and end links.

I know a boneyard swaybar would be cheaper, but add in new bushings and endlinks and the cost gets a little closer.

Do you think the 32mm bar might actually be worth it?

Thanks again!

The factory swaybars are hollow. As for BMR's "40% more rigid bar" all the top autocross and road race guys use the factory 1LE bar, the bushings are REALLY REALLY CHEAP, IMO dont mess with a good thing...

Tony... I no longer have the measurements, sorry... search steves house maybe by some chance in heck you will find my original mounts. Or take one off one of his cars and have a copy made...

 

[fly89gta]

Originally posted by Rogue Leader

Tony... I no longer have the measurements, sorry... search steves house maybe by some chance in heck you will find my original mounts. Or take one off one of his cars and have a copy made...

He doesn't have em anymore I don't think.

Yeah I'll just probably snag his..or one of the whole damn cars..I'll just have him preoccupied with L&B's or something and snatch a set of keys lol

 

[Rogue Leader]

Originally posted by fly89gta
He doesn't have em anymore I don't think.

Yeah I'll just probably snag his..or one of the whole damn cars..I'll just have him preoccupied with L&B's or something and snatch a set of keys lol

if he still had em I would have had em obviously but theoretically they could be buried somewhere in his yard....

 

[fly89gta]

Originally posted by Rogue Leader
if he still had em I would have had em obviously but theoretically they could be buried somewhere in his yard....

More like under a slab on concrete