Where can I purchase new or used a 1" sway bar for my 84 fiero? The Fiero store has a sway bar but it does not indicated the size. Anyone have any recommendations?.

Thanks
Msaby

Grab another sway bar off the front of another 84 and put it on the back. Dont put a 1" upfront. Put the same size if not a slightly larger one on the back....yes back of the car and keep the factory front one.

I got my bars a few years back from JC whitney. The front bar was around 1" and cost much less than anyone else.

The Fiero Store swaybar:

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www.yellowfiero.com/fiero.html
17" DEZENT T wheels with 215/40 tires front and 235/45 rear, KONI shocks, EIBACH lowering springs, PU dog bone, bushings and engine mounts, K&N air and oil filters, OZELOT exhaust, Mercedes SLK yellow, Mr. Mikes seats, door skins, shift and e-brake boots. MP3 player and custom subwoofer behind passenger seat, F355 style front. Fiero Store rear swaybar, strut tower brace, black carpet. Rodney Dickman's competition short shifter.

quote Originally posted by donk316: Grab another sway bar off the front of another 84 and put it on the back. Dont put a 1" upfront. Put the same size if not a slightly larger one on the back....yes back of the car and keep the factory front one.

I thought the correct approach on the sway bars was to put the 1" up front and move the stock front swaybar to the rear to maintain the proper torsional balance of the car. Otherwise it will tend to 'oversteer' and will thus spin more easily.. Anyone else on this?

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Notchbacks RULE

"It's cool to have a car you just have to look back at."

quote Originally posted by Fierobruiser: I thought the correct approach on the sway bars was to put the 1" up front and move the stock front swaybar to the rear to maintain the proper torsional balance of the car. Otherwise it will tend to 'oversteer' and will thus spin more easily.. Anyone else on this?

That would be correct if the engine/ weight was in the front of the car like a camaro or something. With the fiero the weight dist is near even so you could probably tune with same size bars and poly bushings out back and rubber out front.

My opinion is based on achieving a neutrally balanced car. Do what ever you want if you want to build in over/understeer
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http://www.gmpcm.com/

[This message has been edited by donk316 (edited 08-17-2004).]

I removed my front bar and installed it on the rear. I thought it was recommended to then install a larger bar on the front. am I correct? Let me also add that I have a Chevy 350TPI installed all poly front and rear. the front has a wide track front suspension. Do you still recommend the same size bar?

Thanks
Msaby

[This message has been edited by Msaby (edited 08-17-2004).]

Here's an archived thread on the subject , Both sides of the discussion and some good handling theory.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20021104-2-024770.html

i've had both setups... the fierostores heavy duty front bar with a front to rear move on the original bar -- also had a stock bar upfront with another front bar in the rear..
both handled well but the latter one did come around on me once..

The Fierostore front bar is 1". I have one installed along with moving the original front bar to the back. Installing the rear bar actually made more difference than upgrading the front.

I like the feel that it gives me but I have not track tested it to see what it does close to the limit. I would like to take it to the Mid-America Motorplex and run some laps but I may just skidpad test it in a lonely parking lot.

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1987 Fiero SE

quote Originally posted by RACE: The Fierostore front bar is 1". I have one installed along with moving the original front bar to the back. Installing the rear bar actually made more difference than upgrading the front. I like the feel that it gives me but I have not track tested it to see what it does close to the limit. I would like to take it to the Mid-America Motorplex and run some laps but I may just skidpad test it in a lonely parking lot.

skidpad won't show a whole lot
the area you really see a difference is slolum shifting weight from one side to the other and the turn in are where you will see plowing or overstear

I will give that a try too. From what I have seen so far the rear bar makes the back of the car track better around turns but I have not pushed it too the point of sliding.

I was always told that the larger one goes up front on a Fiero if that helps?

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Bobby from NW Indiana
86 Fiero GT, 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag
thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net
My build thread
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/048624.html

WHENEVER YOU ARE INSTALLING A SWAY BAR ON A CAR, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP THE PORTION OF THE CAR THAT LACKS WEIGHT ON THE GROUND. YOU PLACE THE SWAYBAR OPPOSITE OF THE LOW WEIGHT SIDE. I.E., WHERE THE WEIGHT IS. IN A FIERO THIS IS ON THE REAR OF THE CAR.

quote Originally posted by 87SEbeast: WHENEVER YOU ARE INSTALLING A SWAY BAR ON A CAR, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP THE PORTION OF THE CAR THAT LACKS WEIGHT ON THE GROUND. YOU PLACE THE SWAYBAR OPPOSITE OF THE LOW WEIGHT SIDE. I.E., WHERE THE WEIGHT IS. IN A FIERO THIS IS ON THE REAR OF THE CAR.

Typically true, but the Fiero comes from factory with a front sway bar and no rear. The general consensus has been to put a bigger bar up front and either put the stock bar in the back or buy a replacement for the stock bar and put that in back, keeping the back bar bigger.

Has anyone tried putting the bigger bar in back? What were your experiences?

If you think about how easy it is to kick the rear end out if it's wet, Most of your questions will be answered.
A bigger bar on the rear than on the front will kick it out a lot quicker. I'd try the idea of the big bar on the back and perhaps larger tires on the back, but when it's wet/slick and I'm driving "spirited" I'd really like to have the rear end come out a little slower.

quote Originally posted by gumert: Typically true, but the Fiero comes from factory with a front sway bar and no rear. The general consensus has been to put a bigger bar up front and either put the stock bar in the back or buy a replacement for the stock bar and put that in back, keeping the back bar bigger. Has anyone tried putting the bigger bar in back? What were your experiences?

The '88's came stock from the Factory with Front and Rear Sway Bars. While I've never measured the rear bar, it cetainly looks to be a smaller diameter than the Front Bar, and the design lends itself to be less ridged than the Front. GM wents to great lenghts to " tune " and develope these bars to perform. What no one knows here is, is the grade steel/hardening between the Front and Rear Bars the same??? Be carefull when making a decision to modify the suspension, you could be heading the wrong direction, literally !!! That said, Sway Bars and choice of bushing materials is driven by the operators driving style more than anything else.

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Car History: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/025670.html

quote WHENEVER YOU ARE INSTALLING A SWAY BAR ON A CAR, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP THE PORTION OF THE CAR THAT LACKS WEIGHT ON THE GROUND. YOU PLACE THE SWAYBAR OPPOSITE OF THE LOW WEIGHT SIDE. I.E., WHERE THE WEIGHT IS. IN A FIERO THIS IS ON THE REAR OF THE CAR.

However, the Fiero's rear springs are about 20-25% stiffer than the fronts. This, along with the stock alignment specs, accounts for the weight distribution.

No matter where the engine is, or what the weight distribution, one thing always holds true: the end with the stiffer suspension will have less traction. Stiffen up the back and you'll increase oversteer. Stiffen up the front and you'll increase understeer.

If you want to put a disproportionately large sway bar on the back, then you'll need to soften up the rear suspension and/or stiffen up the front suspension and/or tinker with the alignment to avoid excessive oversteer. If you don't want to worry about that stuff, just install a 1" bar in front and a 7/8" bar on the back. BTW, the stock front bar is 7/8" diameter.

The Fiero Store and Held Motorsports both sell 1" front sway bars with urethane bushings. I believe you can also get an Addco 1" front bar from JC Whitney.