SWAY BARS? Which ones...........

[paulm1]

Hotchkis stuff just flat out works. The price point can’t be beat.
BMR had a 38mm bar at one point early in the S550 parts game.

35yrs ago when i had my 87 foxbody the only 2 after market suspension companies that i remember existing were eibach and hotchkis.

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[TeeLew]

35yrs ago when i had my 87 foxbody the only 2 after market suspension companies that i remember existing were eibach and hotchkis.

You didn't look around enough. There were plenty more.

 

[paulm1]

You didn't look around enough. There were plenty more.

Maybe, but beyond the adds in hotrod and carcraft and word of mouth, thats all i heard of at the time. Al Gore hadnt invented the internet yet.

 

[Dave2013M3]

35yrs ago when i had my 87 foxbody the only 2 after market suspension companies that i remember existing were eibach and hotchkis.

Did you forget Steeda and Saleen? They both had aftermarket parts for those cars back then.

 

[Scooter MGee]

For the price I was considering going with the rear GT350R bar.

 

[Egparson202]

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[monte87]

I do! Front and rear. I like them a lot and the fact that its a Ford part helps if you ever have to take it to the dealer. Im sure Steeda and the others are just as good if not better. I'd go for the best deal you can get!

How NVH w the GT350R bars? I have the BMR bars w poly bushings and the racket is outta control. I think I made a mistake choosing BMR and polys... the adjustable bars are too much to figure out. I wanna slap the bars on and be done.
Thanks Anthony

 

[monte87]

For the 2018 I used stock GT350R sway bars, they were less expensive than the aftermarkets and similar sizes (34mm front and 24mm rear).

Front kit $208 at Levittown:

https://www.levittownfordparts.com/sku/gt350rswaybarkit.html

FR3Z-5482-J - Front Sway Bar
FR3Z-5484-C - Bushings (2)
FR3Z-5486-A - Clamps (2)

FR3Z-5A772-E - Rear G350R Sway Bar, $111 frtom Tasca

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-stabilizer-bar-fr3z5a772e

F2GZ-5493-C -Bushings (2), $16/ea from Tasca

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-stabilizer-bar-bushing-f2gz5493c

Don't know why the rear parts aren't showing up on Levittown's website but if you message them they'll give you pricing. Or just order straight from a local Ford dealer so you can pick them up and avoid shipping, although you may be able to get free shipping from Levittown if you ask.

Thanks Bro. Is there a diff between GT350 andGT350R bars? Or is it the same part...
Are these bars adjustable? Or just slap in like stockers?
I made the mistake of getting the BMRs w poly bushings and have so much NVH and front end clunking after install. I wanna go back to a ford part, rubber bushings and no noise.
Thanks Anthony

 

[bnightstar]

Thanks Bro. Is there a diff between GT350 andGT350R bars? Or is it the same part...
Are these bars adjustable? Or just slap in like stockers?
I made the mistake of getting the BMRs w poly bushings and have so much NVH and front end clunking after install. I wanna go back to a ford part, rubber bushings and no noise.
Thanks Anthony

Did you put grease on this poly bushings when you installed them ? Also I'm sure you can just change bushings. Ether way rubber bushings are not better my rear ones have a tendency to brake often. With that in mind just put grease on yours and the rattle should be gone. BMR are great sway bars to be fair what bars you use depends on the springs/shocks package you use.

 

[GTP]

Thanks Bro. Is there a diff between GT350 andGT350R bars? Or is it the same part...
Are these bars adjustable? Or just slap in like stockers?
I made the mistake of getting the BMRs w poly bushings and have so much NVH and front end clunking after install. I wanna go back to a ford part, rubber bushings and no noise.
Thanks Anthony

The 350R is stiffer than 350. There are threads that discuss the differences in Ford bars. They are not adjustable. But if you reach the level of wanting adjustment you might be able to drill an extra hole in the flat area at each end.

I used dry graphite lube for my bushings. Perfect application solution.

I run GT350 front bar and 350R rear bar. They were the stiffest Ford bars available.

I also wanted them due to a fair price and I also did not have the experience or means to determine where to set an adjustable bar.

My logic was that as you go up in performance level of Mustangs (GT, PP, 350, 350R), the rear bar especially gets stiffer. Meaning less and less understeer, ie supposedly for a more experienced driver.

I run stock PP1 suspension with magneride and square wheel setups, one each for track and DD. So the ride is perfectly fine as daily because only the bars are stiffer. They are really only noticed when pulling over the driveway curb at an angle, etc.

On track I can tell that my cars handling is closer to neutral than before. It still pushes into the slowest corners and I suspect it always will like most front engine cars. Camber plates also helped reduce understeer. In higher speed corners I can steer with the throttle, which is why I go to the track! An instructor drove my car (and faster than me, haha). He was a Mustang GT owner and he thought my car was pretty neutral. And this was before the camber plates.

So in conclusion, if you want to not overthink it and save money then get these bars and enjoy.

 

[Dana Pants]

The balance of swaybar stiffness is a bit funny. With like -2 deg front camber, the rear bar needs a bit more stiffness for neutral handling. With -4, you better have some very stiff front springs or a stiff front swaybar to avoid overwhelming the available rear traction.

 

[monte87]

Did you put grease on this poly bushings when you installed them ? Also I'm sure you can just change bushings. Ether way rubber bushings are not better my rear ones have a tendency to brake often. With that in mind just put grease on yours and the rattle should be gone. BMR are great sway bars to be fair what bars you use depends on the springs/shocks package you use.

Hi-
Thanks for reply. YES, def had synthetic grease put on bushings. I never had any noise, creak, clunk or anything until i put BMR sway bar on car. The polys are just plain noisey. I am going to swap the GT350R fron sway bar in soon and be done. Its got rubber bushings and non adjustable which is fine. I will leave the BMR rear on, since it has greaseable fittings and isnt giving me any problems. The front is a PITA!!
What is your opinion? My suspension set up is 2021 GT non PP. I just added Steeda front lower K member brace, Steeda rear IRS braces, Steeda rear IRS bushing kit and Steeda delrin vertical links, Boomba poly trans bushing. Everything else is stock, springs and struts.

Thanks Anthony

 

[monte87]

The 350R is stiffer than 350. There are threads that discuss the differences in Ford bars. They are not adjustable. But if you reach the level of wanting adjustment you might be able to drill an extra hole in the flat area at each end.

I used dry graphite lube for my bushings. Perfect application solution.

I run GT350 front bar and 350R rear bar. They were the stiffest Ford bars available.

I also wanted them due to a fair price and I also did not have the experience or means to determine where to set an adjustable bar.

My logic was that as you go up in performance level of Mustangs (GT, PP, 350, 350R), the rear bar especially gets stiffer. Meaning less and less understeer, ie supposedly for a more experienced driver.

I run stock PP1 suspension with magneride and square wheel setups, one each for track and DD. So the ride is perfectly fine as daily because only the bars are stiffer. They are really only noticed when pulling over the driveway curb at an angle, etc.

On track I can tell that my cars handling is closer to neutral than before. It still pushes into the slowest corners and I suspect it always will like most front engine cars. Camber plates also helped reduce understeer. In higher speed corners I can steer with the throttle, which is why I go to the track! An instructor drove my car (and faster than me, haha). He was a Mustang GT owner and he thought my car was pretty neutral. And this was before the camber plates.

So in conclusion, if you want to not overthink it and save money then get these bars and enjoy.

Thanks for your reply!! very informative 411. My suspension set is this --> My suspension set up is 2021 GT non PP. I just added Steeda front lower K member brace, Steeda rear IRS braces, Steeda rear IRS bushing kit and Steeda delrin vertical links, Boomba poly trans bushing. Everything else is stock, springs and struts.
What do you mean by this? --> "They are really only noticed when pulling over the driveway curb at an angle, etc." Did they creak or bind or make noise?

This was my plan, since the front BMR bar is wreaking havoc on my life. I am gonna have it ripped off and keep the REAR BMW sway bar w poly bushings since i have no issues with it. And replace the front with a ford performance GT350R non adjustable bar w rubber bushings or the M-5490-G ford performance front bar. Which front should i go with, knowing that my rear is BMR 25mm and poly bushings?

Thanks Anthony

 

[Mikepol2]

Thanks Bro. Is there a diff between GT350 andGT350R bars? Or is it the same part...
Are these bars adjustable? Or just slap in like stockers?
I made the mistake of getting the BMRs w poly bushings and have so much NVH and front end clunking after install. I wanna go back to a ford part, rubber bushings and no noise.
Thanks Anthony

If I remember correctly one bar was the same between the 350 and the 350R and the other was different, I got the R bar. Very nice quiet ride, not adjustable.

 

[monte87]

If I remember correctly one bar was the same between the 350 and the 350R and the other was different, I got the R bar. Very nice quiet ride, not adjustable.

Thanks for reply. R bar for FRONT?
Anthony

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