[cdb95z28]

Yep, they are glued to the bar. Out back they aren't but the bushing is gripped super tight around the bar. The Gen5 Camaros were done the same as the Gen6 rears.

This is an area that presents problems when guys want lower their Gen6s. This puts the bar in a (edit: LARGER) state of bind at the mounts vs the OE bind.

[Vtor_ZL1]

Shorter end links would resolve that problem.


I did notice that w wheels at full droop, the end links had no preload - slid right out, leading me to believe that w car on ground, end links are always under tension. Kinda odd arrangement.

[cdb95z28]

Your observation was what I also experienced, preload from the factory. Also saw this on my previously owned Gen5 SS 1LE bars and later installed OE Gen5 Z/28 bars. I do not think this is an oversigtht from the GM engineers. The super tight bar mounting adds a small amount of rate.

ON the Gen6, I can only speak of the FE4 SS 1LE and (non-1LE) ZL1 bar araingement, but those OE bars have a slight preload at ride height due to a small twist in the bar itself, front and rear. I think GM might do this to add some responsiveness to the bars and tweak corner weights. In addition, the rear bar had alot of overall preload beyond just the slight twist because of the position the bar is held in the OE mounts at ride height. IIRC, when I unfastened the rear endlinks while at ride height, the rear bar moved about 20mm. I'll have to go to my notes, but I do not remember which way the bar moved, up or down.

For sure adjustable endlinks can help at the front but at the rear, I couldn't shorten my SPLs enough. While I was just experimenting that situation on the OE bars, I currently have a Hotchkis front and BMR rear bars installed with the SPL endlinks. Since both of these aftermarket bars use the type of poly mounts that allow free movement of the bars with in the bushing (zero bind) my goal was to optimize the bar arm to endlink relationship (90* at ride height). Again, this won't add preload because of the free movement aftermarket mounting and this is a very resolution adjustment. I did however duplicate the OE (twist) preload on both bars because when there was no preload the bar response was lazy. The Hotchkis front bar does mimick the OE front bar twist of about 3/8". I added preload and off center steering response improved. Also note that optimizing the bar to end link relationship as close to 90* also improved response. But getting that optimized at the rear is limited because I could not shorten the SPL endlinks enough.

Getting back to minimizing new preload from a drop in ride heights...shorter front endlinks plus a removal and repositioning of the rear OE bushings can get the OE bars back to a more healthy OE engineering preload spec.

[Vtor_ZL1]

Which leaves me with OE 30mm bar missing bushings Already ordered new ZLE bar, which with bushings and brackets was less than $80. Win I guess?


I think PP on mustangs have similar arragment, bushing bonded to the bar and saw some comments "done for responsiveness" The things turns, so it must be working

[cdb95z28]

Your OE ZLE front bar is 27mm OD. The (non-1LE) ZL1 front bar is 30mm. You mentioned you already ordered a new bar (Part #84458195), but for the sake of additional knowledge...

There may be an option as far as replacement bushings. This still utilizes GM parts. I have done the research on appropriate mounting bracket bolt spacing/bar diameters because I am running the Gen5 Camaro SS 1LE bar mounting brackets on the front of my Gen6 SS 1LE with the Hotchkiss bar. I did not like the Hotchkiss mounts, I wanted something more robust. While the Hotchkiss bar is 32mm diameter and I am using a Pedders Gen5 Camaro bushing, there is some crossover in my research on the GM brackets:

-The front Gen6 mounting stud spacing is the same as the Gen5 Camaro SS 1LE/Z/28/ZL1 rear bar bracket mounting spacing. But the Gen5's use a very different bracket compared to the front Gen6. This would require the use of the Gen5 bushing. Not quite a roadblock though. Look at your ZLE rear brackets as they share the basic design of the Gen5 brackets. As I mentioned in an above post, the Gen5s used a F & R bushing (Part # 22761218) that is similar to the Gen6 rear bar bushing. It's a rubber bushing with either a metal or plastic insert within. When the bushing is installed on the bar along with its bracket, the bushing grips the bar super tight.


There are however slight changes between all of those similar looking bushings. The bushing centerline to mounting surface dimension is different on some, the overall size of the bushings can also be different, as is the ID of the bushing. The latter is due to various different bar diameters used on each variant.

The Gen6 SS 1LE and (non 1LE) ZL1s (RPO FE4) also use part # 22761218 bushings on their REAR bar mounting.

Why can't we just use the Gen6 rear bracket? The fastener spacing is different than the front....So...

Gen6 ZLE front bar (RPO FEA): 27mm
Gen6 ZLE rear bar: 26.5 mm I've measured in different places vs the front ZLE bar and overall the rear ZLE bar is slightly smaller OD. Some say it's a 25mm OD. Either way, the mounting bushing is different vs all relevant bars.

Gen6 SS 1LE and (non 1LE) ZL1 rear bar (RPO FE4):27mm

Gen5 SS 1LE front bar (RPO FE6): 27mm
Gen5 SS 1LE rear bar: 28mm Slightly larger OD but GM used the same bushing as the front.

As I mentioned:

I am using part # 22831249 (Gen5 SS 1LE bar bracket) on the front of my Gen6 SS 1LE. Same fastener spacing. About $4 each at my local GM dealership.
Combine those brackets with the rear Gen5 SS 1LE/Gen6 SS 1LE/ZL1 bushing (Part # 22761218). About $11 each.

Is buying and installing a new bar easier instead of installing new bushings and brackets? Maybe, R&R of the front bar kinda sucks though. But slightly more expensive than a whole new bar which already comes with the bushings and brackets. It's worth noting that the new OE bar will have the bushings and brackets already installed in the correct engineered location. This is important. And the proper OE bushing assembly is wider and is supplemented with some sort of additional adhesive to the bar, a change that GM felt was needed vs the rear and previous Gen5.

[Vtor_ZL1]

Assumed it was 30 from what i read somewhere else - didn't actually measure it


Ordered same part # as was stickered on original part. #23332961

[cdb95z28]

I looked up that # on my go to parts lookup, but it is not showing up. I did search on the usual GM dealership parts pages (gmpartsdirect for example) and it showed up there as correct for a ZLE (FEA). It's possible one is a superceded part. The ZLE front bar I have in my collection shows 84458195 also with the BHMK code.

[Vtor_ZL1]

Yup - looks like superseded part #.. kinda funny some places have them at different prices.


https://gmretail.cml.oeconnection.co.../23332961.html