[CYN_CRVR]

Current setup:
- 1LT V6
- GMPP lowering suspension springs and shocks
- stock FE2 sway bars
- 19x10 square wheel setup with Conti ECS tires (not on the car yet, but coming soon)

Use case: aggressive street driving on low- and high-speed canyon roads with a wide range of surface qualities. I might also go to an occasional HPDE, but I won't ever move to a tire significantly more sticky than the Conti ECS or Michelin PS4S.

Handling preference: mild understeer at the limit, with the ability to transition to throttle-induced oversteer.

Objective: to upgrade sway bars for sharper steering and increased roll resistance, but not go so stiff that the car can't handle mid-corner bumps.

I have an order in for the Hotchkis front+rear kit, but it's backordered for two months which has allowed me to consider alternatives, including:
1) BMR adjustable front + FE3 rear
2) BMR adjustable front + FE4 rear
3) BMR adjustable front+rear
4) just wait for Hotchkis

Any opinions? Most sway bar specs seem to present rates relative to FE3, but since I'm starting with FE2 I don't have a good sense as to how much stiffer they'll feel for me.

[Msquared]

Hard to say without knowing where you're starting from. I doubt anyone here has really tried a V6 with that GMPP package, and I'm not even sure how big the FE2 bars are. How's the handling balance at the limit right now? IOW, compared to what you have right now, do you want to reduce understeer, increase understeer, or keep it the same?

Generally, the BMR bar has thinner walls so that it is on 6% stiffer than the stock FE4 (SS 1LE) bar in its softest setting. The next two settings are 34% and 69% stiffer. That seems like a better starting point than the Hotchkis, which is 40/65/90% for the front. The problem with the BMR front bar is that is tends to crush the center "D" bushings in anything but the softest setting. So far, I've found that using the Hotchkis center bushings and brackets on the BMR bar works fine, but I don't know if you can get the Hotchkis bushings/brackets separately from their bar.

Conversely, the Hotchkis rear bar is softer than the BMR rear bar. I don't know why BMR made their rear bar such big jump in stiffness over the stock FE4 rear bar when their front is not as big a jump. I would not pair the BMR front bar with the BMR rear bar. I'd either pair it with the Hotchkis rear bar or just the FE4 bar. Or you could pair the Hotchkis front bar with the BMR rear bar, but that's a huge jump in bar rates and could potentially overwhelm your damping.

[CYN_CRVR]

Originally Posted by Msquared

Hard to say without knowing where you're starting from. I doubt anyone here has really tried a V6 with that GMPP package, and I'm not even sure how big the FE2 bars are.

Yeah, understood.

Originally Posted by Msquared

How's the handling balance at the limit right now? IOW, compared to what you have right now, do you want to reduce understeer, increase understeer, or keep it the same?

Feels pretty balanced, but admittedly I haven't been able to push the car very hard yet because I'm still in the engine's break-in period.

Originally Posted by Msquared

The problem with the BMR front bar is that is tends to crush the center "D" bushings in anything but the softest setting.

This is new information to me. Based on this and some additional research, I'm now leaning towards trying the FE4 front bar (which is similar to BMR on its softest setting), and the FEA rear bar (which is softer than FE4 rear and is adjustable). Hotchkis will probably be too stiff for me, so I guess it's a blessing in disguise that it's currently backordered.

In any event, I'll wait until I'm outfitted with the new wheels&tires and past engine break-in to feel the car out more and make the final decision.

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by CYN_CRVR

This is new information to me. Based on this and some additional research, I'm now leaning towards trying the FE4 front bar (which is similar to BMR on its softest setting), and the FEA rear bar (which is softer than FE4 rear and is adjustable).

That's not a bad plan, actually. If you are around any SCCA regions, a lot of people competing in F Street with their SS 1LEs (like me) will have changed to an aftermarket front bar (like me). You may be able to borrow one to try it, or certainly buy one. One nice thing about the stock bars for a street car is that the center D bushings are bonded-on rubber, so they'll squeak or need any maintenance.

Once you have figured out how the current setup feels, you might even consider starting with just the FEA adjustable rear bar. That would give you at least three levels of balance to try out, and you might find that your front bar is good as is.

In any event, I'll wait until I'm outfitted with the new wheels&tires and past engine break-in to feel the car out more and make the final decision.

Definitely do that. You really can't say how it handles until you have spent a lot of time at and over the limits. Best way to do that is at autocross events, and HPDE is the second best way but obviously entails a lot higher risk and cost. I agree that for your uses, mild understeer is the goal to shoot for. These chassis are pretty damn good fundamentally, without any nasty surprises (especially without the 1LE's eLSD, which can be a little weird) and with a willingness to respond as expected to driver inputs.

[Gen6cyl]

I have seen pictures on this forum of after market swaybar bushings that got destroyed on the Camaro . For $575 I may get the gm Camaro ss sc1 swaybar upgrade. I have stock springs and b6 dampers.

[AZIROC]

Why not just do HPDE events? Don't get me wrong, California has alot of nice back roads to rip on, but atleast a track is alot safer for you and the other drivers. Plus you mess up on a mountain road and there is the possibility you fly off the mountain. Worse case at the track is you hit a wall.

That being said, to answer your question, id just wait for what you ordered. Going to be the same as the bmr unless you HAVE to have it sooner.

[kropscamaro16]

my buddy did the full set of afe power on his v6 auto x/track car and he loves them

[CYN_CRVR]

Originally Posted by AZIROC

Why not just do HPDE events? Don't get me wrong, California has alot of nice back roads to rip on, but atleast a track is alot safer for you and the other drivers. Plus you mess up on a mountain road and there is the possibility you fly off the mountain. Worse case at the track is you hit a wall.

I feel like HPDEs, AutoX, and canyon cruising are three distinct activities that meet different needs. I did two HPDEs years ago with my Corvette, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting to.

[CYN_CRVR]

Originally Posted by kropscamaro16

my buddy did the full set of afe power on his v6 auto x/track car and he loves them

Do you know whether he also drives his car on the street, or is it primarily a track toy? I haven't seen anything quantitative or qualitative about the stiffness of AFE compared to other offerings.

[AZIROC]

Originally Posted by CYN_CRVR

I feel like HPDEs, AutoX, and canyon cruising are three distinct activities that meet different needs. I did two HPDEs years ago with my Corvette, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting to.

Fair enough. Im personally a fan of HPDE and can't stand autox.

[Msquared]

I know the AFE front bar is 1.38" in diameter. Not sure the wall thickness, but that bar has to be a lot stiffer than the BMR front bar and probably even the Hotchkis bar. I also don't know anything about their rear bar.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by Msquared

I know the AFE front bar is 1.38" in diameter. Not sure the wall thickness, but that bar has to be a lot stiffer than the BMR front bar and probably even the Hotchkis bar. I also don't know anything about their rear bar.

Their site says rear bar is 32mm. But yeah no wall data nor % stiffness changes for each hole. You would think bars that size have at least a 3/16” wall but who knows.

[Gen6cyl]

Hellwig makes a "1.25 front bar with the shape of the 4-6 cyl front bar.

[Roddrz]

I'm installing GM FE4 sway bars this weekend on my V6 FE2 Convertible. The front bar is 1- 3/8 inch hollow and the rear is 1 inch solid.

I decided from research that this may be a great combination for this car with the stock tires.

I'll provide part numbers and driving results.