[buckwam]

The sway bar upgrade kit offered by GM is exclusively for models equipped with the 6.2L V8. Is it because of the extra weight of the engine or are there differences in mounting points which are not compatible with the I4/V6 suspension? Here is the product in question.

https://accessories.chevrolet.com/pr...tegoryId=12009

[Gen6cyl]

The front swaybar on the V8 is shaped to fit around the big motor.The V8 front bar will hit something on the 4 cyl. like a EVAP cannister. But it can be moved to not hit. I think the 1le 4&6 cyl. use V8 swaybars.

[DriftNDraft]

The I4 and V6 versions of the 1LE used the FE3 sway bars that are standard on the V8 SS Camaro. The sway bar kit you're looking at is made up of parts from the FE4 suspension that comes with the SS 1LE.

If you swap bars to either the FE3 or FE4 ones, you'll also need to switch out the end links on the front since the ones on your car are plastic FE2 parts. The ones used with the FE3 and FE4 bars are steel.

The FE3 parts are:

22988701 Front Stabilizer Bar (includes bushings and clamps)
84004728 Rear Stabilizer Bar
84962142 Front Stabilizer Bar Link, Left
84962143 Front Stabilizer Bar Link, Right

These parts together should run about $250.

Very generally speaking, the weight of the engine is a greater factor for the springs used to maintain ride height. Sway bars are more about keeping the full contact patch on the road by holding the car flatter through a turn.

[buckwam]

Thank you for the explanation.

[buckwam]

Originally Posted by DriftNDraft

The I4 and V6 versions of the 1LE used the FE3 sway bars that are standard on the V8 SS Camaro. The sway bar kit you're looking at is made up of parts from the FE4 suspension that comes with the SS 1LE.

If you swap bars to either the FE3 or FE4 ones, you'll also need to switch out the end links on the front since the ones on your car are plastic FE2 parts. The ones used with the FE3 and FE4 bars are steel.

The FE3 parts are:

22988701 Front Stabilizer Bar (includes bushings and clamps)
84004728 Rear Stabilizer Bar
84962142 Front Stabilizer Bar Link, Left
84962143 Front Stabilizer Bar Link, Right
These parts together should run about $250.

Very generally speaking, the weight of the engine is a greater factor for the springs used to maintain ride height. Sway bars are more about keeping the full contact patch on the road by holding the car flatter through a turn.

When looking at the picture of the sway bar upgrade kit, are the two smaller bars replacement end links for the SS suspension? In other words, if I got this kit would they replace the plastic end links on a FE2 suspension, or are they something else? When looking at the parts diagram for the stock FE3, the links look similar to the upgrade kit.

[buckwam]

Originally Posted by Gen6cyl

The front swaybar on the V8 is shaped to fit around the big motor.The V8 front bar will hit something on the 4 cyl. like a EVAP cannister. But it can be moved to not hit. I think the 1le 4&6 cyl. use V8 swaybars.

So you're saying that this sway bar upgrade kit will not fit the I4 motor in its original mounting placement, but an FE3 sway bar from the SS will fit?

[DriftNDraft]

The metal part in the kit with the blue plastic protective cap is the Front Handling Link, which is really a lower control arm (the blue cap is covering the steering knuckle). It has a different bushing in it than the stock link. This is *not* the end link for the sway bar.

The kit doesn't include the steel end links because it's supposed to be installed on a SS, which already has them.

It's the dark gray part below:

[Gen6cyl]

Originally Posted by buckwam

So you're saying that this sway bar upgrade kit will not fit the I4 motor in its original mounting placement, but an FE3 sway bar from the SS will fit?

I read on this forum at least a year ago someone with a 4 cyl had to move the EVAP cannister because the V8 swaybar hit it. He moved the cannister.