need help with these strut bars

FocusRun · 05-21-03, 05:55

I'm thinking of buying a strut bar for the focus. Now I found two of them but they're sorta different. here they are

Strut bar 1

here's number 2

Strut bar 2

Is there any performance difference between the two? What makes the one that has the c collar thing more expensive? which one is better? Also anyone know a better/cheaper place to buy ehm? Please take note of the shape of the bars. They're suppose to angled that way to avoid hitting the intake..\

thanks guys!

audio1der · 05-21-03, 07:10

I'd get whichever you think looks better; they're functionally similar.

Luster · 05-21-03, 07:33

I agree with Audio1der...

They will both perform the same, its just a matter of personal preference.

I had a choice of the "Next Level" STB for $230, which is all steel, but thin and weak-looking..........or the GM-Buick STB for $17.

I chose the Buick bar, not only for price, but it is very heavy-duty and aggressive-looking. (And it looks better than the NL)....

Here's a pic...

Scottwax · 05-21-03, 08:14

Quote:

Originally posted by audio1der
I'd get whichever you think looks better; they're functionally similar.

Agreed. Either one looks like they would work. Make sure you get a rear strut bar also since your car is FWD. Just adding a front bar will make the understeer even worse (tendency to plow through fast turns). Adding a rear bar will help even more and significanly reduce the tendency to understeer. I know my Accord sure wanted to go straight through fast turns before I added a rear bar. The rear upper strut seemed to make my car understeer a lot less than stock.

FocusRun · 05-21-03, 10:22

Now that you mentioned it Scottwax, the focus already has rear sway bar that comes stock. I was hoping the stock rear sway bar is enuff. Now when you say "rear upper strut bar", do you mean the stress bar that's placed in the trunk? (please fogive my ignorance, I'm not very mechanically inclined/proficient).

I was going to add the front strut bars to help lessen the crazy body roll I'm getting when I'm cutting people.... errrr changing lanes at , um, reasonable speed, yeah, that's right...

Yeah so it's really for the body roll.

IndigoGTI · 05-21-03, 10:40

FocusRun, if you want to reduce body roll when turning and making abrupt manuvers, you need to install a stiffer sway bar. The sway bar ties the two lower suspension arms together to reduce body roll.

A strut bar will reduce body flex. Adding a strut bar to the front stiffens the front strut mounts and will make initial turn-in crisper, but you will still have the body roll from before. A rear strut bar will stiffen the rear mounts. In a sedan, you do not notice bidy flex in the rear of a car as much as you do in a hatchback where there is no rear deck to stiffen the chassis.

Bottom line; if you want to reduce body roll, add swaybars. If you want to reduce body flex, install strut tower bars.

Anyway as to your question in the first post, I would go for the second brace, it looks like it has a more secure mount that surrounds the strut top.

GR8SVT · 05-21-03, 11:16

imho, get the second one. More "bolt" on access to the strut tower housing.

Now, yes, the Focus comes with a stock rear "sway" bar, but a "sway" bar and "strut" bar are different.

The sway bar is connected to the underbody of the vehicle.
A strut bar is connected to the strut towers or mounts of the vehicle which is on TOP of where the struts are on the vehicle.

Sway bars are more bang for your buck - I have both, front and rear STRUT bars and noticed a slight improvement in handling.

I upgraded my 18mm rear sway bar to a thicker 24mm sway bar, and it was sickening the difference in handling. For a FWD car, some people have had a positive experience in REMOVING the front "Sway" bar entirely as sometimes the problem isn't with the nose going places, but how fast the tail follows. With NO front sway bar and a larger rear sway bar, you eliminate that issue. I for one, have not done this - this is from reading on different message boards. I still have my front sway bar and love the way the car handles.....

Intermezzo · 05-21-03, 11:35

Quote:

Originally posted by IndigoGTI
FocusRun, if you want to reduce body roll when turning and making abrupt manuvers, you need to install a stiffer sway bar. The sway bar ties the two lower suspension arms together to reduce body roll.

Very well put....and ultimately, this increased roll resistance will have the effect of adjusting the roll couple distribution (roll resistance at the front of the car relative to the amount at the rear). Increase roll resistance via a thicker sway-bar in the rear to reduce understeer.

I'm looking to get a 22MM anti-sway bar in the rear with a full strut/tie accompaniment in front, back, top & bottom.

Luster, that's one hell of a set-up you got there. I especially like how you kept your car's exterior nice and clean.

Oh and I'd say go with bar #2.

Luster · 05-21-03, 11:53

Quote:

Originally posted by FocusRun
when you say "rear upper strut bar", do you mean the stress bar that's placed in the trunk?

Yes it's the one in the trunk that connects the two strut towers.

Mine is identical to the front one.

gibbo01 · 05-21-03, 03:27

FocusRun
I have had both strut bars fitted to my Focus.
They are both from focuscentral.
They do transform the car, but i had to remove the rear one due to space required in the rear, and you do notice the difference when its not there.

Go for it.

NegatiZE · 06-13-03, 10:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Luster

Here's a pic...

Very nice engine bay.

v85097 · 06-21-03, 07:58

If one brace was all welded I'd take that over the other if the other had the rings bolted to the bar. Unless you have strut towers in the rear I'd save my money and go for the rear sway bar as suggested because that will have more of an impact on body roll than a rear brace will.