Hey guys and gals. I have noticed a lot of people asking what size bars they have, and after being under the nose of a salvage yard IROC on Tuesday, I thought I would take some time and clear some questions up. Plus, what else do I have to do while I'm at work on T/G?

I got all this info from my parts and illustration manual. Those things really help a lot, and if you do a lot of part searching, I would get one...it'll save you a lot of time. Also, look into the CD rom version listed on the home page.

FYI, RPO codes are as follows from the decoder:

F41 : SUSPENSION SYSTEM, FRT, RR, FIRM RIDE, HANDLING
FE1 : SUSPENSION SYSTEM, S0FT RIDE
FE2 : SUSPENSION SYSTEM, RIDE HANDLING
FE3 : SUSPENSION SYSTEM, SPORT
Unable to locate code ZK3 in our database!
Z28 : MERCHANDISED PKG, SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

ZK3 is the export model so if you have one, you know who you are. Part numbers follow the descriptions.


91 F41 FRONT (34 MM) 14094339
91 F41 REAR (21 MM) 10021221
(REAR POSSIBLY FE2 ALSO)

91 FE2 FRONT (36 MM) 14094344
91 FE2 REAR (24 MM) 10035033


90 (NO CODE GIVEN) FRONT (36 MM) 14094344
90 (NO CODE GIVEN) FRONT (34 MM) 14094339
90-91 FE1 FRONT (30 MM) 14047916
90 (NO CODE GIVEN) REAR (24 MM) 10035033

89 FE2 FRONT (36 MM) 14094344
89-91 FE1 REAR (18 MM) 10021220

87-89 FE2,F41 FRONT (34 MM) 14094339
88-90 FE2,F41 REAR (21 MM) 10021221

87-89 EXCEPT FE2,F41 FRONT (30 MM) 14047916
87-88 EXCEPT FE2,F41 REAR (18 MM) 10021220

86 (NO CODE GIVEN) FRONT (27 MM) 14019268
86-87 EXCEPT ZK3/Z28 FRONT (30 MM) 14047916
86 ZK3/Z28 FRONT (34 MM) 14094339
86 EXCEPT ZK3/Z28 REAR (18 MM) 10021220

85 FE2 FRONT (34 MM) 14073013
85-87 FE2 REAR (24 MM) 10035033
85-86 ZK3 REAR (21 MM) 10021221
85-86 Z28 (EXCEPT FE2) REAR (21 MM) 10021221

84-85 ZK3/Z28 FRONT (32 MM) 14047917
84-85 EXCEPT F41, ZK3/Z28 FRONT (27 MM) 14019268

82-83 (EXCEPT Z28,F41) FRONT (27 MM) 14019268
82-83 Z28 FRONT (32 MM) 14047917
82-85 F41 FRONT (30 MM) 14047916
82-84 Z28 REAR (21 MM) 10021221
82-85 F41 REAR (18 MM) 10021220

That ought to do it. Some had no "codes" and I have no idea what the hell that means. So by checking these codes against what is in your car, you should be able to verify what bars you have.

Hope this helps. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

Later

------------------
Ed Miller
Charlotte, NC
1991 RS, 305 TBI,
bone stock driver;
1988 IROC L98
TPIS Fast Pack, modified MAF, MSD 6A, Dynomax cat-back so far.

"Do you want to race or don't ya? I want to race." Dale Earnhardt

[This message has been edited by ebmiller88 (edited November 22, 2001).]

 

I may as well toss a bolt into the fan.

I currently have an 86 IROC-Z.
Its an FE2/Z28 car.

The stock/original rear bar was the 24mm as listed, but the stock/original front bar was 32mm which was not listed.

------------------

Tracy /AKA IROCKZ4me
'86 IROC-Z Camaro
"Cogito ergo zoom"

• 355 cid
• AFR heads
• Arizona Speed & Marine hydraulic roller cam w/ AFR hydra-rev kit
• modified SLP runners
• TRW forged pistons/ceramic coated
• fully balanced
• Edelbrock headers/ceramic coated
• SLP cat-back
• Paxton supercharger
• Nitrous Express nitrous oxide

EFI Performance Club on Yahoo

 

Figures....50/50/90 rule...

 

ttt

 

I use my digital calipers and set it to metric mode. I took them with me to the pick-a-part. (2) 34mm front, (1) 36mm front, (1) 24mm rear, (1) 23mm rear bars left for home with me. Lon

 

Well done!!

BTW Lon, I'm gonna use the 36mm Guldstrand bushings on my front bar until I get a set of your greasable ones.

I also found this interesting. I have called ES twice asking them about 36mm bushings and they have told me "No" both times. When I got my Guldstrand bushings yesterday, they came with a small packet of Formula 5 lube with "Energy Suspension" printed on it in the package.

WTF????????

Maybe Guldstrand has a deal with ES or something.

Ed

 

Ed, If you wait about a week on installing the Gulstrand 36mm bushing we can just swap yours for the one that I ship you with the set. The brackets are going out for plating this week. I'm just waiting for my 1/4" bushing to arrive today for my Procunier tapper before I can roll-tap them. I have one Gulstrand 36mm bushing set arriving today for evaluation. I'll likely be using it, since they claim it fits the stock GM brackets, (which I am using). There is a big difference in my cost for the 36mm vs 32mm & 34mm from ES. So that assembly will price a bit higher. Well, back out to the bead blaster I go...Lon

 

Sure, will do. I can wait a week.

 

Hmm.. I cant seem to find any of those rpo codes u listed on my Service Parts Identification sticker on my car. I have a 1984 Trans am, and it does have sway bars..

Dan

 

yeah i think that those are for chevy only. not pontiac.

 

Could someone please explain the performance difference between the solid and hollow versions? Is there any or was this purely to save on weight.... thanks guys

Will

 

I would guess the solid would be stiffer than the hollow?

 

Yea, you'd think, but from what I've read before the solid front bars a just heavier, little if any perf difference than a hollow bar. I picked up a 36mm solid front bar from PickYour Part, it felt like 20 lbs. Works good though, a noticable improvement over the hollow 34mm that it replaced. I might have to go back after a 36mm hollow to check for any noticable perf difference.
All rear bars are solid. I picked up a 24mm for the rear at the same time.

 

Typically, a hollow cylinder is stronger than a solid one. I'm not sure if this applies to torsional stress though, which is mostly what stabilizer bars deal with.

 

Just measured my 92 RS sway bars with the F41 suspension today, and I have the 34mm front and 21mm rear bars.

 

Yes, the 36 solid bar (Unknown brand) I have is definately Heavier and Stiffer than the 36 hollow I'm trying now. With the solid when I push down on a front fender the front end moves as a unit, no rocking side to side, the front sticks great but feels like the rear wants to come around in a hard turn. I'd like to have a matching rear bar to have a matched set. The factory 36 hollow & 24 solid rear, feel like a good matched set and keep the car 90-95% as flat in turns and has a smoother ride.

 

Would you be able to put the size in inches rather than milimeters, I plan to get a 1 1/4" solid front bar and a 1" solid rear bar just wonder how their metric equivalents match up or is there no difference at all between ANSI and metric. Just wondering.

 

http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm
36mm=1.42in
So I guess the 1.25in bar is pretty much the same as the solid 34.

 

1 inch= 25.4mm= 2.54cm


Ed

 

Thanks for the help with the measurements. My question now being, are there any companies that make large diameter swaybars, maybe up to 38mm or 39mm (40mm?). I belive that a 38mm front and a 34/36mm rear would be a good setup. Could any one list pros and cons?

 

http://www.spohn.net/category.cfm?categoryid=1051


when i converted to metric i got 33.34mm front and 25.4mm rear..


but they are solid chrome moly bars, so i donno how much that effects it....

 

i picked up a set of hollow 36 and a solid 24 for under 100 on ebay. Now I need to know where I can get some greese for the poly links.

 

Spohn sells the synthetic greese, I think M1 full synthetic will work too.

 

ok, so I've got an 89 GTA...am I safe to assume it has the 36mm hollow front and 24mm solid rear? I want to order new bushings but am not 100% on the sizes. Spohn does not sell a regular 36mm front...only the greasable ones...hmm.

 

Use an ajustable wrench to get the diameter, and measure.

 

ok, so look for a 36 and a 24. got it. but do i want solid or hollow front? is there anyway to tell solid or hollow besides taking it off and weighing it? or am i just haveing a brain fart and should just use common sense?

john

 

The hollow bars will have 2 small drain holes, one at each end close to where the bar ends are crimped, look for those.

Ed

 

i got the greasable front bushing from spohn, and they say 1 3/8 on them and dont fit really good i got one to seat (i dunno if that proper terminology) but the other one i cant, so the gap in the bushing is much bigger on one side. im going to go mess with it now and see if i can get anywhere

 

thank you kindly sir, junk yard, here i come.

john

 

couldn't find any 36 mm at the junk yark, i did find a wonder bar (its now mine). I did also find a 34mm solid front bar, i currently have a 30mm, would i notice a big diff with a 34 or should i hold out for a 36? what are you alls thoughts?

john

 

I got a '87 Iroc-z with the FE2 option. So, I got 34 up front and 24 out back? So, should the front be hollow or solid? How was that determined from the factory?
What are the biggest ones offered from the factory, front and back? 36 & 24?
TIA, Nick.

 

I just read through this whole thread, Nick. And I see there is a general misconception about solid vs. hollow.

Solid or hollow means nothing. Two bars, same diameter, one hollow and one solid. The hollow may be stiffer. The solid may be stiffer. Or they can be the same. The only consistent difference between them is that hollow is lighter.

Just like springs. The stiffness of the bar comes not only from the construction and diameter, but also from the formulation of the metal and how it's been tempered.

Unfortunately, all you can do is try different setups 'til you find the one you like. Or go to an aftermarket maker who can tell you exactly what you're buying.

 

dumb question i know, but i don't know much about sway bars and suspension.. does a stiffer/larger diameter sway bar mean tighter handling? I measured my current sway bars on my 86' TA and the front is a 36mm hollow and the rear is a 24mm solid. Is this the "ideal" factory setup? How much would replacing these missing end link bushings (is that what they are called) on the rear help.

 

My car has got no stickers for codes anywhere. I was thinking id just need the biggest ones with it being a GTA but after seeing they are different for Camaro's im not so sure now.

my car is an 87 GTA, anyone know the front and rear sizes off the top of their head ?

 

So I looked up the sizes of the sway bars for what my Iroc should have however when I measured it I came up with 32 mm? Did I measure it wrong or is it really 32 mm?

 

I am not so sure how accurate or complete the information is regarding sway bar sizes since the original post date is November 2001. That's ten year old info. For example, I have a 1986 Z with a factory rear sway bar size of 23 mm measured with a digital caliper gauge. The front sway bar measures 34 mm. The OP shows no 23 mm rear sway bar in his list for 1986. I would investigate a little further.

 

How much of a problem am I going to encounter if using 33 mm vice 34 mm bushings?

Replacing front sway bar bushings (87-89 FE2,F41 FRONT (34 MM) 14094339)

Thanks!
----------------------
After searching web... and searching... was able to find correct size for some Energy Suspension parts
----------------------

 

34mm Solid front (85 Trans Am )
36mm hollow front (89+ several models )
25mm solid rear (85 Trans Am )

 

I have an '88 T/A T-Top that has the performance suspension (plate on the passenger side dash under the map holder(?) what does this consist of and sizes if possible like swaybar and so-forth? Was this standard?

 

what sise would I need for a 1982 recaro trans am front and back sway bar????

 

Just means WS6 suspension. Had it on my 88 T/A. 36 front bar, 24 rear bar and I believe stiffer coil springs and better shocks/struts