I've been meaning to ask . . . I purchased a late 80's Carrera front end for my 914. It came with one of the underbody mount sway bars.

My question is this: What is better in our cars, an underbody sway bar or a through body sway bar?

Through body has better geometry and a much better selection of bars and arms to choose from.

The 20mm Carrera bar will work fine if that's all you want or have but, I'm a through body fan.

Definitely go through-body for added benefits. If you want to keep it simple and future minimal-adjustability, stay with the under-body style.

This is going to be a street car - no track days planned in its future. Plan to do a turbo subie transplant (~300hp) with flares. Have Bilsteins in the front.

With that being said, what should I be looking for? Brand/size/etc.?

Along with 200lb rear springs, what should I be looking for in the rear as far as sway bar and shocks as well? Thanks.

Chuck,
I'm no expert but 200 lb rear springs is a little much, maybe "way too stiff" for a street car. I am running 180s in my V-8, 930 trans car and they work well on the street.
I'm sure there are Subie guys who can help ya..
John

That is good to know John. I know Renegade suggests the 200s when doing the subie switch. I wondered if that might be a bit much for a street car.

i dis-agree ...

i'm running 250lbs rear springs on the street with yellow koni's and it doesn't feel too stiff at all. in fact, it feels rather smooth.

as for the front bar, the carrera underbody bar works surprisingly well. i ran one for a few month while saving money for a adjustable through-body tarett bar.
i'd run it for now. it's better than no sway bar for sure.

btw. 180lbs rear springs were too soft for the weight of the big /6, not sure about the subie weight, but i'm guessing it's similar to a big six.

get a decent size (22mm or bigger) front bar that is adjustable, maybe bigger torsion bars, a rear sway bar, 200+ lbs springs and most importantly, good adjustable shocks, like the koni's ...

it makes a world of a difference ...
Andy

POST WHORE!

Ya,
a horse & buggy rides great on a smooth road but look out if the road isn't smooth When I was 20 I had a Datsun 510, dropped to the ground, now that I loved then, now no way!!!

sure, bay area and smooth roads is like hell and feezing over. never gonna happen.

so, you base your recommendation on a car that is nothing like the 914, when you were 20 and didn't know any better, dropped to the ground (read: NO shock travel) ...

i'll give you a ride in my car on those oh so "smooth" CA roads and you can judge for yourself ...
and unlike when you were 20, it'll be in a 914.
Andy

John,

Your neighborhood Association called... they said they'll be installing speed bumps just for you!

The Underbody bar works GREAT!

The downside is it's lack of adjustability.

I'm running 140LB rear springs on my subbie, and they are WAY to soft.

BJH

My 2.7 is sporting a 22mm thru the body up front, 16mm & 200lb springs in the back. Green Bilsteins up front & red Konis in the back. I did not build it, but I like it.