Just rear addco or both front and rear - balancing understeer

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I have been doing suspension work on my 04 Taurus, and I have improved that car to the point that the Marauder feels fat and lazy going around corners (kyb struts, modified spring rates and sway bars on the Taurus, vs. all stock Marauder). That can't stay that way. Time to give the Marauder some sway bars.

For the Marauder, I have heard some people say, install both front and rear Addco bars, and others say, install just a rear Addco bar but keep the stock front bar -- that using both Addco bars keeps an understeery balance but upgrading only the rear bar to an Addco bar, made the car feel more neutral.

Any comments? I actually used a larger rear sway bar on the Taurus than the front and it took all of the understeer out of the car. It's really odd to drive a FWD car that does not want to plow off the road. Which got me thinking about sway bar size and balancing handling, instead of going into the mindset that bigger must be better.

Thanks

Steve

[ImpalaSlayer]

i put on my CA's and both sway bars at the same time and al i can say is that its like going from a civic to and evo

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Well that's what I need because right now, the Taurus has a much nicer suspension feel and handling, and it makes me want to drive it instead. But that's not fair to the Marauder because if I put as much time and effort into the Marauder suspension as I just did to el Taurus, it will make huge improvements too.

[ImpalaSlayer]

its definitely a huge improvement. before i installed all that stuff, i cruised down the road and just sawed the wheel back and forth, like a slollum (sp). after the install i did the same andthe "holy :censor:" came out.

[cougar9150]

its definitely a huge improvement. before i installed all that stuff, i cruised down the road and just sawed the wheel back and forth, like a slollum (sp). after the install i did the same andthe "holy :censor:" came out.

+1 on this. My first MM I installed the Metco arms and rear sway bar. Talk about a huge improvement over stock.

The new MM has both the front/rear bars with the Metco's and it cuts corners great. Didn't think a boat this large could handle this good.

F/R bars w/CAs for the win. Next will be a complete shock upgrade...

[Green96]

I did the rears first followed by the fronts a week late. I cannot properly explain the feel with the rears only, but it just did not feel right. Once I added the front bar it is awesome. My dad wanted a rear bar for his GM, I advised him against the Addco unless he was willing to do the fronts also. He decided to use my stock MM rear bar and stick with his OEM fronts.

[fastblackmerc]

Upgrade both frt & rear sway bars & the upper & lower rear control arms. Your MM will handle 110% better than stock.

[RR|Suki]

I did rear only and it took a lot of the understeer out of the car. I felt that the front bar would make the front feel stiffer etc. However prob bring back the understeer to where it was before so I didn't bother putting it on the car. Installing both more than likely makes the car feel more like it's on rails, but I personally hate understeer.

[DJCV]

I upgraded from my stock 17mm rear bar to the MM (21mm) rear bar, and my ol' Sport went from understeering in corners to being far more neutral.

Next I added Heinous CAs and things went up a notch in cornering 'feel'....things tightened up and the whole car feels smaller, as if the rear axle is right behind the front seat while cornering. Definitely tightens up the rear end and, therefore, creates more oversteering influences in tight cornering.

Just this past weekend I added KYB Gas-A-Just MM spec front shocks (Sport-spec KYBs in rear). Car rotates on a dime with minimal steering effort/input.

You won't have as far to go as I did since you're already running a better suspension set up in your MM than I started with in my Sport. However, you may just want to install Metco or Heinous CAs as a first step and see what you think. They're a good upgrade overall---better handling dynamics under cornering and braking, and more torque to the ground under hard throttle---so I can't see how you would regret it.

Good luck.

[SpartaPerformance]

If you're looking for tighter handling then installing both is the best option for optimum stability and cornering.

[Local Boy]

It comes down to personal preference...really...

With the rear/front...The car feels tighter...Staying flat around turns...

With just the rears...The car will lean towards the front a little during high speed turns....Some people like that feeling...

Depends on what you like...

I had rears installed first...and it felt kind a cool...

But in the end, I like the flat feeling a little better...

Aloha

[Zack]

The front bar was the biggest waste of money ever.
Not to mention it makes all kinds of horrible noises with the poly bushings.
You'd think they would make a provision for a grease zerk, but noooooo.

You want to make a difference, upgrade your end links from the crappy OEM ones to a set of MOOGS

[musclemerc]

+1. Dont use the addco bushins they made my MM go squeek and definately don't reuse the stock endlinks. I used Moog end links and energy suspension greasable bushins.

[FordNut]

I have both. Wrap the bar with teflon tape prior to putting the poly bushings on. The front bar can move side-to-side. I put some split bushing sleeves on mine to prevent it. Got them from Grainger.

[fastblackmerc]

Just get the Energy Suspension greaseable bushings for the front & rear.

Greaseable Sway Bar Bushings - Energy Suspensions
Front – 9.5165 or 9.5172
Rear – 9.5161

[Zack]

I have both. Wrap the bar with teflon tape prior to putting the poly bushings on. The front bar can move side-to-side. I put some split bushing sleeves on mine to prevent it. Got them from Grainger.

Great idea. Part #?

[burt ragio]

Over time I went back & forth a few times with bars. With all the weight long wheel base it aint no BMW. I found for best results any way you slice it a must on upper & lower control arms. No more swag ect. along with rear sway bar.
Or front & rear sway bar with stiffer front springs 425lb rate of same travel as oem.
Or what I have always wanted to try. Front oem spring. Fab bracket legs for bottom spring perch. Weld in place. Drill hole in bottom of legs. Use same lower control arm mount points for legs. Grind lower shock eye L/R to narrow so bracket can fit in mounting location. Slide bracket over a pair of HD Bilsteins & bolt in place or any other shock of choice.

[ImpalaSlayer]

The front bar was the biggest waste of money ever.
Not to mention it makes all kinds of horrible noises with the poly bushings.
You'd think they would make a provision for a grease zerk, but noooooo.

You want to make a difference, upgrade your end links from the crappy OEM ones to a set of MOOGS

you must have used some crappy grease, i havent herd a peep from mine in 2 years

[fastblackmerc]

you must have used some crappy grease, i havent herd a peep from mine in 2 years

Remember....... Need to use synthetic grease with urethane bushings.

[Glenn]

I have both front and rear bars on my MM as well as the Metco contol arms and Watts Linkage bar. MM handles like a sports car. I have run at Road Atlanta with the MM and it handles great.

But, Zack is right on the OEM links - they are not strong enough for the HD front bar. You will need stronger units or they will break with hard use. Ask me - I know. As for the squeak - be sure to lub the bushings before installing them. Mine are quite.

Glenn Ford :burnout:

[Local Boy]

No sqeaks here...:)

Aloha

[ImpalaSlayer]

I have both front and rear bars on my MM as well as the Metco contol arms and Watts Linkage bar. MM handles like a sports car. I have run at Road Atlanta with the MM and it handles great.

But, Zack is right on the OEM links - they are not strong enough for the HD front bar. You will need stronger units or they will break with hard use. Ask me - I know. As for the squeak - be sure to lub the bushings before installing them. Mine are quite.

Glenn Ford :burnout:

Glenn, what links do you speak of and what did you replace them with?

and fast, i indeed used synthetic

[Glenn]

Glenn, what links do you speak of and what did you replace them with?

and fast, i indeed used synthetic

The MMs have endlinks on the front sway bars that connect to each of the suspension arms. They are rather thin. Alot of hard right turns and you might break them. I had mine replaced under warranty - and so far so good. Zack referenced Moog for a HD replacement.

Glenn Ford :burnout: