Front Sway Bar Installed

[Rider90]

I installed the front sway and the rear sway bar should be in next week. Ride is alittle firmer and you can definatly notice the improvement around corners. Very nice!

Reason of edit: I was too close to the rear bump stops, probably riding those in the corners, hence the review was giving a little too much credit to the front sway bar...

[BruteForce]

Wait 'til you have the rear in... then the Metco control arms and watts link. You've had the appetizer with the front bar. Now go for the full meal. :D

[mongo]

Rider 90,
If you don't mind me asking, how did you get the rear end to drop? I'm considering lowering the front end & wondered if the car would adjust it's self to stay level or if there is something I have to do to change that.
Thanks,
Mongo

[hitchhiker]

I installed the front sway bar and dropped the back end. I mean dropped. I don't like the ride so far, but it handles great, maybe I'll find a happy medium when I want to adjust it again. The rear sway bar should be in next week, I hope. Night and day difference. Did I say night and day? Lets compare it to a couple pea pods and a juicy filet. Mmmm....I still have not had dinner, don't mind me.

Should a car that weighs 4500 lbs with passenger, REALLY handle like this? I can tell immediatly in the first turn that dropping the rear end made a huge difference. The ride sucks IMHO, it bounces, and my neck hurts. I am running the 255/15 KDW2 in the rear; all tires @ 40 psi once again.

Here are two pictures of how she sits right now, keep in mind the larger rear tires...
http://midwestpanthers.net/d1.jpg
http://midwestpanthers.net/d2.jpg
I think I like the look. I've only seen in a couple times so far and only at night, so I'm not sure. All I am positive about at this point is every time I hit a bump I feel like those guys in the blue Impala from Steve Martin's The Jerk.

Now the ride in the front end is another story. The Addco front sway bar decreased the ride quality oh-so-slightly, ever-so-gently, that after a couple quick laps around your private track you'll say "Good Riddance." For what the bar took away and what it gave you, you'll be one happy camper in this category. Steering is much tighter, or so it feels, more responsive, and not any more difficult to hold a finger to.

Now to performance.

*GRIN*

I took the Marauder to my private track, ok I'll admit, I don't own a private track...and replace the word track with "Twisty Business District" but it was as evacuated as you could imagine. If I pulled over, shut the car off, I could probably hear a frog pissing in the decorative pond. Turn after turn, manually downshifting into second, accellerating back to third, braking into second and hitting the turn, pulling out of it and leaving your side bolsters screaming in pain. My Marauder has never seen this light, I take care of it as much as I have time for, tonight I had difficulty coming home and guilting myself into "Me Beating on It" because of how well this car performed.

Should a 4500 lb vehicle handle like THIS? Not even in my imagination. I can hit the turn hard in second gear at 45 MPH, feel how tight and flat the front end is and actually feel the rear end trying to keep up. Did I mention how flat it stays? Very. And that right there is an understatement. I'm eagerly awaiting the rear Addco bar. As well as the rear end is keeping up, the addition of the rear bar should be astounding. FYI, Addco front is 1.25" and Addco rear is 1".

For $160.00 this is one of the single best things I have done to my car besides purchasing it. A big thumbs up.
Be sure and keep us informed once you get the whole set of mods done.

IMHO it isn't really a hard turn unless you are skidding the rear end around it in order to stay on the road!

I grew up making my dad's full size Mercs and Fords go around corners they weren't supposed to. I am quite happy with the Marauder as it is. I may do some suspension work in the future, but only once components actually need replacing. I ordered the billet upper and lower control arms just to have them for now and will probably put aside the larger front and rear sway bars for the future too. What I realy want is the Trilogy kit, but I live in California and so far Trilogy has not pursued CARB certification any further. I hope they do. I think I can get the car smogged anyway (wink wink) but I am not sure.

Do you have the part numbers for the Addco front and rear sway bars handy?

Best Regards,

David

[Rider90]

Mongo: This has been covered extensively if you do a search. Look for the thread "Rear Suspension KNOB" inside there is a picture, IIRC on page 2, that shows what needs to be done. Good luck.

David: I do not have the Part Numbers handy, in fact all I did was call up Debbie @ Reinhart and tell her what I want. Do you have the control arms in? Do share if they are installed. What I really need are better brakes, I'm not too excited about the heat fade of these stock brakes - Fortunatly, my BAER catalog came in the mail today :help:

[Zack]

Ok everybody, listen up!!
I have the secrets to make your car ride good again. I learned this from studying a Kenny Brown Car.
The rear end will ride like ***** if you lower it significantly.
You NEED TO MODIFY THE RUBBER BUMPERS ON THE AXLE
I have pictures of the modification but cant post them right now. The frame slams into these bumpers on a good bump.
You need to cut the excess aluminum off the bumpers, drill and tap a new hole and re-install. Your car will ride great after you do this.
I will elaborate at a later date.

[Rider90]

Do tell Zack, the only thing I could think of is a C-Notch. I can't get enough of the handling, and I will raise the rear up another inch or so only because it is lower than the front and looks kinda weird. Thanks

[thebeeper]

Hey .....have you heard of anything about the 2007 Marauder coming out ...........and what the power plant will be ??????? Thanks Dave

[Rider90]

Hey .....have you heard of anything about the 2007 Marauder coming out ...........and what the power plant will be ??????? Thanks Dave
Bartender, I'll take what this guy is drinking...

[UAW 588]

Bartender, I'll take what this guy is drinking...
Make mine a hi colonic!!!!!!!!! :lol:

[Joe Walsh]

Ok everybody, listen up!!
I have the secrets to make your car ride good again. I learned this from studying a Kenny Brown Car.
The rear end will ride like ***** if you lower it significantly.
You NEED TO MODIFY THE RUBBER BUMPERS ON THE AXLE
I have pictures of the modification but cant post them right now. The frame slams into these bumpers on a good bump.
You need to cut the excess aluminum off the bumpers, drill and tap a new hole and re-install. Your car will ride great after you do this.
I will elaborate at a later date.

Zacks dead on!
I completely bled my rear air bags to see how low the rear of the Marauder would go.
(I was bottoming the suspension and measuring all the clearances for widened rims and rubber)
The rear didn't go as low as I expected, then I noticed that the frame rails were resting (jammed) on the rubber snubbers on each side of the axle.
These snubbers could definitely cause the suspension to bind/thump if you lower the rear significantly.

[Rider90]

Zacks dead on!
I completely bled my rear air bags to see how low the rear of the Marauder would go.
(I was bottoming the suspension and measuring all the clearances for widened rims and rubber)
The rear didn't go as low as I expected, then I noticed that the frame rails were resting (jammed) on the rubber snubbers on each side of the axle.
These snubbers could definitely cause the suspension to bind/thump if you lower the rear significantly.
I figured I was only about 1/4 inch from the rubber when I dropped mine. Zack brought a modified piece to the meet today, and I plan on getting it done soon.

[Rider90]

I figured I was only about 1/4 inch from the rubber when I dropped mine. Zack brought a modified piece to the meet today, and I plan on getting it done soon.
Alright, well, I cut the blocks, installed the rear sway bar, and leveled the rear suspension to be the same height as the front (29"). It handles good, but not as good as post #1 since I was probably riding the rubber bumpers. THATS why everything stayed so flat :cry: I'll be editing post #1....