F-Body Europe

Here is an interesting thread from CZ28.com that George pointed out. Anyone care to share their thoughts on the subject?


I put a STB on my 2000SS. It's great for cornering. You can really feel the difference but my friend says that it might not be good for the drag strip, WHY? I didn't ask him. Let me know your opinions.
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.....my only guess would be weight.
You don't need it on to go fast in a straight line, and the extra pounds you save in taking it off will help your ET.

Good for corners = yes.
Good for the strip = no.

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From a pure performance standpoint it probably does no good and as minimum it does add some extra weight. That said I am strongly considering one - after about 130 passes since May 30 my hood is starting to go out of alignment, left side is up about 1/16 of and inch and the right is down by about the same amount. I'm hoping a STB can prevent any further distortion. Also my other hobby is canyon carving and the STB will help there

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Z-Fbody is exactly right. The reason an STB is 'bad' for the strip is because of the extra weight. It's not going to harm your car by being in there.

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I kinda figured that would be the answer but I needed some input from someone else. Thanks for all the info.
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I was curious about the same thing. If removing the sway bar not only takes off weight, but helps with weight transfer, by allowing the wheels to lift independent of each other, wouldn't the STB defeat that, by keeping them moving in unison? That is what I have been thinking.. Am I way off?

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George, I was thinking the same thing, but didn't know how to word it!! Thanks.
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I think you are right. If you have the STB but you remove the sway bar you would definitely defeat the purpose.

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The STB will stiffen the front end and make it more difficult to transfer weight to the rear wheels. Therefore it will be more difficult to hook up, plus you add a few pounds of weight. great for cornering and everyday driving, lousy for the strag strip.

Well like I said in the post, if you remove the sway bar to help in weight transfer, and it is proven. Why would you want a STB doing the same thing as the sway bar? It is good for the corners, but I do not know how it could be good for the strip.......Lets discuss....

I don't know, I think it would help, by keeping the front from going to one side or another, no?? Say for some reason the track wasn't level, it would help it go straight. Am I dumb, or what??

It seems to me that the STB would be beneficial by helping to eliminate side to side chassis flex. The biggest factor in racing is traction...if one wheel is coming up and the other is not, that means one wheel has less traction, therefore it is prone to spinning. That's why they created airbags (and not the steering wheel kind)...

Air Bag good.... STB Bad.....

front end should be coming off the ground anyway, or at least transfering as much weight rearward as possible.

The weight would be the issue, not side to side flex. That is a issue for the rear tires. (were it is still bad, because if you rotates to the right rear (common) then you are loosing half your contact patch for accelaration, not to mention the fact that sense the suspension and frame is twisting, the chasis is soaking up hp also).

We know this...the debate is whether a STB would help or hinder while drag racing.


The weight is the issue including side to side flex. If all the weight of the car is being transferred toward the pass rear tire, then the drivers side rear tire is not getting traction. If the weight were transferred squarely to the rear of the car, the weight would be closer to equal on both rear tires, helping to provide traction for both tires.


My point exactly...the STB should help to eliminate chassis flex. Will it eliminate it completely? Not hardly...will it help? Probably a bit. How much? Who knows?

Not to mention the fact that you should be getting better traction.


This is where the STB should help a bit by reducing flex during the launch thereby providing a more even weight tranfer toward the rear of the car.

Where did everyone go?!?!

It's only 1 AM in Deutschland

The G-load braces over the DS, and the panhard bars at the rear are powers of ten better at doing the job that a stb whose only job is to stop deflection between the front wheels during cornering, could do

The engine shouldnt be able to influence the front of the car everything is happening out back.

With that said, I think any brace is a good brace. Just as far as the 1/4 is concerned, IMO if it aint a subframe conector, or a cage, then its extra weight. Do I have one? Sure, but then again, I dont drop the anti roll bar and run space savers on the front when I drag either. I hardly doubt 10-15lbs of STB is going to make a big differance to me or any other amatuer street car.

I am not saying that they are a must have for drag racing, that's not what they are made for. But I don't see how they could possibly hurt anything...only help...even if a very minor amount.


We are not talking about the engine, we are talking about a brace providing structural rigidity thereby decreasing the amount of flex and theoretically allowing a more even distribution of weight to the rear of the car. Similiar in concept to an airbag in the rear pass side spring.


Well said

You guys make good points. I would have stayed awake a little longer, but I had to get up at 5!!

I was told once (back in San Antonio) that the stb helps in drag racing. Once and only once. I have heard more than once that it really doesn't do anything in strait line racing but add weight. It's not that much weight and sometimes a bitch to get off, so I don't know if I would do it.

Dave, do you remember, by chance, what the reason they gave was???

4 bolts.....

Yes and A LOT of prying!!

I think it was the same thing that is being discussed here. He said making the front stiffer would make it better. BTW I noticed a nice difference on the bahn with mine on the way home last night!!!

Well that must be a LT1 thing.... The LS1 bar is easy.......

[quoteWell that must be a LT1 thing.... The LS1 bar is easy.......[/quote]

actually 2 bolts on mine, takes about 1 min.

Mine was a b1tch, probably due to the accident though!!

When it went on it just acted like it would give me trouble getting it back off. Haven't tried it, just know that everything I do to that car is 2 times more difficult for one reason or another.