front sway bars

[jay745]

Pretty much this.

Those of you that had this done, about how much did it cost?

It'll vary by region unfortunately. I charge $150 for front bars in Chicago if it helps.

 

[tigeo]

Pretty much this.

Those of you that had this done, about how much did it cost?

I had mine done along with the LCAs and did a deadset kit as well. I had a bunch of things done so the labor is a bit of a mess so not really sure. To me, this is at least 4 hours of labor so maybe $500 or so?

 

[jay745]

I had mine done along with the LCAs and did a deadset kit as well. I had a bunch of things done so the labor is a bit of a mess so not really sure. To me, this is at least 4 hours of labor so maybe $500 or so?

Definitely not 4-5 hours at a shop with a qualified technician. It should take 60-90 minutes. I can get them done in about an hour.

 

[scrllock]

It's driven mainly in my opinion by 1) internet bro-science and 2) PITA to install. My car handled fine with just the rear but man the front really made a massive difference in body roll reduction, much more-so than when I added the rear. I think a rear-only upgrade is a nice easy mod for many people. The front on the GSW is only 24mm stock, I believe the GTI/R/Alltrack all have a thicker front bar to start which also helps out with a rear-only upgrade on those models.

Pretty sure the R is also 24mm in the front. FWD cars might be different.

If your springs you had are stiffer than the FSB, you probably won't feel a difference as much. What I now experience is not terrible, but the car is certainly less comfortable over bumps now. Personally, I'm filing the FSB under "race car shit". Any turbo bigger than a IS38 is "race car shit" in my book too. Just things that hurt everyday normal performance and improve performance when "racing".

If you believe this random aftermarket vendor, front sway bars are "street car shit" and rear-only is race car

Most people who've bothered to deal with the front have gone to LCAs with stiffer bushings, so it's hard to get a controlled comparison on NVH.

The main reason to do both sway bars is to gain adjustment, it's like running coilovers you can only adjust front or rear. If the car is understeering after adding a front sway you just need to re-tune your setup (endlink position, dampers, and tire pressure balance).

 

[tigeo]

Pretty sure the R is also 24mm in the front. FWD cars might be different.



If you believe this random aftermarket vendor, front sway bars are "street car shit" and rear-only is race car

View attachment 269321

Most people who've bothered to deal with the front have gone to LCAs with stiffer bushings, so it's hard to get a controlled comparison on NVH.

The main reason to do both sway bars is to gain adjustment, it's like running coilovers you can only adjust front or rear. If the car is understeering after adding a front sway you just need to re-tune your setup (endlink position, dampers, and tire pressure balance).

100% agree with you...the LCAs with poly bushings added, what I think at least, is a lot of NVH. The FSB just does what you would think and I go over it in the video I linked with an example...it's increasing the spring rate when one side is moving against the other.

 

[ZuMBLe]

Pretty sure the R is also 24mm in the front. FWD cars might be different.



If you believe this random aftermarket vendor, front sway bars are "street car shit" and rear-only is race car

View attachment 269321

Most people who've bothered to deal with the front have gone to LCAs with stiffer bushings, so it's hard to get a controlled comparison on NVH.

The main reason to do both sway bars is to gain adjustment, it's like running coilovers you can only adjust front or rear. If the car is understeering after adding a front sway you just need to re-tune your setup (endlink position, dampers, and tire pressure balance).

Damn... I guess rear only was too advanced and race car for me. Glad I went with a "street" setup now. Hahha.

 

[tigeo]

It'll vary by region unfortunately. I charge $150 for front bars in Chicago if it helps.

So 1 hour at my shop's rate - no way I paid that little thinking about this. Just on a side note - labor discussions online are worthless. When folks ask these quesitons, I always think - call 3 shops and even include a dealer, that's the rate in your area regardless of what you read online which will vary from "box of tacos" to "a bazillion dollars". Do you include an alignment with your FSB labor rate?

 

[tigeo]

Bingo
View attachment 269284

Good one/v. true. Your car is understeering b/c 1) your tires and 2) your driving inputs.

 

[Maiden69]

completely agree with you, I added a rear sway for my 2018 Silverado on recommendations from a GM forum and while it improve the handling a lot I noticed the front end was not cooperating at all. Once I upgraded the front bar the truck behaved just like I wanted. I have the rear sway on the GTI, and I am waiting on a few extra parts to install the front bar as well. The rear bar did improve the car handling, and while not as bad as with the Silverado I can tell that the front is not working with the rear as it should be. Hopefully by February I will have all I need in order to install the front bar.

 

[jay745]

So 1 hour at my shop's rate - no way I paid that little thinking about this. Just on a side note - labor discussions online are worthless. When folks ask these quesitons, I always think - call 3 shops and even include a dealer, that's the rate in your area regardless of what you read online which will vary from "box of tacos" to "a bazillion dollars". Do you include an alignment with your FSB labor rate?

I'm sure shops will rake you on labor but in actuality it's not a bad job at all. Alignment is not included with that price

 

[tigeo]

I'm sure shops will rake you on labor but in actuality it's not a bad job at all. Alignment is not included with that price

I get it - it wasn't something I was interesting dicking with but with a lift, so much of this crap is v. easy vs. working off the ground.

 

[ZuMBLe]

I get it - it wasn't something I was interesting dicking with but with a lift, so much of this crap is v. easy vs. working off the ground.

I helped a friend with a low miles car do his. No problems because things weren't rusted. It was still a pain in the ass for two people get to the subframe lined up and back on. My own car has over 60K miles of NYC salt etc. It just wasn't worth it for me to take the chance. The FSB install is definitely not as simple as the RSB, which I didn't bat at eye about doing myself on a set of ramps.

 

[Charlotte.:R]

When folks ask these quesitons, I always think - call 3 shops and even include a dealer, that's the rate in your area regardless of what you read online which will vary from "box of tacos" to "a bazillion dollars". Do you include an alignment with your FSB labor rate?

Kinda agree, but it's also nice to get a range. Jay is in Chicago, your in VA, so I kind of have a baseline that I'd be looking somewhere between $150-500 since Charlotte is probably 'similar' ie not So Cal lol. Being that this is a seemingly less than common mod and not something literally beaten to death, it's nice to get a range.

Thanks for writing this up and the video. This is a mod that has kind of been in the back of my mind for awhile, and it's not cost prohibitive. Might finally pull the trigger on this.

 

[xXDavidCXx]

Pretty much this.

Those of you that had this done, about how much did it cost?

free fifty in my garage

 

[Charlotte.:R]

free fifty in my garage

lol, I would spend at least $20 in beer.