anythign new???

[AC66Bronco]

so im thinken about getting a rear sway bar and strut tower bar for the ion. theres a cheep progress one on ebay

just wondering if there were anything new coming out that i should wait and save my money for.

[slowion2]

well, there's options here

if you wanted to go with a rear bar, I would go with the progress one no doubt. what year is yours? maybe I'll just give you my old one if it works, I just dont' know if it's overly damaged or what so no promises.

I have to say, the front didn't net as much of a difference in normal driving as the back did, at first anyway.

however, and this is up in teh air too since it's more complex of all of them: I have the redline rear end on mine, with the Ion 2 front sway bar and the SPS strut bar. now the Ion front sway bar is smaller diameter than the Redline unit, so that coupled with the redline rear end produced more of a balanced setup, if not some oversteer at the limit slightly. this was still present with the strut tower brace as well up front.

I liked how it felt with the stock rear end and the progress bar, and I like how it feels now, almost identical, so either of those options is what I would suggest if that's what you want.

if you want some push/understeer at the limit, or rather a bit of push, just go with the strut bar up front, or also upgrade the sway bar to the redline unit.

unless you want to pick up those coilovers first, which I am liking so far, just want more info on them.

[AC66Bronco]

thanks vinny. i was hopping you would see this as it was ment for you.

im wondering what is intaild with the redline rear swap.

more importantly if the handeling is the same as the stock rear with the progress. cost benifits come to mind.

i have the 2004 ion 3.

im diggin the coilovers believe me i am but damn at that price. yes i know its a good price. butt thats 1k away from the motor.

my thoughts were progress rear. redline front to replace the ion 3 front. and a strut bar. and save up for coilovers. or if you say nix the strut bar ill take your word for it.

this is my first fwd car so i kinda miss the feeling of the rwd so i like the push around the corners the best

[slowion2]

for least hassle, I'd go with the stock ion front sway bar, get a strut bar for the front, and put in the rear suspension bar from Progress.

swapping in the redline one takes quite a bit of work, not sure if you would want to undergo all that honestly and would be expensive as well

[AC66Bronco]

so you think ill see no benifit from uping to the redline one?

[slowion2]

for the rear or front? replacing the front one will increase understeer, swapping the rear while the front is stock will balance it with a bit of oversteer at the limit, but it's going to be a tad bit more money and more involved than just the progress unit.

[AC66Bronco]

redline front progress rear

[slowion2]

IMO, that's going to be too similar to just leaving it stock. it'll be more firm sure but it's going to have the same amount of understeer most likely if not marginally more.

like I said, if I were you, stick with teh stock front, get a strut bar up front, and get the progress rear. it's going to plant a lot better.

[AC66Bronco]

pmed

[Red4Coupe]

Why don't you just do like what the Grand Am cobalts did. Cut out the balance bar in the stock flex beam assy and sleeve and weld in a thicker bar for more control in the rear. You can grind off the welds and put in different bars for different tracks. =)

TIMMAY

[AC66Bronco]

Why don't you just do like what the Grand Am cobalts did. Cut out the balance bar in the stock flex beam assy and sleeve and weld in a thicker bar for more control in the rear. You can grind off the welds and put in different bars for different tracks. =)

TIMMAY

yea cuz that dont seem like alot of work for a guy with no welding experience. check your pm's foo

[slowion2]

Why don't you just do like what the Grand Am cobalts did. Cut out the balance bar in the stock flex beam assy and sleeve and weld in a thicker bar for more control in the rear. You can grind off the welds and put in different bars for different tracks. =)

TIMMAY

ideally, you would want to fab a bracket to bolt the bars in and out, but that seems more work than it's worth.

that would be a good idea, same thing as what I have basically.

[AC66Bronco]

w00t sway bar just came today. not instaling it untill i get the wheel shudder fixed. just so they dont try to blame it on that [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/rolleyes.gif[/img] cai is in the mail and talking to jason smith about a strut bar. he hasnt been making them for a while due to breaking his hand in 2 places. he has also expressed interest in making rear sway bars for the base ion. so anyone in his area i think its washington wants to be a guini pig he would appreciate it