If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.

T O P I C     R E V I E W
BlackAMX	I've seen all the posts about how wonderful the Wonder Bar is,so I bought one.I took the stabilizer bar off my Kat and laid it next to the Wonder Bar. The differences that I can see is one is steel and the WB is aluminum and has slots cut into the arms. How does this make the car handle any better than the OEM? Other than being lighter what does the Wonder Bar do that the stablizer bar can't do?
SERIB	I wonder?
butchcee	there's less torsional rigidity in the WB so the wheels don't fight each other over bumps = smoother ride.
Larry Lord	AMX, I need to clarify a couple of things. Your Wonder Bar is 4130 Chrome Moly tube with fabricated arms. The Wonder Bar (in part or whole) has been lazer cut, welded, normalized, heat treated, sand blasted and the powdercoated. It is steel, not aluminum. The Wonder Bar has, (as Buthchee stated) less torsional rigidity than the stock solid bar. the slots cut in the arms are purely for looks but do help to make the bar lighter for shipping purposes. Here's the lowdown on stabilizer bars for those that may not be familiar with the way they work and how they can allow a MUCH SMOOTHER RIDE while at the same time enhancing the handling characteristics of the Prowler. Stabilizer bars are part of a car's suspension system. They are sometimes also called anti-sway bars or anti-roll bars. Their purpose in life is to try to keep the car's body from "rolling" in a sharp turn. A stabilizer bar tries to keep the car's body flat by moving force from one side of the body to another. To picture how a stabilizer bar works, imagine a solid metal rod about 2 foot long that is 1.25” in diameter with 2 fixed arms extending perpendicularly about 8 inches from each end. Attach the rod to the frame of the car in front of the front tires, but attach it with bushings in such a way that it can rotate. Now attach arms from the rod to the front suspension rocker arms on both sides by using a straight links that will force the bar to move vertically when the suspension moves up or down. When you go into a turn, the front suspension member of the outside of the turn gets pushed upward. The arm of the sway bar gets pushed downward, and this applies torsion to the rod. The torsion then moves the arm at the other end of the rod, and this causes the suspension on the other side of the car to compress as well. The car's body tends to stay flat in the turn. If you don't have a stabilizer bar, you tend to have a lot of trouble with body roll in a turn. If you have too much stabilizer bar, you tend to lose independence between the suspension members on both sides of the car. When one wheel hits a bump, the stabilizer bar transmits the bump to the other side of the car as well, causing a rough ride and handling characteristics that you do not want. A too stiff stabilizer bar will cause the car to feel like it jumps sideways when you hit a bump or pothole while making a turn. Too stiff of a stabilizer bar will also cause your car to have a tendency to lock it's inside front wheel when braking hard in a turn due to weight transfer off the inside front wheel. The ideal strength stabilizer bar reduces body roll but does not hurt the independence of the tires. ------------------ Larry (Cruise Control) Lord Larry@FMBbox.com Products for your Prowler and Trailer: Wonder Bar Stabilizer Bars - Upright Trailer Storage Stands - Deck Lid Hinge Protectors - Trailer Latch Reinforcement Kits - KatRack Stowable Cargo Carriers - Pro-Strap Velcro Tie Straps - Keyed Alike Chrome Coupler Locksets - Logo Caps - Chrome Receiver Locks - Chrome Coupler Locks FMB Prowler Products. This message has been edited by Larry Lord on 03-24-2005 at 07:53 PM
DonSchroeder	After the install, how much improvement did you experience? I have a ‘99 and the wonderbar fixed 40% of the rough ride. Dunlop 9000’s fixed the next 30% and I’m working what’s left. The old stabilizer bar is still sitting in the garage, I’m trying to figure out something creative to do with it.
Marty Usher	quote: Originally posted by DonSchroeder: The old stabilizer bar is still sitting in the garage, I’m trying to figure out something creative to do with it. Use it as a frame for a "Prowler Parts Sculpture" ?
Chromer	quote: Originally posted by DonSchroeder: The old stabilizer bar is still sitting in the garage, I’m trying to figure out something creative to do with it. The stock stabalizer bar can used as a boat anchor...or simply "thrown overboard".. ------------------
BlackAMX	Larry, Thanks for the explanation.
Fat Pat	Yes Larry...thanks for the explanation...I wish more of the aftermarket people would post explanations, like "what the heck is an "air patrol"?? FP
ed monahan	An Air Patrol is a small "window" that clips into the trunk lid, where the soft top normally clips. This helps reduce the back draft on the back of your head. You can see them if you go to some of the scrapbooks. It is surrounded by metal or fiberglass painted to match the car.
quincy	Nice job on the 'sway bar' definition Larry!
Marty Usher	I'll be thinking about a WonderBar. IKt mught be nice before the 3600 milr trip for PowerTour. This is an air patrol - fiberglass frame This message has been edited by Marty Usher on 03-26-2005 at 02:03 PM
BlackAMX	I installed the Wonder Bar and took the Kat for a nice long ride.Western Massachusetts isn't noted for having good roads. I've been on dirt roads in Vermont that were better than our "paved" roads here. Anyway the Wonder Bar lived up to its name,it really calmed down my frontend going over the bumps. It used to shake going over these roads but no longer. Thanks Bob.
Larry Lord	quote: Originally posted by BlackAMX: .... the Wonder Bar lived up to its name,it really calmed down my frontend going over the bumps. It used to shake going over these roads but no longer. Thanks Bob. Thanks Bob? I'm starting to feel like GaryC. I get no respect. But seriously, I'm glad you like it. Wonder Bars are in stock and ready to ship if anybody else is interested in smoothing out lifes rough roads. ------------------ Larry (Cruise Control) Lord Larry@FMBbox.com Products for your Prowler and Trailer: Wonder Bar Stabilizer Bars - Upright Trailer Storage Stands - Deck Lid Hinge Protectors - Trailer Latch Reinforcement Kits - KatRack Stowable Cargo Carriers - Pro-Strap Velcro Tie Straps - Keyed Alike Chrome Coupler Locksets - Logo Caps - Chrome Receiver Locks - Chrome Coupler Locks FMB Prowler Products.
commairinc	Can the stock stabilizer bar be used as a hood prop, or perhaps sharpened and used to remove flaking chrome on wheels?
BlackAMX	Sorry Larry
Larry Lord	AMX, Just teasing you a little. Thanks for your comments about the Wonder Bar. It's always nice to hear from the users. Commair, I think you have the best suggestion I've heard yet for using the stock stablizer bars. Anybody else got a better idea?
CJ	LOL! Come on Larry......Bob's a good name!