I have been wanting to upgrade my rear sway bar for a while now. Now that the car is more planted when I make a rapid course change I can really feel it sway now.
The car will not be a track car but I wanted the best handeling I could get from it but dont want the car to become too harsh. I hear the 1 3/8 bar may be too stiff and on these lousy roads mau not be the best choice. I dont mind a bit firmer ride in the name of better cornering though.

Is the 1 3/8 that much better then the 1 1/4? The reason I ask is the 1 3/8 will run me about $200 and there is a place that has the 1 1/4 on sale for $134 shipped! I have a hard time passing up a good deal. If I dont get the 1 1/4 sway bar then I am ordering my Exhaust, well part of itanyway. The rest has to wait till next payday. :D

What do you guys think? The rest of the suspension is (when done) Tokico HPs, Vogtland .75" springs, engine cradle brace, front suspension support brace and IRS cross brace.

If you're going to get a sway bar, I highly recommend an Addco sway bar. Or, you can cheap out and get a... cheapie...

Frog, both are Addcos. Just one is $70 less then the other and I would get itnow instead of waiting a couple months. I guess the question is would I enjoy a new exhaust or tighter handeling more right now. That and is the 1 3/8" bar too harsh and too much for a car that sees some very uneven roads weekly.

Can only speak to the Addco 1 1/4 I have. On the torn up roads of N.Y. the ride is a little more harsh but the handling improvement outweighs it. It was a good deal for my car. Hope that helps you.

If the roads are that bad you should definatly go with the 1 1/4", save your kidneys unless you want the best handling you can get then go for the the other one.

^^I agree^^ The bigger sway bar is BRUTAL! It makes the car ride like crap & it will spill your Starbucks.

Looks like the majority says go with the 1 1/4 bar. So $134 shipped is a good deal, no?

Last chance to talk me out of it. Will be ordering it in a few hours then. I want better handeling but dont want to destroy the ride.

Last chance to talk me out of it. Will be ordering it in a few hours then. I want better handeling but dont want to destroy the ride.

You've answered it right there.

I don't have an addco on my Mark8 or Cougar (has a supercoupe bar), but do on my TownCar.

If some ride quality is important, don't get the biggest/beefiest - just a bit bigger. Even the 1.25" should be a huge improvement over the skinny turd that the Mark's come with.

Yup, gonna order it here shortly. I just found a great deal on a Trac Lok and some gears so that threw the exhaust out the window for now anyway. :lol:

Well I ordered the 1.25" Addco bar today. Cant wait! :wrench

Just to chime in after the fact....1 3/8 front and rear on my car.....when I turn into a driveway .......lets say to the right (ps).....it will lift the left (ds) rear tire off the ground.

Link to the Addco 1 1/4 at that price?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Addco-1-25-Rear-Sway-Bar-1989-90-97-FORD-THUNDERBIRD_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2 em14QQhashZitem2c5099d244QQitemZ190330819140QQptZM otorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Just to chime in after the fact....1 3/8 front and rear on my car.....when I turn into a driveway .......lets say to the right (ps).....it will lift the left (ds) rear tire off the ground.

It will do that with my 1 1/4" bars front and rear as well :) I wonder how fun it would be with sub frame connectors too!?! :D
I wanted to go with the biggest ones, but wasn't sure how much it was going to affect the ride. I kinda wish I had now ;)

I have a T-bird SC bar on my car in the rear.....helped a good bit and was only $5 from the u pull-it

It will do that with my 1 1/4" bars front and rear as well :) I wonder how fun it would be with sub frame connectors too!?! :D
I wanted to go with the biggest ones, but wasn't sure how much it was going to affect the ride. I kinda wish I had now ;)

Imust have missed something. I look at my sub frame rails and they are solid front to back unlike a Stang. So why would they need a subframe connector if their subframe is already connected. And if they do make them then what do they look like (out of curiosity)

It isn't connected bumper to bumper like a full frame car.....you don't have frame rails that go up and over the rear axle.....and the rails you are looking at are just thin panels that are laid on top of each other as the body was produced.

do a search for them.....pics are out there.....the ones I have seen pin the gas tank in, so do a new fuel pump before welding them in......bolt in are a option, but not worth the time IMO.

I think the connectors wouldn't change the car in a bad way....probably solve the corner to corner flex we have with the big swaybars.....and let the suspension work better, instead of just being stiff side to side.