Thread: GMPP strut bars and donrome brackets

I have the front and rear STB setup and have a question.

Do these things really help at all? After lloking at how and where they install, they seem to be much about nothing. Since the donrome brackets are aluminum you can't torque the bar bolts too tight or they will strip. For this reason it seems to me, that there would be the potential for the bars to slip some. GM quit putting the front bars on so, as is my nature, I'm skeptical.

Also any installation tips to make this easy? The front is pretty strainght forward but curious about the rear ones.

I don't have front or rear strut tower bars because I have always wondered the same thing.

Lee, everyone that does have these has told me they do make a difference and stiffen it up real nice in the corners. I though the same thing as you especiallt since the bar is not actually mounted to the car, just mounted to the bracket then the car. I was just thinking weakest link.

Are you just trying to show me up, is that what you are doing? haha jk.

I do have them, both. I dont know how to describe the affect really. But I have those coupled with larger sway bars front and rear, tubular trailing arms and the larger rear end links. I put on the front and rear STB's separately and I just dont know how to quantify the difference there was.

Was it a radical difference? No. It did feel more stable though. I have a corner that is just perfect and I can enter it, and punch it and take it. The STB's seemed to stabilize everything and gave it a bit more comfortable response. I know this; with all that suspension work I can go around that corner now and if I work at it a little I can throw out the rear end and I wasnt able to do that before hand.

I'll add this too. When I put the STB's on, I was able to just drop them right on the bolts and tighten everything down I had to take the front one off when I replaced my CPS recently and I had to pry it off a little. This tells me that front end twists a little and if not for the STB I can only imagine how much

As for the rear one, mine has never loosened up. I was able to torque the bolts down pretty darn tight too. I remember the threads in the bracket being a course thread and the brackets are 1/4" thick if not 3/8" so they are stout and I can see anyone stripping them out. If they do, they need to seek a career as a bouncer.

I checked my rear STB the other day as I was loading some stuff up in the trunk and its still tight. I grab it every now and then just to see if it is loose. And look at it like this. Even if it does nothing for you, you got a built in clothes hanger in the trunk now for road trips.

I got my STB's really cheap from a local club member that was selling them so I wasnt out a lot but I am glad I did it and I would do it again.

Originally Posted by SyntheticShield

Even if it does nothing for you, you got a built in clothes hanger in the trunk now for road trips.

FTMFW! haha

Sad but I was thinking about the clothes hanger thing in the trunk too And a great place in front to hang a work light or put a parrot.

Guys thanks for the reviews. I'll install them and hope for the best. Although not 100% sure but I thought the Indy SS came with heavier sway bars front and rear.

Originally Posted by IndeedSS

put a parrot.

I am going to buy a parrot, just so we can get a pic of this at the next meet you come to, in fact I am going to have to host a special mod day now; Just to get this pic.

Originally Posted by IndeedSS

Although not 100% sure but I thought the Indy SS came with heavier sway bars front and rear.

I dont think theres a difference in the sway bars on the Indy. Only way to tell for sure is to get under there and measure the diameter.

As for the STBs, they make a difference, nothing major, but you can feel it in the twisties a bit. I have the front with the ZZP brackets and the rear with Don's brackets. The ZZP brackets allow for much more torque on the bolts. I recently removed the rear STB in favor of my sub box. Im looking to modify the DonRome brackets with a riser and some structural bracing to raise the STB about 1" higher.

Originally Posted by s1795so2

I am going to buy a parrot, just so we can get a pic of this at the next meet you come to, in fact I am going to have to host a special mod day now; Just to get this pic.

haha... parrots for everyone with front STB and a group picture.

Originally Posted by PitchBlackSS

I dont think theres a difference in the sway bars on the Indy. Only way to tell for sure is to get under there and measure the diameter.

As for the STBs, they make a difference, nothing major, but you can feel it in the twisties a bit. I have the front with the ZZP brackets and the rear with Don's brackets. The ZZP brackets allow for much more torque on the bolts. I recently removed the rear STB in favor of my sub box. Im looking to modify the DonRome brackets with a riser and some structural bracing to raise the STB about 1" higher.

Maybe it was just that the SS's had heavier duty swaybars versus the LS models? I guess I could look at mine versus my son GTP and see.

The ZZP brackets are steel aren't they? Don even had a note about not over torqueing because it would strip the threads. Oh well they are better than what I have now. And if I find the sways are not heavy duty then GMPP's may be in order. I do miss the solid cornering ability of my 03 SER.

i didnt really notice a difference, but then again, i didnt notice a difference when i went from a rockerd ic l67 to an xp ic l26

Originally Posted by scooz14

i didnt really notice a difference, but then again, i didnt notice a difference when i went from a rockerd ic l67 to an xp ic l26

Maybe your butt dyno is broke

its just never fast enough lol

Originally Posted by scooz14

its just never fast enough lol

they never are and the vendors count on it.

Originally Posted by IndeedSS

Maybe it was just that the SS's had heavier duty swaybars versus the LS models? I guess I could look at mine versus my son GTP and see.

The ZZP brackets are steel aren't they? Don even had a note about not over torqueing because it would strip the threads. Oh well they are better than what I have now. And if I find the sways are not heavy duty then GMPP's may be in order. I do miss the solid cornering ability of my 03 SER.

Ive never gotton a solid answer on the SS suspension. Forgot to measure it when it was on the lift last time. I am gonna be doing some exhaust work soon (again) and will take measurments then.

I heard a few things, no SS had the GMPP sways, some SS had them, just the Indys had them and they all have the trailing arms. Mine was a very early build, 7/31/03 so I dont know if it has anything that the later ones had.

My suspension RPO is FE4 - Performance Suspension

Just did some searching online for FE4 & Impala SS. Here's what I got...

The Impala SS delivers chassis and suspension enhancements for sportier ride and handling. Spring rates for its FE4 suspension are stiffened in both front and rear. It also gets 34-mm front and 19.5-mm rear stabilizer bars (compared to 30 mm/14 mm in Impala and Impala LS), along with refinements to the rear trailing link and rear strut mounts. The total package reduces body roll in cornering and improves the driver’s feel of road conditions. The whole package rides on Goodyear P235/55R17 W-rated tires mounted on 17-inch diamond-cut cast aluminum wheels

Good find Pitch,thanks. I guess i'll leave good enough alone and hope the STB's will make enough difference to at least be worth what I paid.

I have the BMR's and honestly, I thought they were one of the best mods I've done. They didn't help out handling nearly as much as the helped with the noise/vibration/harshness. While hitting bumps and uneven spots in the road the car feels much more solid and stable. I never take corners hard enough to tell any difference in the way the car might handle near the limits of adhesion.