I just purchased a brand-new, boxes never opened SVT kit for $300 cdn, which he also drove for four hours to deliver. (Thanks Will wherever you are!!!)
I've been told with my 2000 SPI Focus has a front sway bar that is skinnier then most Focus models. And if I hook up the rear sway bar, the rear-end will come around something fierce.
Should I pull another sway bar off a different model Focus, or would an aftermarket one be better? I'm not really looking forward to pulling one off in my local scrap yard, but don't want to pay a small fortune either. Also would there be any problem driving with the SVT struts and springs without the rear sway bar. I need this car on the road!
From everything I've read, you can get one from any non-SPI 2000-2004 Focus (they are all the same). I believe they are 21mm, if I remember correctly.
Would a thicker front be better?
^ slightly but swapping the front sway bar is a huge PITA, and unless you go to an aftermarket one the stock one you have is 20mm...SVT is 21mm - not a huge gain and not worth the hassle IMO.
if your car doesn't have a rear sway bar already, install that - it'll make a world of difference.
It would be a gain if the SVT bar has stronger metal in it. Won't flex as much but the size isn't a huge difference.
Installation I haven't the slightest but once you start you will never want to stop lol
leave front sway bar, i have a factory front with a 28.6mm in the rear and my rear end doesnt get tail happy any.
I concurr. We did change the front on my 07 from 21mm OEM to a 22mm eibach. Not worth the hassle.
The 25mm upgrade on the rear tho.
I did the front sway bar on my focus back in the day.. it made a difference in helping to balance out some of the tail-happy characteristics of a rear swaybar with stock fronts..
The trick to the install is that you just undo the front cross member the bare minimum it takes to squeeze the swaybar in. Thank god I had help.
Yeah the SPI I've been told has a 18mm front bar... so the tail happy characteristics might be allot worst then one with a factory front 20mm.
With 12 hour work days, wife, four kids, dog, house work, etc.... the work wasn't getting done. So I paid someone else
to put the SVT struts, springs, and shocks in. AND IT HANDLES AWESOME. Sorry... I never write in caps. But I'm blown
away by how well it feels. This with stock 15" wheels, and no rear sway bar installed yet.
Edit: The SVT springs LIFTED the car up at least an inch over the 104k stock units.
Just wait until you put some stickier tires on it...
Best replacement/upgrade I ever did to my car!
I noticed that the car came up a little bit initially in height, but give it a week or so, it should settle down a bit.
I saw some SVT rims on Kijiji last night and am a little pissed I'm out of cash. Maybe I can feed the kids puff wheat and powdered milk for a week.
I thought my car was great when new on the stock suspension. Then I picked up Eibach Pro-Kit springs and it was even better. But now with my SVT struts and Ford Racing springs I ride on rails. The SVT parts are a perfect match for our little cars. Ford really did know what they were doing when they put these kits together.
I can vouch for the PITA doing the front sway bar is.....but it was worth every cut on my knucles
