So what really is the difference between all these different strut and sway bars. I see some from $30-$50 and others from $150-$200. What is really the difference?

 

Quality in some cases, brand name in others.

Those ebay 20 dollar ones work just fine imo, I see the only difference being the overall look or design, some are made in more expensive processes, others are just brand name, like anything else.

 

First of all, strut bars and sway bars are NOT the same thing. Sways are more expensive - fact of life. IMO they work better too.

 

^ um, i think he knows that bud

 

Yeah I know I was meaning to compare prices of cheap and expensive of both. Thanks for the help Stumasters.

 

your paying for quality and craftmanship, basically.

 

they serve a totally different purpose than strut tower bars and tie bars.

as far as strut bars, I trust the solid one-piece bars more than the ones with the joints in them. if it's there for stiffening, why would you want it to flex?

oh, and my rear sway bar -- retails at $340-ish. so you can re-adjust your price range in your original post.

 

Excuse me I was speaking of underbrace bars not sway, sorry.

 

oh okay

 

I'm no expert on Hondas, but typically an anti-swaybar limits side-to-side bodyroll during cornering while still allowing synchronous up and down wheel travel, by tying both sides of the axle to the chassis at equal distances and maintaining that equality as best as the laws of physics (and bushing-mounted torsion-type bars) allow.

A strut bar ties the strut towers together so that the chassis of the car is stiffened somewhat, especially with regards to the aforementioned towers that are often overstressed during hard cornering. Less flex in the chassis makes the handling tighter, crisper, more precise, and generally more predictable.

If you like the stock ride of your properly-treaded Civic but want tovastly improve the handling, beefier anti-swaybars with urethane bushings and some strut-bracing bars are the way to go. To improve your handling as much as these items, aftermarket springs and shocks would typically have to give you a MUCH firmer ride.

If you're really into handling, you'd also want to check the conditon/stoutness of your balljoints and suspension bushings to ensure optimum camber during cornering. The brand, quality, thickness, rate, and materials can determine the difference you see in the prices.