2003 with added rear swar bar

[PTOK]

Al, What you've said, so far, is that you have a stock rear bar for your '03 and its not connected/installed because you don't have all of the hardware? AND, the ride on your '03 is less than perfect, right? AND, when the ride on your '03 is compared to the older PT, the older PT wins, hands down?

[Mel K]

You don't have to be a member of the Andretti family to appreciate good handling. You never know when traveling down the interstate at 70-80 mph, something like an object falls off on a truck ahead of you, or a hup cap come flying across the road, a deer, or whatever, it is for these emergency situations where Chrysler let us down on the new models. You can have good handling without the stiff ride of a truck. Love the turbo, give me back the old suspension.

[Cal Cruzer]

I am thinking in terms of my GT. The factory has supposedly changed spring rate and damper rate on these to retune the suspension. I am not saying that there is not improvement to be had, but just plan it out. I don't like to make unkown mods on a car. I prefer to wait until a recognized authority can do some quantifiable testing. The old "seat of the pants dyno (or skip pad test) is usually not accurate just because you or I have become emotionally and financially involved in the mod and can usually "feel a difference" whether there is one or not. I don't think taking a stock bar from a NA car and putting it on these will achieve the desired effect. I guess I have just pissed away too much money over the years by making a mod then having to redo it when I start noticing the car is a little looser or slower or whatever.

Just my $.02

[Mel K]

I am not disagreeing with you Cal Cruzer, it's just frustrating to deal with. Hopefully someone will come up with a kit to improve the handling. It is a shame for otherwise it is a good set of wheels.

[DREAM CRUZR 3305]

At one time, I thought my 02 handled fairly good, until I installed a set of Progress sway bars. It makes a tremendous improvement over the oem sway bars. Chrysler could improve the handling on stock PT's so easliy and with minimal cost, just by upgrading those small cheap oem sway bars. But these are the same people who took away the rear sway bar on the 03 turbo.

[Mel K]

I agree Dream Cruzer. I haven't been able to find the Progress bars for the 03 turbo. Does anybody know if they have them available for the GT?

[Cal Cruzer]

Yes, I would be interested in those too for the GT. I don't really want heavier dampers yet but I think a good set of bars would be nice for cornering. I am having a hard time getting used to the high seating position in this car and I always am amazed at how well it does handle the corners. I keep expecting something like the old VW bug with the rear end wanting to swap places with the front and a ton of lean. I am lovin' this car!

[Sci-Fi]

Originally posted by Mel K
I agree Dream Cruzer. I haven't been able to find the Progress bars for the 03 turbo. Does anybody know if they have them available for the GT?

The main reason you don't see anything available for the 2003's is that nobody is making or supplying the necessary additional parts necessary to install a rear bar. Plus from what I've seen, although the mounting point/holes/slots are there, you would need to tap the holes. For example, below is a list of parts needed to add the factory 16 mm rear anti-sway bar to steelblue's PT:
1 5272309?M BAR REAR 1702900 WARRANTY
2 5272312? AA INSULATOR 1702300 WARRANTY
2 4656927.M RETAINER 1702345 WARRANTY
2 4656944?M RETAINER 1702305 WARRANTY
2 6504010 SCREW HEX 1805000 WARRANTY
2 4656934-AB LINK SWAY 1702901 WARRANTY
2 6506496.4A BOLT NONE 1701400 WARRANTY
6?M SCREW HEX 1701500 WARRANTY
2 6602696 NUT HEX F 1701503 WARRANTY

Any of the aftermarket anti-bars only contain the bar and the 2 bushings, plus installation instructions and specifically say you need to reuse the remaining factory parts. The import market is different, aftermarket anti-sway bars for many makes and models include heavy duty replacement link arms and many of those are are adjustable to get different handling characteristics. Of course, you need to install a matched set of front and rear anti-sway bars if you go the aftermarket route. Adding an aftermarket rear bar only will cause your car to exhibit possible severe oversteering, which is not very good and extremely dangerous, even for experienced racing drivers.

[Cal Cruzer]

Good point.

[ContraAl]

Yes to all.

Originally posted by PTOK
Al, What you've said, so far, is that you have a stock rear bar for your '03 and its not connected/installed because you don't have all of the hardware? AND, the ride on your '03 is less than perfect, right? AND, when the ride on your '03 is compared to the older PT, the older PT wins, hands down?