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Check this site for some interesting tech info on anti-roll or sometimes called swaybars.
http://www.spswebpage.com/tech/swaybars.html
Simply put, an anti-roll bar distributes energy pushed up against your outside tire up against the inside tire. If you're going around a corner fast, the car will want to lean to the outside. The anti roll bar, usually but not always U shaped, is connected at both ends as well as the subframe or equivelent. When the car tries to lean to the outside, the bar end is pushed up along with the suspension. The part connected to the subframe is static except for the fact that it allows the bar to twist. It twists to allow the other end of the bar to push the inside end of the suspension up as well.
Personally, I'm a big fan of swaybars if you don't want to up the spring rate. One large drawback is that it makes bumps that one wheel hits be felt from both wheels and can make the other wheel lose contact with the ground for a moment over those bumps. Another more controversial issue is that some say that an anti-roll bar can make the inside tires grip less because there are less forces against the road. I'm not sure about this one yet.
One of the best uses for an anti-roll bar is to "tune" the handling of the car. Too much understeer? Stiffen the rear bar. Too much oversteer? Stiffen the front or loosen the rear bar.
I've done both swaybars and springs in some of my cars. I would have rathered use swaybars than springs in my 9-3 as to maintain ride height. I'm in NE and the roads can get pretty bad. I ended up using the B&G springs, Koni dampers, and Abbott rear swaybar. I nice combo except that the B&Gs lower alot for this climate. It still doesn't handle like my modified Saturn did but it rides much nicer. The B&G springs, like the Eibachs, are progressive which makes the ride pretty good. If you're more concerned about handling, go with Abbott or Swedish Dynamic springs.
Best of luck,
Bill
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