Suspension Question?

[96Z26]

New to the Beretta's

Have a 96 Z26 and it has NO rear sway bar....dose it NOT have the Sport Handling Package. I'm rebuilding the hole front end and want to upgrade the sway bars also.

Also note, you guys talking about Z-51,FE7,FE3? what dose it mean?

[Bandit]

QUOTEZ26's came standard with FE2 with 15" steel wheels!
Z26's optional suspension was FE3

Other suspension codes

FE1 level I
FE2 Level II
FE3 Level III
FE7
F41
Z51

Suspension levels have to do with the following

17.5 Active Front(2 styles 90-91 and 92-93)
FE7 17.7mm Active Front
FE1 22mm 7/8" front
FE2/F41 1" 26mm front
FE3 1-1/8" 30mm front

Rear Sway Bar
FE7/FE3 bolt in inserted into crossmember(will fill in size later)
95-96 FE3 welded in crossmember (will fill size in later)
Hollow Tube rear (will fill in size later)
Z51 7/8" 22mm rear


Aftermarkets are
1-1/8" or 30mm front (Addco)
1" 22mm rear (Addco)


Stolen from bstuff.  Hope that tells you what you want to know.

[Red_Bra_Black_GTZ]

(Bandit @ Oct. 22 2008,10:53)QUOTE QUOTEZ26's came standard with FE2 with 15" steel wheels!
Z26's optional suspension was FE3

Other suspension codes

FE1 level I
FE2 Level II
FE3 Level III
FE7
F41
Z51

Suspension levels have to do with the following

17.5 Active Front(2 styles 90-91 and 92-93)
FE7 17.7mm Active Front
FE1 22mm 7/8" front
FE2/F41 1" 26mm front
FE3 1-1/8" 30mm front

Rear Sway Bar
FE7/FE3 bolt in inserted into crossmember(will fill in size later)
95-96 FE3 welded in crossmember (will fill size in later)
Hollow Tube rear (will fill in size later)
Z51 7/8" 22mm rear


Aftermarkets are
1-1/8" or 30mm front (Addco)
1" 22mm rear (Addco)


Stolen from bstuff.  Hope that tells you what you want to know.
is this list in order of stiffness/quality...???

[Bandit]

IDK.

I got it from here.

http://www.bstuff.com/index.php?showtopic=9237

[96Z26]

Thanks for the info guys!


Found the code ( I still have the cover ) FE3 Level III
package.


Thanks Dave

[IsaacHayes]

Z51 solid rear bar found on 1988 GT's with the Z51 option code (check the truck tire cover) was the largest factory bar 21mm. You can't bolt it up directly on a 96, but I've heard of people modifying or makign custom end brackets for the ends to bolt up to the new style 95+ rear suspension spring arms.

FE3 is just stiffer springs and bigger sway bars. Some has 28mm or 30mm bars. Find one in a junkyard with a front bar and measure it with an adjustable wrench and a ruler to see how thick it is. There is also the addco 30mm bar but its $$$ when you can get a stock size cheaper.

To replace the front bar take a paint marker and mark around the bolts and some where the subframe meets the body. Since the subframe is sloted where the bolts go through you want to put it back in the right place so the alignment isn't off. Then jack the car up and support it without the jacks and jack stands on the subframe. Un-do the passenger side dog bone strut mount. Take off the sway bar end links, and loosen the center mounts up. Drop the subframe, one side at time, and support with another jack stand and let it hang by the control arms, but support it some. Replace the bar with some poly center mounts and poly end links, see this thread for part numbers, which can be ordered cheap from autozone just measure your FE3 bar to make sure what it is, some are 28 some 30mm. http://www.bstuff.com/index.php?showtopic=6413

The FE7 front sway bar is on GTZ's and some other models, but rare. It bolts right to the struts instead of the control arms for more directly force and if going with KYB struts they do not have mounts for it. Monroes do but monroes don't hold up to lowering springs. Some FE7 bars I think had mounts that go to the strut knuckle section, so that would work with KYB. I don't know the year differece for those bars sorry.

Eibach springs are the best bet for springs, and KYB GR2 struts, and KYB Gas-A-Just shocks. You'll need new strut mounts too probably. Those are cheap for the 95+ style, go to advance auto for those, $25 each a side vs $60 elsewhere. Use the monroe strutmate brand they have.

For the rear bar you'll have to look into adapting a Z51 bar or addco bar with the end brackets. There should be pics somewhere of the people that have done that. I think you just use a univeral bracket and drill a bolt hole in the trailing arm where it would bolt to.

[IsaacHayes]

When bolting up the subframe, leave the center sway bar mounts loose, bolt up the subframes keeping them lined back up via the paint marker markings. Then tighten the sway bar center mounts and endlinks.

Since you DO have FE3, measure your front bar. Probably 28 or 30mm. You could just loosen the center mounts push them up and slide the rubber out, and slide new poly mounts in possibly.

The springs and other stuff will still apply.

Also, get a strut tower brace OEM from a V6 sunbird convertable etc there should be info about this on the main beretta.net site. It stiffens up the front and makes a big difference.

[96Z26]

Hey guys....another qusetion


I'm getting the KYB struts for up front. The ap said  (W/O sway bar bracket)?  Looking at my front sway bar, the end links go into the bar and control arm...can I use these sturts?

[Bandit]

Yes, if your sway bar endlinks bolt through the control arm then you can use KYB's W/O Sway bar bracket.

I bought the same ones but my sway bolted to it so I am getting endlinks that bolt through the control arm.

[Cliff8928]

(96Z26 @ Oct. 22 2008,06:41)QUOTENew to the Beretta's

Have a 96 Z26 and it has NO rear sway bar....dose it NOT have the Sport Handling Package. I'm rebuilding the hole front end and want to upgrade the sway bars also.

Also note, you guys talking about Z-51,FE7,FE3? what dose it mean?
Your Z26 had 15" wheels with hubcaps?

They're uncommon, but they were standard like that and had FE2.  If it's still there, the code would be on your spare tire cover on the Service Parts Identification label.

[96Z26]

Cliff8928

 No, it had the 16" rims on the car.  I found the code on the cover and it has the FE3 package.