I've got an '89 744T. It wallows. I've replaced all the front bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, checked everything. It's healthy, it just has a lot more body roll than I like. The fact that my other daily driver is a very stiff autocrosser probably doesn't help my perception of the amount of body roll I get in the 744T. Anyway, I was at a self-serve j-yard today for something else and checked out an '89 764T. I noticed the front sway bar looked bigger than what I've got on the 744T. I didn't have calipers with me, but with a crescent wrench and comparing it to a 22mm open end wrench, it measured 24-25mm including the undercoating, so I figure it's probably a 23 or 24mm bar. I checked my 744T with calipers when I got home, and it's 21mm front and rear. Am I missing something here? I expected all turbo 700 sedans to have the same diameter front bar, regardless of whether they had IRS or not. Until today I thought 21mm was as large as they came stock. Anybody ever swap this or know definitively what 700 models/years had what diameter front swaybars?

There are different sized OEM sway bars but I believe that turbo cars (or maybe just 745Ts) should have the larger ones. Don't waste your time with stock sway bars, get a pair (front and rear) of used IPD sway bars if possible. They're pricey new IMO. For even more stabilty, you can add Cherry strut supports (upper and lower) now also sold at IPD and through MVP (http://www.mvpvolvo.com) you can get Nick Choy improved sway bar links too (or at least they DID sell them a couple years ago).
My 745T has all those suspension mods and I think it handles well. One could even go farther like replace the struts with Bilstiens and some good, stiff lowering springs BUT I think that'd make one feel every bump in the road and sacrifice the smooth ride that I like.

Late night typo - that SHB 19mm rear bar on my '89 744T. I know about ipd bars, I'm just eyeing some alternatives, largely because at times I have to drive on snow and ice, but also because I'm cheap. Mostly I was just surprised to see a bigger stock front bar than my 21mm bar. Anybody else surprised by this, or am I the last to know?

Yes, starting in 1988 Volvo used a larger front sway bar on it's IRS rear wheel drive cars. I don't know if it bolts on, but it probably does.

How big is larger? Are we talking at least a 2mm increase from the stock 21mm Turbo Bar? If so then it would be worth while finding an IRS equiped junker and further upgrading the front bar. (...Damn, I just put in poly bushings for the 21 mm Diameter bar!!).

Tim

I just measured the front sway bar on our 1988 760T. It measured 23mm.

Thanks, john. Assuming it's the same shape and lever arm, that should be almost 44% stiffer than my 21mm bar and worth the $10 or so j-yard price for what I want to do. Understeer, here I come!

Just a followup: I grabbed the 23mm front bar and installed it and I love it. It's shape and style are identical to the stock 21mm bar, and it bolted up perfectly. The car now behaves exactly as I had hoped. Wallow is gone. Inside rear wheelspin is greatly reduced (it rained today and I tested it) ;) Lane changes are much more precise. Car now seems to be more stable in crosswinds at freeway speeds, but not much experience on this yet. Throttle on oversteer is now more controllable. Keep in mind though, this cheapo junkyard mod is not for everyone as it alters the roll coupling to cause the car to be more prone to understeer. I autocross a FWD car and have lots of practice left foot braking and dealing with understeer, so it's perfect for me. Thanks again for the info, john.