thekenone

i heard you should do the rear first then i heard the front first. i was wondering which should be done first. and does brand matter? i am not totally new to working on cars but i am not familliar with this.

SkinnyMax

iTrader: (1)

if you are talking about sway bars, the max comes with a front sway bar and I am not aware of aftermarket ones, so the rear should be the one that you buy. If you mean strut tower braces then get the front and don't bother with the rear.

Vlasic

iTrader: (13)

get a rear swar bar, you will never regret it.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

depends on what you are trying to do...

Gibby

The FSTB (front strut tower bar) makes a big difference in how solid the car feels. When I put one on with my stock GXE suspension, the car no longer jiggled mercilously over rough roads and bumps. It used to shake the whole car and feel almost out of control over really rough sections. Now my Max feels as solid as the Audi I used to have (and that's a good thing!). The RSB (rear sway bar) is the next mod I plan to do. People report that it really helps the car stay flat and solid while cornering hard and adjusts the overall balance of the car away from the severe understeer most Max's suffer from, and closer to Neutral Handling. Sounds great, I can't wait. As far as the rear strut tower bar: from what I hear, I'd leave it alone completely. The max is already pretty solid back there. Other cars, especially those with fold down seats, probably suffer from more flex in the back.
The order is up to you. You can pick up a good FSTB on eBay for well under $50 bucks. Most say brand doesn't matter at all. I got an Otto Racing bar, and it fit perfect with no modification, and looks great IMO. RSBs are a little more expensive (usually around $130 plus s/h, unless you get in on a group deal or something). From what I hear they are well worth it.
Hope this helps! Max's have great engines, but handle pretty poorly. With a few mods (FSTB, struts, springs, and RSB) it becomes a much more balanced and even more enjoyable machine.
Have fun!

Tyrexx

iTrader: (23)

get a front strut tower bar first, $20 bucks off ebay, brand doesnt really matter.

rear sway bar is awesome ive heard, im getting one my self after im dropped.

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

get both FSTB + RSB

thekenone

well thanbks very very much. and thanks for correcting me. i agree the handling over rought terrain is pretty bad but its like that with my other car. i appreciate the advice.

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Rear Sway Bar will make the biggest difference.
FSTB is teh cheapest, but you can tell its there. It is nothing like the RSB though.