Just Put A Whiteline Sway Bar On My F6

[theblackpig]

After just luuurving the Bilsteins for a week, I got a 27mm sway bar fitted. It didn't make as much difference as the shocks. Probably cos after the Bilsteins, there wasn't much body roll to tame. The most noticeable difference is that now the front end is even quieter. Maybe it's the better bushes that come with the bar.

The difference the sway bar makes to handling is more subtle. Turn-in is about as quick and precise as you'd want. The Tyfune is now taut and smooth - good as anything that came out of Europe. Attacking a long series of bends is a joy, you can adjust the cornering radius on the fly, say, to change lanes or drive around those potholes that councils like to put in the middle of high-speed corners. Roundabouts are just another opportunity for this car to impress the snot out of me. Someone said good shocks and swaybar made their F6 feel 3 feet shorter. I think that's such a good and accurate observation. This thing is un-bulky now.

Now the limit of it's ability to corner is the tyres. I got 20" Falken 452s on it. Before, I couldn't work out what was the tyres and what was the compliant suspension. Now, I can feel what these tyres are doing. Whether they're biting or drifting.

And I finally got my new sound system set up and thumping. Oooh! Pig Heaven! damn! dribbled down my shirt again.

[Rob (F6)]

Great write-ups on the shocks and sway bar!

I hope to be copying you soon!

[Jonno]

  theblackpig said:

After just luuurving the Bilsteins for a week, I got a 27mm sway bar fitted. It didn't make as much difference as the shocks. Probably cos after the Bilsteins, there wasn't much body roll to tame. The most noticeable difference is that now the front end is even quieter. Maybe it's the better bushes that come with the bar.

The difference the sway bar makes to handling is more subtle. Turn-in is about as quick and precise as you'd want. The Tyfune is now taut and smooth - good as anything that came out of Europe.  Attacking a long series of bends is a joy, you can adjust the cornering radius on the fly, say, to change lanes or drive around those potholes that councils like to put in the middle of high-speed corners. Roundabouts are just another opportunity for this car to impress the snot out of me. Someone said good shocks and swaybar made their F6 feel 3 feet shorter. I think that's such a good and accurate observation. This thing is un-bulky now.

Now the limit of it's ability to corner is the tyres. I got 20" Falken 452s on it. Before, I couldn't work out what was the tyres and what was the compliant suspension. Now, I can feel what these tyres are doing. Whether they're biting or drifting.

And I finally got my new sound system set up and thumping. Oooh! Pig Heaven! damn! dribbled down my shirt again.

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Mate,

I have a new BF XR6T and after about 4500 kms I have found that the car is underdamped. The bump absorbtion is fine, but the car keeps moving up and down long after the initial bump should have been damped.

Do the Bilsteins provide less bump absorbtion (ie make the ride harder) or do they just fix the problem I have described above?

[theblackpig]

The Bilsteins don't make the ride harder. They're very compliant over the pitty-pat stuff, but the valving is designed to limit the rebound and eliminate bouncing. If you hit a dip in the road the car reacts once and then settles immediately. That makes the ride feel firmer. But not 'harder' if you know what I mean. It's still a very smooth ride.

They not only limit rebound, they reduce the amount of vertical travel in the suspension. That reduces body roll. One of the reasons I fitted Bilsteins was to limit the suspension travel to stop my front tyres clipping the guards on fast corners with dips in them. Hope this helps.

[SavageF6]

Certaily does help, and I can't wait to fit mine! I just got my car back from a 2-day inspection at Ford, having all but destroyed another diff subframe thanks to the sh*tty stock rear damping. Once's the new frame's sorted, in go the Bilsteins!!

[Romulus]

Definately a worthwhile mod. Like I've posted in other threads, the difference in handling with the suspension setup I run (King 520/310 springs, Bilstein shocks and adjustable F/R swaybars) compared to stock is like chalk and cheese.

The car now handles like it should have from the factory.