Standard Sway Bar Modification

[Kroozin]

dude that AVI is f*cked up..haha just kiddin

I ended up buying Whiteline front and rear sway bars only I got a 30mm front and 22mm rear. Standard front on my BF MK1 was 25mm front and 19mm back.

Makes a huge difference to the cars handling with my otherwise standard suspension for the better..

There is obviously abit of understeer in the front end due to it being a 30mm (I got shonked by some dodgy pr*ck off Ebay) not a 27mm but its so much better to drive and no longer feels like a death trap going thru high speed S bends.

Totally recommend getting sway bars especially if your pushing more power than standard.

[r32dan]

hey "sideways82"

its funny that you mentioned doing the rear only. I was wondering what that would be like, as it is really the weakest link in my opinion. when you say it wasn't quick can you elaberate on that. I figured it might make the rear more predictable, rather than offering violent spontanious tank slapping moments!

Also can you tell me - with the adjustable links, do you extend or shorten them to stiffen the bar?

Cheers.

[sexual harrassment panda]

With the swaybars that are adjustable you use the lower holes to make it stiffer. Less flex that way. The adjustable links aren't to alter the bar stiffness, only to set the load on the bar when in a straight line.

With the rear only it would still understeer in the front but you could steer with the throttle better making it slower. I found power oversteer a lot more controllable with this setup but quickly put the 27mm front bar on to make it handle better.

If I had to choose on upgrading one bar only I'd pick the front.

[xr_velocity]

I did the front (27mm) and my car understeered like a pig with that and Lovells springs and shocks all round. Took off the rear bar and it picked up a lot of front end grip. Try with no rear bar.

I picked up rear grip as well with no rear bar. Win win as far as I can see and cost me nothing to take it off. I did it with the advice of another forum member who has also done it. It can depend on the stiffness of your springs and shocks as well though so one size does not fit all. It's all experimentation.

Don't think that a little roll is necessarily a bad thing either. A car that feels flatter in a corner does not necessarily have more grip than a car with a little body roll.

[cobramad]

Have to agree with you XR, a car that feels flatter and faster is quite often the opposite. Having some roll compliance especially given that most of the time we are on real world crappy rough roads makes the car easier and nicer to steer, rather than one that is set up so firm and tight that a simple bump upsets the whole balance.

For most folks, its nicer and quite likely a safer set-up. Bigger isnt always better.