Installing a bigger sway bar

[justin]

Well, I just bought a 27mm front sway bar off e-bay, and I wonder how it would effect the handleing if I installed it on my car and left the stock ??mm bar on the rear. For now anyway, future plans to upgrade too. Understeer..oversteer??
Thanks

[drew1]

probably understeer


drew1

[Z-man]

A thicker swaybar in the front will definately yield more understeer.

My suggestion: don't install it until you upgrade your rear bar to something like the 968 M030 19mm 3-way adjustable.

Otherwise, you'll be plowing through the corners worse than an Amish farmer chasing the ciity folk away!

-Z.

[justin]

Ok.I am confused,which is understeer,and oversteer?

[Sam Lin]

Understeer, the car don't wanna turn. Oversteer, the rear end is like a young puppy and keeps wanting to pass the front in a turn.

Sam

[justin]

Ok, I found an 18mm for the rear,is this big enough so that I don't get any understeer,or oversteer? I am running the standard 15 inch cookie's with 225/50,15 Toyo FZ4's, I also have the H&R front springs,that are rated either 200lbs or 225lbs,can't remember. The car is lowered 1.5 inch's. I am looking for some good street handleing,flatter in corners,ect.
Z-man suggested a 19mm,but I can't find one at a reasonable price.
Thanks
I think the stock rear one is 14mm.

[Z-man]

The 18mm rear bar will make your car handle better: it will dial out some of the understeer our cars exhibit. (See definition below)

Understeer: when the slip angle of the front tires are greater than the rear tires. (ie Push, plow, tight)

Oversteer: when the slip angle of the rear tires are greater than the front tires. (ie: loose, fishtail, drifting type slide)

Neutral handling: when the slip angles of the front and rear tires are about equal. (Ideal handling setup.)

HTH,
-Z-man.

[924Sman]

You are going to re index the torsion bars I take it? The rear eccentric will not lower the car 1.5 inches!!! The rear eccentric adjustment only allows 3/4" adjustment total both directions so the most you can get is about is a 1/2" lower and that will not balance out the front which will be 1.5 lower. Sman


ooooops I see it already is lowered sorry! Well for those going this route can use this info when thinking of lowering....Rear sway bar 19mm at www.944Racing.com 150 bucks

[justin]

Zoltan, will the 18mm bar work with the 27mm front? I just want to make sure before I buy one. I can get the 18mm for 75 bucks +shipping,or the 19mm for 150 + shipping,seems the 18mm would be a better deal,I can't see spending 75 more dollars for 1mm.

[bertman]

I've used the 27mm/18mm set up on an '84, with 200# springs, Koni's,stock torsion bars/S03's. It's a good street setup but still not quite neutral as it will still understeer near the limit. Larger torsion bars and/or the adjustable M030 19mm rear bar would probably better match the stiffer front.

[justin]

Well, I am not running the Koni's up front,I was going to install KYB's,Do you think that the softer KYB would lessen the chance of understeer,with the 27mm/18mm setup?

[Z-man]

Originally posted by justin
Well, I am not running the Koni's up front,I was going to install KYB's,Do you think that the softer KYB would lessen the chance of understeer,with the 27mm/18mm setup?

Yes. Softer up front will dial out some of the understeer.

Also: while you do pay more for a 19mm swaybar, remember: the 19mm is 3-way adjustable, and the 18mm is not. It isn't very difficult to switch from soft to medium to firm on the 19mm, so it can even be adjusted on the spot. Regardless, the 18mm does sound like a good buy.

Whatever you do, it sounds like you are on the right track.
-Z.

[bertman]

Yes, in theory. I can't recommend the KYB's though, just haven't heard much about them. Are you now running OE Boge's all around?

To reduce cash outlay, why don't you make one change at a time and test/measure results, i.e., live with the setup for awhile. You could add the 18mm rear bar first. The 27mm front bar next and perhaps then some Koni yellows on the rear to balance, as needed.

Good luck.

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Z-man

Also: while you do pay more for a 19mm swaybar, remember: the 19mm is 3-way adjustable, and the 18mm is not. It isn't very difficult to switch from soft to medium to firm on the 19mm, so it can even be adjusted on the spot.
Whatever you do, it sounds like you are on the right track.
-Z.

Where can I get a 19mm 3-way sway bar and how much do they cost? (okay I'm being lazy I'll do a search here to see if Pelican has them, but if they don't who sells them)

Also bertman what is the difficulty level of the install for the front and rear swaybars?

TIA

[bertman]

Paragon is a good source http://www.*****************.com/ for the M030 swaybars (no commercial connection). Rear bar is $149.00. You'll need larger sway bar bushings, of course.

Installation is simple if your car has OE rear bar. Check Paragon's website for instructions: http://www.tech-session.com/kb/index.php?page=index_v2&id=90&c=4 For the larger front bar, you may need to slightly increase the inside diameter of the end bushings on the control arm.

[scottmandue]

Hmmm I don't think I have the rear bar... does that make it a PITA?

[bertman]

No, just a tad more involved. You'll want to check out the link above... You'll need some add'l parts which they sell as a kit.

Go for it!

[Crippler]

I put a rear sway on my 944 that came without this spring. It was a breeze, no problem at all. Just need the two brackets that hold it on and the drop links. Just botls right up. One of the best mods you can do for the money if you don't already have one, in my opinion.

[justin]

Well. guess what, I got the 27mm sway bar and took a pair of mic's to it and low and behold it's 25.5mm,so it was their fault, they where advertizing it on e-bay as a 27mm bar, I called and told them they said they would send me a 27mm bar for free,and to just keep the 25.5 as a gift,hmm we will see if the other shows up.