converting to M3 sway links

[hoveringuy]

So I'm running 450# front, 600# rear, the setup that worked well was 22mm bar in the front and 12mm in the rear. The 19mm in the rear caused the rear to step-out in corners too easily.

So, I added my power steering lines and now my rear sway bar interferes so it goes away. Will I miss it? I barely noticed the difference between having it connected or not connected.

Which brings me to my front bar. I have the mounts on my strut so I'm thinking about downsizing the front bar to 19mm or 20mm and going with the M3 links. One of my goals is that I'd really like something adjustable so I can tune the front.

Thoughts?

[digger]

IMO dont waste your time unless you want the front to act stiffer.

[moatilliatta]

I think all McPherson strut cars that don’t have as nice camber gain and roll center as a sports car style double A-arm benefit from the biggest front bar within its application.

History has showed more power, less rear bar.

There are 16mm options, I like keeping the rear bar to drop off a link and becomes a quick rain setup..

I still respect no bar rear setups, these cars always thirst for more rear grip. Marginal gains do add up.

Spring rates are a variable.

[hoveringuy]

History has showed more power, less rear bar.

There are 16mm options, I like keeping the rear bar to drop off a link and becomes a quick rain setup..

I still respect no bar rear setups, these cars always thirst for more rear grip. Marginal gains do add up.

.

Yep, I found with the 19mm rear bar I absolutely couldn't put power down in the exit and even mid-corner under neutral throttle it would step-out. The 12mm bar is way more neutral and lets me put power down earlier, but it's really not a huge change from no rear bar at all and I find the difference very subtle.

Why did the M3, and most modern BMWs, tie the sway bar to the strut housing? I think at a minimum it would be good to zero any preload.

[digger]

Yep, I found with the 19mm rear bar I absolutely couldn't put power down in the exit and even mid-corner under neutral throttle it would step-out. The 12mm bar is way more neutral and lets me put power down earlier, but it's really not a huge change from no rear bar at all and I find the difference very subtle.

Why did the M3, and most modern BMWs, tie the sway bar to the strut housing? I think at a minimum it would be good to zero any preload.

its just to make the bar act stiffer so probably a lower overall mass solution. it doesnt inherently allow zero preload without adjustable links which you can get with the stock config and IMO the gain with the adjustable links IMO is that they have much less compliance therefore they make it behave like a slighty thicker bar more than the zero preload.

The ARB allow decoupling of the bounce + pitch with roll, sure you can add more spring to get the roll the same as it is with a bar, but if that makes it less ideal from a bounce or pitching but i think this is more of an issue on a street car than something track foucsed. Street cars you are more concerned about natural frequncies.