Custom Swaybars / Swaybar Poll

[eugeman]

Eibach sway bar set

Anybody run an Eibach sway bar set and what settings are you using?

[Vicarious]

I used to have ST sways, and had the rear adjusted to the not-as-stiff possition. There was way too much oversteer in the stiff position.

They are nice, but here is what I don't like about them:
*Front bar is not adjustable
*Front bar uses stock endlinks
*Limited adjustability in the rear (only two settings)


I just picked up a set of IE swaybars, and am pretty satisfied with them so far. The front bar is three-way adjustable. The rear bar is infinitely adjustable. I also like the way the rear mount is beefier and mounts to the trunk floor.



I currently have the front on full stiff, while the rear bar is pretty soft. I still need to see how it handles like this, and I will adjust the rear bar accordingly.

-Erik

I just installed my ST sways the other day, well only the front so far because i ran out of time, i was doing shox/springs, CA's all that.
I snapped my stock end link mount on the control arm, so i gave it some thoguth and built a total custom set up. I used the rear sway bar end links, wich are solid by the way, and their mounting thingies for the control arm. I'm not sure what im going to use for the rear now, i was thikning of calling some retailer and ordering another set of those custom solid end links. I have to say that it rides awesome with the solid links. I bought the stock rubber replacement ones for the front but couldnt use them because they cant fit into the rear end link mounts. So... Yea there are options, you just gotta play around.

By the way to everyone on here, is this a bad idea to use sold sway links up front?

[matt]

I never understood why a lot of people like to go crazy with stiffer and stiffer springs. Unless the car is strictly track driven, and the track is perfectly smooth, you are just going to get a back end that will be hopping around over any bumps. The point of sway bars is to maintain a suspension setup that can still absorb imperfections in the road surface while minimizing weight distribution from body lean around corners.
Every part of the suspension has a necessary contribution to the overall handling performance of your car. In tuning your suspension all parts from tires to bushings need to be taken into consideration. Simply changing wheel and tire sizes on my car changed it from slight understeer to more than enough oversteer. You change or adjust one thing and the geometry and effect of all other components may need some tweeking.

Do the porches still pass you?

[einstein57]

BMW originally only offered rear sway bars in the european models as they felt americans would not control a car with a performance suspension.

[e30 vs e30]

stiffer isnt always better

I never understood why a lot of people like to go crazy with stiffer and stiffer springs. Unless the car is strictly track driven, and the track is perfectly smooth, you are just going to get a back end that will be hopping around over any bumps. The point of sway bars is to maintain a suspension setup that can still absorb imperfections in the road surface while minimizing weight distribution from body lean around corners.
Every part of the suspension has a necessary contribution to the overall handling performance of your car. In tuning your suspension all parts from tires to bushings need to be taken into consideration. Simply changing wheel and tire sizes on my car changed it from slight understeer to more than enough oversteer. You change or adjust one thing and the geometry and effect of all other components may need some tweeking.

[NC325iC]

so whats that i heard about special ST convertible bars...

[rwh11385]

you _ can _ adjust _ balance _ by the rear rates. springs are cheap. just swap them. it's easy. and i'm too drunk for this shit.

later
heeter

[erik325i]

adjust my byua the rear rates yo. it's easy to change mo focucks ... .. and then you be like cooooooool

:loco:
what the hell did he just say?

-Erik

[rwh11385]

adjust my byua the rear rates yo. it's easy to change mo focucks ... .. and then you be like cooooooool

[IS]

The rear bar is not the cause of your oversteer - unbalanced spring rates are.

By eliminating the rear bar, you no longer have minor adjustability in your suspension - kind of a waste after spending so much money, don't you think?

[Nick325is]

I currently have 625/450 spring rates on my ground control setup with the IE 25mm hollow front bar. I have been more than happy with running no rear bar. With the rear bar in the car had way too much oversteer. With no rear bar the handling is much more neutral overall.



Nick

[grapedrink]

I want a bar that you can adjust inside the car

I have ST sways and GC kit. Have yet to install them but reviews about the combo are good.

[1991 318is]

Sway bar wish list.

Since you asked, I would like bars in a size that the stiffness can be changed by using tubes with thicker/thinner walls. This lets you use one set of hardware for all of them. Arms that are adjustable between the range of bar stifness in 25# increments. Specs given in spring rate per inch of wheel travel. Long arms and long links to minimize binding. It fits an E30 and is priced like it was for a short track asphalt stock car.

[rwh11385]

rwh11385 reads bf.c track forum way too much...

bimmerworld guys aren't running rear sways... but are running stiffer rates in the rear...

done both... comes down to a preferance, I prefer the race cars current spring rates with a stock sway bar...

chatting with James Clay, he preferred the stiffer rates with no rear bar, he claimed it allowed him to get on the throttle earlier and slam the curbs harder as it tended to pick the inside wheel up...

Never liked it...


All I would really like to see is a decent revised link system Havent gotten around to adding the M3 style links up front attached to the strut... but the rears would be nice with an adjustable setup to get rid of preload

I am going to rehook the rear bar with the rear lower and see how that goes. (as the reason it is unhooked is probably my camber to blame, and was a quick solution to my overwhelming oversteer inbetween sessions) My plan is next year to buy a 25mm hollow front bar and run it with my stock rear and maybe get some stiffer rear springs if need be. (my point wasn't everyone to run no rear bar, but instead for prepared/mod guys there might not be a market for an UPgraded rear bar)

The stiffer springs you have, the less work the swaybar is really going to do while a huge bar is going to make the suspension be less and less independent. But the stock bar and some good rates should hopefully work. I look forward to seeing myself. A lot of people have complained (or if it was Jon Felton, enjoyed) about a big rear bar making the car twitchy.


For someone with coilovers, I think that a) stiffer springs supposedly work better than a big rear bar and b) are cheaper because you don't need to buy the rear bar, nor the upgraded mounts/reinforcement

The ST as mentioned have no front adjustability and that's good because it is required by SpecE30 rules. Whatever bar you make might want to have that as an option because that is an emerging market and the people should have a little money if they are planning on racing.


But what would be beautiful for you is if you came with a cheaper set that would match well with H&R sports and also race springs, so people who are looking to dial out some roll on the street or on the track can buy them as an upgrade. Although it will be hard I think to beat IE's pricing since they include hardware and bushings in the price. Good luck MA, homey G

[StereoInstaller1]

So I was going to post this on the track forum but it doesn't receive a lot of visitors...

Are there sizes out there that you want to see and why? What bar do you have right now and what setting is it at? (why?) What do you look for when buying swaybars?

Michael,
I am planning on buying new sways for both ends of the E30 this spring. If you do a mailer, please put me in.

Luke