Sway bars

[JoeMadoo]

I'm looking to flatten out corners. What is a good size sway bar to have for street driving. I was looking at this 25mm tubular bar on bimmerworld.com that uses M3 style mounts that mount on the strut instead of the control arm. I didnt know that was possible, and im still not acutally sure if it is.

So i guess to sum up my question... What size bar, tubular or solid, and will m3 mounting work.

[jlevie]

22mm front and 19mm rear (Ireland Engineeing or Suspension Techniques) is about as far as you'll want to go on a street car. And keep in mind that when it comes to controlling body roll sways are only a part of the picture. Stiffer springs and matching shocks are the other 50%.

[JoeMadoo]

Right now i have bilstiens sports and B+G springs, im adding powerflex offset bushings in a few days.

[JoeMadoo]

Anybody have anything to add? What do you guys have and how do you like it.

[StereoInstaller1]

I too have B+G springs. Did you post pics of your car anywhere? Victorville, right? Grandma lived in Hesperia...fuck, I hate that place.

This board disagrees with everything I have ever read on swaybars...but who has more experience with E30's?

I am doing subframe reinforcements front and rear. Re-engineering the front bar using Energy urethane bushings and some method of flattening out that stock 325is bar. In the rear, I am doing energy bushings and making frame reinforcement mounts for both the sway bar and the end links.

So I guess the short version is stock 325is bars, urethane bushings, custom end links. Just can't report on it yet, since it is not done.

Luke

[AdironRider]

Id go with the 22/19 setup. Make sure you do beef up the mounting points for the rear bar. I know the suspension techniques package comes with some tabs to weld on, but Im not sure on the IE package.

[1991 318is]

A stiffer bar for $40.


Made with .75 X 2" square tubing. Fits flush with inside of strut tube. This stiffens a stock bar quite a bit. All you ever get with bars is the OD. No quantitative measurement such as pounds per inch of travel or degree of body roll. I've also noticed that E30 owners have ideas about bars that are different than almost every other group of suspension tuners.

[StereoInstaller1]

Q for all of you suspension guys:

Can I weld tabs on the strut housing without removing the strut? Will I damage my struts?

Luke

[JoeMadoo]

That looks pretty cool. So basically all i need to do is make the stock bar stiffer instead of getting a thicker bar.

My cardomain is http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2252581.
Victorville is a pretty boring place, I'm pretty much 1 or 3 people who has an E30 in that entire area. I live at cal poly pomona now though.

[PiercedE30]

I would take the strut insert out, put a damp rag on the inside of the strut housing (fill the housing with a bunch of rags that are damp) so that when it is getting welded it doesn't warp/damage the housing or anything.

[StereoInstaller1]

JoeMadoo, you have really turned a less than beautiful car into a fine one...good job!

Pierced, that is exactly what I was afraid of. Time to wait for coilovers.

Thanks guys!

Luke

[ptownTSI]

that is so cool! thats you in the E30 what about 14 years ago! thats great

[JoeMadoo]

Haha how embarrasing...

Thanks StereoInstaller1 :)

[trent]

you know some of us don't even run rear sway bars :)

[matt]

you know some of us don't even run rear sway bars :)

What are your spring rates again?