Need help with sway bar purchase
 

I've decided to get some sway bars for my BRZ. Currently, I'm looking at the Cusco front and rear. I'm not sure if I should choose another brand.

There are different sizes. Some fixed some adjustable.

I'm new to modding. I'm concentrating on the suspension first. I figured this would be a good way to go. After the winter I'll be buying coilovers, wheels, and sticky tires.

So my question is do I go with fixed or adjustable sway bars and which mm?
I see 14mm, 16mm, 20mm for the Cuscos

Stop.

What are you trying to change? What don't you like about the suspension and handling as it is?

I think before anyone can answer that question, you need to figure out what you are getting the sway bars for, i.e. type of driving, handling that you expect, etc. For example, put a larger rear bar and you could get snap oversteer. If that's what you want, great. If not, you could get yourself into some trouble. Larger front bar, more understeer possibly. Don't get something just for the sake of saying you have it. If you're happy with the way the car handles now, don't mod just for the sake of mod'ing.

I want better handling. I love kicking the rear out with the stock setup. I thought this would make things more fun for me. Also, a big concern is when I buy stickier tires and slightly larger wheels because I fear losing that and I watched the Rallysportdirect video about how the sway bars brought the ability to kick the rear out after they bought stickier tires and larger wheels.

I would suggest you get the tires/rims first and see how you like it. Then go from there.

Appreciate the info. I do feel there is a bit too much understeer for me.

I could def wait until I get the wheels and tires after the winter.

Oversteer in the winter can be fun or it can be an expensive lesson to learn. Just something to keep in mind. Especially when the snow/ice starts up.

Noted. I guess snow tires and and coilovers will be my next purchase. I'll probably wait until after the winter to buy them. People have recommended BC Racing street because mine will mostly be a DD with an occasional autoX / track.

$999 isn't too bad in the realm of coilover prices

you should probably read about autox class regulations before you start adding/swapping parts. the class you race in will dictate what you can and can't change.

define 'better'. do you just mean kicking the rear end out? if you put sticky tires, you won't really be able to just kick the rear out since this car doesn't have a lot of power. i mean, you can, but since the limits of adhesion are much higher, you're going to put yourself and others in danger. the stock tires are relatively safe since grip can be lost at relatively low speeds.

i would suggest you track your car first to get a feel for it.

modding car isn't like building legos; you can't just buy part A and then part B and hope that they all work together. you need to think about it as a package.

for example, you add a stiffer front sway bar. keeping everything else the same, you will most likely induce more understeer because stock front tires simply don't have enough grip to shift the weight to the outside wheel. to compensate, you'll want stickier tires to actually utilize that stiffer front end.

someone please correct me if i'm wrong as i'm still relatively new to chassis dynamics.

I've heard that the BRZ understeers a bit in comparison to my FRS. Stiffening an already rigid structure could only make it worse, I'd imagine. "you can over stiffen a car." If you absolutely must add parts, it makes sense to go with adjustable (settings) parts. You may find one setting more favorable over the others, is why! I'd also look at a front strut tower bar ( STB) before screwing with swaybars. As for Cusco...they are $$ for a reason. There are others. Tanabe, Eibach, all good.

Lowering a bit and providing wider tires make a big difference. neither of which call for upgraded sway bars. I'm partial to 225/45/17. I ran this set up on a 1998 S14 / 240sx SE for years. My car did "everything I commanded!"...an well! (daily driver)

Good luck and don't !@#$% up your car!

I'd recommend the 3 point adjustable rear Whiteline bar. It will reduce understeer and therefore bring about more oversteer.
I tried it on the track, it's a hell a lot of fun. The adjustment allows you to change it to suit your driving style.

So you only changed the rear? Which size rear sway bar did u use?

Thanks

I tried a few combos. I have the 16mm rear bar. I wouldn't recommended the 18mm without upgrading the front also.

A note on upgrading just the rear bar. It makes the car way more tail happy! Which is great for drifting. If you're on the track it'll take more skill/effort to drive but you can achieve better lap times by managing the oversteer with your right foot.

i just bought that cusco front sway for a bit more stiffness...works wonders..

Installed a 16mm WRX rear sway tonight...paid $40 in excellent condition, bolted right in...Test drove it, with the Nannies on, no worries or changes. With the Nannies Off...A little more tail happy, but Not Dangerous. The car is still very predictable...

I say Win. Anything larger than a 16mm would most likely be overkill without further upgrades throughout the suspension...In my opinion.

if you love the stock setup, why are you changing it again? you kinda lost me on that one.
when you say over stiffen a car do you mean spring rate? because right before it, you sound like you are talking about the chassis and those are two entirely different things. a strut tower bar is in no way shape or form a replacement for sway bars. it really sounds like you are confusing chassis stiffness and suspension stiffness.

What year wrx and is it a direct bolt on?

So I've decided to go with the advice given to me earlier in the thread that said to get the wheels/tires first and see if I want sway bars based on my preferences with those installed.

I have some BC Racing Coilovers on their way to me. Other than that I'll wait it out.

Everything we've seen so far points to this car not needing much to upgrade the suspension. The stock setup is great, 1.0g has been measured with no changes other wheels and tires. I'd say do the wheels and tire, get a good alignment and see where you're at. You could certainly be in the 1.1g area and theres not many people with the space, and skill to take full advantage of that.

Most cars, yes absolutely you should start with the suspension, but this isn't the norm. My personal plans are to put sticky tires on the stock rims, get some com-c top hats for the front and camber adjustment front and rear. Find an alignment I like and leave the suspension alone from there. I might get some regular guy springs from RC, but at the moment I'm not sure if I'd want them.

WRX '08-'11 Rear Sway bar...16mm. It uses the exact same End links so there is no need to remove them. Unbolt the end links (one nut each side) and the bushing caps (2 each side). Remove the stock bar. Shimmy the WRX into place. Thumb thread the 14mm nuts on the end links to to hold the bar in place. Thread the bushing cap bolts (12mm) and center the bar. Then lock it all down. Test Drive!! With TRAC off...she is tail happy!! with TRAC on...in Sport mode she flicks a bit, but in Normal Trac on all the fun buttons off...She's smooth sailing. For me at least...

My Wife and I decided on Pink...
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/...O/0918d9e9.jpg

All done...25 minutes install on the ground, of course the Nameless exhaust left me plenty of room to work under there without jacks.
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/...O/78859c2c.jpg

Enjoy!

I didn't fully understand, so it uses all the same hardware from the BRZ? In your pics, it looks like you have new bushings/mounts for the bar. I didn't know if the BRZ bushings/mounts would work since it's for a smaller bar.

The BRZ end links are Identical to the WRX so all you need is a Sway bar and the appropriate size bushings and WRX bushing caps for the WRX bar. The BRZ bushings will be too small. However, it will all bolt in with the BRZ hardware.

Hope that helps!

Thanks, understood now. Going to my dealership later this week to see how much it'll cost for everything (:

try here
http://www.subarugenuineparts.com/pr...f4023c49168a06
http://www.subarugenuineparts.com/pr...f4023c49168a06

I've made no mention of spring rates, therefore I'm still on the chassis. If factory swaybars are acceptable (for a daily driver) Then I'll always advise adding an STB before sways bars. I speak purely from my own tuning data. Your statement places words I've not uttered. Don't read into it. I'd read / study my comments again, good sir.

you cant over stiffen a chassis and sway bars ARE springs so i im confused.

WHAT?:eyebulge:
Please explain why you believe this is so. If that were true then we would have solid, not rubber or urethane bushings everywhere. A little "give" is necessary without question. (for a road car) If you've ever driven or rode in a battle tank, it would be crystal to you. :thumbsup:

where are bushing found on a chassis? they are there to connect moving pieces much like that found in the cars suspension. dont you think its a little strange for you to recommend a strut tower bar when you say cars can be too stiff? i cant refute give being necessary but i can tell you that it certainly is not desired. the ride characteristics should be coming from the suspension, not the chassis. i think you are confusing the two.

'veFrom WIKI...

In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the frame plus the "running gear" like engine, transmission, driveshaft, differential, and suspension.

It seems "someone" is confused about what a chassis is. At any rate isn't that the point of a forum, to educate and share?

okay well when you seemingly excluded spring rates from chassis which you say includes suspension you lost me considering how that makes no sense otherwise. besides, wiki is not really a viable source. i feel its more common than not to consider the frame and the chassis interchangeable terms.

^^I'll second that about frame and chassis being interchangeable.