Are sway bars worth it?
 

For those with sway bars, do you guys actually feel a difference when driving compared to not having a sway bar? I already have a decent shock/spring combination (Bilstein B8 w/ RCE Tarmacs) and I want to do more to my suspension so I'm looking at sway bars.

Do you guys honestly believe that sway bars are worth it?

All depends on what the end goal is.
Daily driving, you're better off with better tires.
If you track/autox it on the regular it makes a noticeable difference.

Depending on what you plan on doing with the car. Yes, they are worth it compared to the stock sway bars.

Correct dampers and spring combo first, then sways "if" you need to tweek more than the dampers let you.

Sway bars are a cheap bandaid solution for sub par shocks and springs.

Thicker/stiffer bars tend to sacrifice grip for handling characteristics.

Opinions may vary, track times do not.

Sway bars are used in our cars by the factory and they are not a band aid solution. They make handling worse only when the sizes and stiffness rates of the bars are going beyond reasonable limits. In fact they are a nice alternative if you want to have a relatively comfortable suspension on straights without much roll on corners. Good solution for a weekend fun and occasional race track car. People don't use them too much, because they want usually at same time to lower the car and in this case they don't work alone without changing the spring lengths and rates.

As with most things, it depends.....
They can make things worse in some situations

It really depends on what you want to use your car for.

For example, my Impreza has aftermarket suspension including upgraded sway bars. The setup is a great match for my driving style when I compete in autocross since it is adjusted and set up to drive the way I visualize the movement. But you gotta research and make sure the sway bars don't make the setting worse based on both handling feel and actual time result.

My stock tS feels great as is and it is my weekend street car so I don't see myself changing the suspension. Again, it really depends on your end goal for the car.

Also, I agree with Mr. ac's comment. If the car is just for daily driving, you are better off upgrading the tires. Sound advice right there.

I think the car NEEDS sway bars when you upgrade the tires, cause the added grip adds a lot of roll. Even on stock suspension my car turns harder, is more stable through transitions, and puts more power to the ground with sways.

I have the Perrin 19mm front and OEM 16mm rear. Definite decrease in body roll without adding too much discomfort.

I used to have the tarmac springs/Bilstein b6 with a hotchkis 25.4mm and it was rough AF so heed others’ advice on how going too big can be a problem.

A stiffer rear sway bar will decrease the amount of power you can put to the ground in a corner... go too big and it'll lift the inside rear tire and REALLY limit how much power you can put down.


Sway bars should be a fine tuning aid, not the first solution to increase roll stiffness.

I have suspicion that fight for decreasing roll often is done more to boost driver confidence to push more, not so much to actually improve suspension.

Too many people put on larger rear bars to counter understeer and they end up chasing their tail. Some don't know how to rotate the car with the brakes and put on a thicker rear bar and call it job done

It is known.

Where's @Captain Snooze?