Hi, just got offered a good deal on the non-adjustable comptech front sway bar. I have heard that there is significant performance to be gained from stiffer sway bars and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this bar. Once again, this is not the $600 adjustable comptech bar, this is the non-adjustable bar that is suppsed to be thicker that stock, and I would only be using the front bar, with a stock rear bar.

any input would be appreciated.

 

I have this bar -- it's exactly like the stock bar (but about 50% stiffer), so no issues with fitment, rubbing/binding, etc. You wouldn't even be able to tell the two apart except for the brackets.

You will need to lube and teflon-tape the bushings carefully or it'll squeak.

Stock on top, Comptech bottom:


Dimensions, stiffness:
Stock ('00-'01): 28.2mm diam X 5mm thick, about 90 lb-ft/degree
Comptech: 32mm diam X 5mm (?) thick, about 140 lb-ft/degree

 

great..are you running only this bar up front, or do you also have the rear bar? Did you feel a worthwhile improvement in body roll with it?

Did you notice a big change in understeer/oversteer balance with it?

Thanks alot,

Philipe

 

I doubt you'll feel a huge difference in body roll but there will be some. Also, you may get some understeer under very aggressive driving like auto-x. For the street you'll probably notice a more confidence inspiring ride at the cost of true performance. Most people don't drive to that level on the street so it may save a less experienced driver from an embarassing and costly oversteer induced accident. You know the saying: oversteer at the point of dimishing talent (or something like that).

I don't know if it's worth the bucks or not but if it's cheap you could always just not use it if you find that you have too much understeer.

HTH.

 

It's definitely stiffer than the stock front bar. You won't notice the reduction in roll per se, but you will notice the shift toward understeer (unless you use the rear bar, too, which mostly preserves the handling balance).