Gregg Lee

I ran my new swaybar at an autocross for the first time this weekend. Perhaps not the best conditions as you will see below, but a start.

I have a solid 1.25 inch bar I had built over the winter. It has center hole at the position of the original and adjustment holes both ways. Urethane body bushings, 7/16" rod end end links.

I have stock shocks.

Lot was asphalt sealed with black coating. This type surface is never very grippy, but this one was just strange. Corner grip was "OK," but poor grip for acceleration and brake. I could break the rear tires loose from a rolling start, by just stepping on the gas at 3000. I frequently felt the ABS even though I was not pressing that hard on the brake.

40 degrees, cloudy and windy. At least the rain stopped about 8:30 and the course dried before I ran. Yes Ron, I ran with the top down.

Having said all that, the bar at the stock hole position was basically neutral. I thought it pushed a little on several u-turn corners, but on the other hand I spun twice from clumsy throttle stomping out of corners. I have not learned to do u-turns well in this car yet. Fast corners, slaloms and offsets were great. Very easy to point and to get power down. Three runs this way.

Since this was a relatively slick surface, between heats I moved the adjustment one hole softer on both sides. I calculate this was 12% softer. Three more runs this way. Back to oversteer. Had to constantly back off throttle to hold rear in. slower.

I did not have time between runs to switch to any other settings, such as moving only one end lnk for 6% softer, or going stiffer.


Gregg

funcar

Gregg, who made you swaybar?

Gregg Lee

I had it made by Racefab in Rusk, Texas. http://www.racefabinc.com/

They are fabricators, not designers. They can copy an existing bar in a different material, or work to drawings. I did a combination, using the stock bar to copy, but doing drawings to modify the ends for adjustment and to use spherical bearing end links instead of stock links.

They guarantee they will match your sample bar or specs, but do not guarantee fit to the car. They do not supply bushings or end links.

Mine fits OK, with no interference, but if I were to do it again, I would modify slightly for more clearance to the shock body and easier bushing installation.

Gregg

ronbauer

Good boy Gregg. I'm glad you had your top down. The weather here over the weekend was sunny but cold. We drove the hour and a half to the event with the top down and 35-40 degree temps. Butt Heat works wonders for this. For those uninitiated, butt heat is heated seats. One of our local guys just bought an S2000 and he was behind me half the way to the site. Once we got off the freeway, he pulled off to put his top down so that everyone would think it had been down the whole time! I knew better.

Anyway, it sounds like you had a similar experience with your bar as what we had. We did get some push that we had never experienced before, and I was able to increase the rebound on the rear shocks quite a bit. It was quite fun to throttle steer the car and be in complete control. It's still going to take more testing to see what works best. I'm anxious to see if our inside wheel lift is gone.

Ron

funcar

Thanks Gregg.
I was hoping it was someone more local(DFW)