Hypothetically, would I benefit from installing a set of Mugen stabilizer bars (31.8 mm front and 30.0 mm rear) without doing any other suspension modifications to the car?

I don't want to lower the car or change its ride characteristics. I just want less body roll in turns. I don't autocross or track the car. I just enjoy "spirited" driving.

I've been thinking about changing to the Mugen swaybars when I eventually go to 17" wheels and wider rubber (225/45 and 245/40).

Any and all opinions would be appreciated.

 

Go with the mugen front sb...if you change the rear, go with mugen smaller rear sb....

You will notice a great difference if flatter handling and neutral steering, very little over/understeer

 

Yea what he said! Everybody raves about it.(front is really the only one needed)

 

So if the stock setup is 28.2 and 27.2 mm and the car has a tendancy to oversteer, just going with the 31.8 mm front bar will make it more neutral without going into understeer?

Then I'm guessing the 31.8 and 30.0 mm combo will still have a bit of oversteer. Wouldn't the 31.8 and 25.4 mm combo go into understeer territory?

 

you are going to have to do a search on that....all I know is when I was getting ready to get my mugen sb mods...that not only Scott at King but several others that race SCCA and else where said to go with the larger SB up front and they would go with a smaller than stock in the rear...of course you can't change the rear and still compete in some classes....

 

Definitely try the front first and see how you like it. If you're not going to autocross, you might also want to try the upper strut tower bar before changing the rear.

cal

 

A couple of comments:

Switching to those tire sizes will likely increase the front grip more than the rear, therefore increase oversteering tendencies, and so a bigger front bar only might restore the stock balance.

Using bigger bar or bars will cause the rate of weight transfer to increase in a corner. This could make the car a little more difficult to drive smoothly and to "catch", especially in low-traction/wet conditions. The risk of loss of control of the car may be higher, especially in the wet.

On the positive side, bigger bars will reduce the camber and toe changes that the tires experience in a corner, potentially improving handling since the changes in balance condition through the corner will decrease.

By the way, for a stock car with stock tires, I am convinced that a bigger front bar by itself is not a good idea, at least for my style of driving. My car understeers in factory condition and a bigger front bar would only make it worse. I have gotten a better balance by getting a performance alignment, primarily more front negative camber and less rear toe in.