Swaybar settings ?

[awestonvp]

I'll be fitting whiteline adjustable front & rear sway bars this week - anyone have any hints on settings? Ride quality doesnt matter to me, handling does.

[shaneth]

Personally when i do mine i will be putting them on the middle setting. that way after driving for a while i can adjust it back or forwards if i feel it nescessary.

[Timbo]

It doesn't make a huge difference, in my experience. I was on softest, and am now on hardest -- middle is probably a good compromise.

IIRC, each adjustment is equivalent to 2.5mm thickness/stiffness of the bar, not that one knows what that means :?

[awestonvp]

Hmmm... think I'll start them on hard.
Funny, from what I know (not much!) 2.5mm should have a significant effect.
I'll start on hard and see how I go.

[PoloGTi]

I would not go hard in the rear mine is on middle and it is a little tail happy pushsing hard around long sweeping corners were there is a great weight shift. The front only has 2 settings and is 2mm thicker than standered. I have the harder setting in the front this seems to balance the middle setting on the rear. This is with good quality rubber as well, with stiff side walls the conties are really soft so the tyres may be more forgiving.

[awestonvp]

Ok, mid rear, hard front it is. Thanks.
Going to Winton next Monday, hope to have them fitted by then, but gotta get rear shocks replaced first (warranty) and dont really want to go to the dealer with swaybars fitted...

[DaveMack]

Guy & Alex fitted mine today ... and gave me some free advice as well. I haven't (as yet) really driven it in a situation where it comes into play much, but the car does handle in a more taut way (feels nice). :D

The initial setting is at the least influential until I get a little more used to it (and the roads dry out), but Guy did suggest that with a car that has such a short wheelbase, the swaybar can fool the driver into thinking they can corner a lot harder than the vehicle can actually manage ... then, suddenly, you're facing the way you came. So perhaps a bit of caution is required until the driver is used to them (just a suggestion).

Cheers,
Dave

[awestonvp]

Ouch! Thanks

[Timbo]

... a car that has such a short wheelbase, the swaybar can fool the driver into thinking they can corner a lot harder than the vehicle can actually manage ... then, suddenly, you're facing the way you came. So perhaps a bit of caution is required until the driver is used to them (just a suggestion).

Always important to be cautious with a new mod, but I don't think you'll find anything so extreme in everyday driving, provided the rest of the car is up to scratch (eg, tyres in good condition and properly inflated). ESP still works, so unless you are being a totally silly bugger, you will simply feel a nicer turn in.

I certainly tried on the track to see if there were any extreme effects, but wasn't caught out. Yes, it was dry, but as I said if you try something really silly you may get a result :o

[kevvie]

How hard is the sway bar to fit? I'm a bit handy (have replaced gear boxes, etc in my time) but haven't been under a car for a few years and have limited tools.....

[mitch_gti]

^^^^^^^^^


A jack, a spanner and about 30 minutes.



Front swaybar, totally different story though.