Sway bar questions

[shoestring]

I think that a bigger rear bar gives a pleasant "sporty" experience when you drive it at 6/10ths or so...more like a grand touring thing. If you're pushing it, aggressively, a big bar is probably too much. With the white car (the 244 with the B230FT and the BMW 6 speed I reference at times), we have a 25/16 combination and really only used any rear bar at all because we like the visual impact of it. I went for a ride in it as a passenger in the rain and couldn't believe the wet traction it has on a 215 tire. It was pretty crazy.

I can't advocate for math and science strongly enough.

 

[mikep]

Smash those 5 panel tail lights into the concrete for the insta

Edited.

 

[Red]

29 for that drift missile you’ve been dreaming about

Lady already yells at me a ton when I hit her with the "hold on to something" and yank the wheel
I do wanna put an LSD in it but that's a whole other thread and it's probably been posted 15 years ago

 

[2manyturbos]

I think that a bigger rear bar gives a pleasant "sporty" experience when you drive it at 6/10ths or so...more like a grand touring thing. If you're pushing it, aggressively, a big bar is probably too much. With the white car (the 244 with the B230FT and the BMW 6 speed I reference at times), we have a 25/16 combination and really only used any rear bar at all because we like the visual impact of it. I went for a ride in it as a passenger in the rain and couldn't believe the wet traction it has on a 215 tire. It was pretty crazy.

I can't advocate for math and science strongly enough.

That's a perfect description. It is true with both the wagon and the coupe/sedan. When pushed hard the rear end wants to come around and pass the front.

 

[Alan29]

Now I wonder if I can ask them to sell me just the 25mm front bar and accessory hardware and use the spare $$$ for some Koni shocks.

VP sells a 1" front (roughly 25 commie units). Oddly it doesn't seem they sell bushings for it:

Sway bar 240 -85 1\

...

vp-autoparts.com

Great thread here. I need to refresh my suspension completely but want to keep it stock height but get it a little more optimized for fun. Looks like I'll be going with new stock replacement springs, poly front, 25mm front sway, and all fresh rubber rear. Trying to find a budget friendly shock/strut combo for this though. I kind of have my eyes on the KYB excel g stuff mostly because I've had good luck with KYB dampers on other platforms and its TB budget friendly.

 

[R32RennSport]

I know my Amazon chassis is quite a different animal than a 200 series but many of the vehicle dynamics are still in play here. I typically will only advocate a stiffly setup rear end of a chassis when it is paired with a limited slip differential (this applies to both FWD and RWD vehicles in my experience with autocross on both platforms which is excellent at testing a chassis at it's limits). Having an LSD gives you a fighting chance of recovery if you don't know what you are doing and if you do know what you are doing it can be a real fun thing to toss around. For your average driver though a softly setup rear end is advocated with focus on roll couple on a more stiffly setup frontend.

 

[Red]

VP sells a 1" front (roughly 25 commie units). Oddly it doesn't seem they sell bushings for it:

Sway bar 240 -85 1\

...

vp-autoparts.com

Great thread here. I need to refresh my suspension completely but want to keep it stock height but get it a little more optimized for fun. Looks like I'll be going with new stock replacement springs, poly front, 25mm front sway, and all fresh rubber rear. Trying to find a budget friendly shock/strut combo for this though. I kind of have my eyes on the KYB excel g stuff mostly because I've had good luck with KYB dampers on other platforms and its TB budget friendly.

I have Koni yellows @ 1/2 turn, 23mm front sway bar, poly front, stock springs, stock rear sway bar. I plan on doing other rear parts like the BNE torque rods, and spherical lower TAB. From what I gather, and what I've experienced so far, it's very fun to go hauling ass through corners and flyovers without shaking your teeth out. I'd recommended that for both daily and fun driving.

 

[DET17]

I have Koni yellows @ 1/2 turn, 23mm front sway bar, poly front, stock springs, stock rear sway bar. I plan on doing other rear parts like the BNE torque rods, and spherical lower TAB. From what I gather, and what I've experienced so far, it's very fun to go hauling ass through corners and flyovers without shaking your teeth out. I'd recommended that for both daily and fun driving.

Now find the 21mm rear Turbo bar, and enjoy! Sounds like you are on your way......

 

[Red]

Now find the 21mm rear Turbo bar, and enjoy! Sounds like you are on your way......

I have the 21 sitting in my cargo space behind me right now, I just have been hesitant to put it on since I've been hearing a lot about rear axle movement being a good thing. I'll probably slap it on when I do the rear bushings n stuff and see what I think

 

[Alan29]

I'd love to go Koni but that's taking a huge dent out of the current budget. Definitely a future want though

 

[Red]

I'd love to go Koni but that's taking a huge dent out of the current budget. Definitely a future want though

I sprung for it since I figured the next suspension upgrade I'd get would be coilovers, and I don't feel like waiting on blown out original shocks till then. But I make bad financial decisions, the word budget scares me

 

[DET17]

I have the 21 sitting in my cargo space behind me right now, I just have been hesitant to put it on since I've been hearing a lot about rear axle movement being a good thing. I'll probably slap it on when I do the rear bushings n stuff and see what I think

If you are planning to put down high power, manual gearbox, LSD, thru the "twisties" (which are hard to imagine in SE Texas, flat coastal plain), then the small/no rear bar is the way. But for general purpose driving and power, the 23/21 setup is the way. Install it and find out.

 

[dl242gt]

I have Koni yellows @ 1/2 turn, 23mm front sway bar, poly front, stock springs, stock rear sway bar. I plan on doing other rear parts like the BNE torque rods, and spherical lower TAB. From what I gather, and what I've experienced so far, it's very fun to go hauling ass through corners and flyovers without shaking your teeth out. I'd recommended that for both daily and fun driving.

Well done! Don't forget you can also get poly bushings for the front antisway bar. IPD sells poly for the 23mm front bar you are using. I'm enjoying a similar setup on my wagon. I'm using TME lowering springs along with the Konis and the poly in the front antiroll bar. Stock new bushings. Rides very firm and sticks like glue. I left the stock rear wagon bar on there.

 

[240 240]

I turned an '89 into and oversteering deathtrap with a 25mm rear bar, poly rear TABs, and sedan overloads.

oversteer is better because you don't see the tree that kills you

 

[classicswede]

Stiffer bars work best with stiffer springs. Adding thick bars with original soft springs might make the car roll less but can make the car very twitchy and unsettling to drive at speed.
To me anti roll bars are the final tweak after doing the rest of the suspension upgrades and having spring rates you are happy with. I tend to run fairly stiff springs and use 27mm front and rear bars. All our 240's have weight in the back. Customer cars without added rear weight and softer rear springs the 22mm rear bar tends to be the bar of choice. What bar combination is best os going to depend on weight in the car, spring/damper combo and cars use

 

[Red]

If you are planning to put down high power, manual gearbox, LSD, thru the "twisties" (which are hard to imagine in SE Texas, flat coastal plain), then the small/no rear bar is the way. But for general purpose driving and power, the 23/21 setup is the way. Install it and find out.

So I just installed the 21 rear. I'm HIGHLY disappointed in how incredibly BORING my car is now at low speeds. on top of that, my MPG has gotten worse since I can keep the pedal down through turns, unforgivable. /s

In all seriousness tho, it is exactly what I wanted, and y'all's suggestions were spot on. The old bars and blown out shocks made this thing scary through stuff like roundabouts or turning a corner without lifting. I am now a devout 23/21 recommender.