Help with sway bar setting
04-18-2015, 08:19 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Help with sway bar setting
So I bought used Hotchkis sways from a guy on our forum, front and back and just got back from installing them. First issue I had is the fact that front did not fit on my sedan, which I guess I should have looked into prior to buying them. DUH! 
He had a g35 2008 sedan and i have 2015 q40, I assumed they will be the same and i was wrong. On the G37/Q40, front sway is longer. Bummer but no biggie, a friend of mine has a g35 2008 and already wants the front sway bar.
For the above reason, I was only able to install the back one and I went with the stiffest setting. I felt the difference but not significantly because I barely drove after the install.
Here is my question: If I only have Eibach lowering springs, which setting should I be going with. I am at the canyons every chance I get, so I want the setting which will improve the handling the most. I do not mind the stiff ride what so ever. I figured the stiffer the setting the better the handling but reading some threads that might not be the case? Correct me please! some suggest different variations of settings and I guess I wanted opinions from people who have sway now and what setting the went with!
ALSO want to know what would you recommend as for the front sway bar. I couldn't find Hotchkis front for sale separately and now am considering putting Eibach for the front. Is that a bad idea? Eibach is a little softer and again, even tho I thought the stiffer the better, another thread was stating the stiffer front bar will cause understeer and I definitely do no want that. So should I go for a softer one?
Any help is appreciated !
He had a g35 2008 sedan and i have 2015 q40, I assumed they will be the same and i was wrong. On the G37/Q40, front sway is longer. Bummer but no biggie, a friend of mine has a g35 2008 and already wants the front sway bar.For the above reason, I was only able to install the back one and I went with the stiffest setting. I felt the difference but not significantly because I barely drove after the install.
Here is my question: If I only have Eibach lowering springs, which setting should I be going with. I am at the canyons every chance I get, so I want the setting which will improve the handling the most. I do not mind the stiff ride what so ever. I figured the stiffer the setting the better the handling but reading some threads that might not be the case? Correct me please! some suggest different variations of settings and I guess I wanted opinions from people who have sway now and what setting the went with!
ALSO want to know what would you recommend as for the front sway bar. I couldn't find Hotchkis front for sale separately and now am considering putting Eibach for the front. Is that a bad idea? Eibach is a little softer and again, even tho I thought the stiffer the better, another thread was stating the stiffer front bar will cause understeer and I definitely do no want that. So should I go for a softer one?
Any help is appreciated !
04-20-2015, 03:36 PM
#2
Read me: Lean Less | Articles |
There is more to it than just the size of the bar and this article does a great job of explaining what the bars are supposed to do and how the change is more dynamic.
All modern cars have a tendency to understeer. It's a designed safety factor (think of it as fun removal.) My changing the springs, in your car, you have already started the process to alter the initial suspension geometry (which is really just how the car handles your steering inputs.)
My street preference was pretty close to my track preference which was a neutral to slightly understeering car 99% of the time except for hard apex corners where I wanted the ability to induce oversteer (large front bar will lead to oversteer up to the apex and the large rear bar will aid in inducing the oversteer at teh apex) via a throttle lift (rear end rotation.) I learned to love this setup so much I kept it for the street because it was comfortable.
Big front bar and a SLIGHTLY smaller rear bar. Front as stiff as it will go and the rear in the middle. Coupled with springs and a little extra camber for the street, this setup made the car come alive.
After seeing how small the rear bar is in the 37s, a larger rear bar will crear more oversteer (which is not the same as reducing understeer.)
My best advice as it relates to suspension mods, go drive. Try it without anything, add a part (one at a time, if possible) and go drive again. Learn how the modifications you do change the dynamics of handling. You may love the rear-only bar, at least for now!
There is more to it than just the size of the bar and this article does a great job of explaining what the bars are supposed to do and how the change is more dynamic.
All modern cars have a tendency to understeer. It's a designed safety factor (think of it as fun removal.) My changing the springs, in your car, you have already started the process to alter the initial suspension geometry (which is really just how the car handles your steering inputs.)
My street preference was pretty close to my track preference which was a neutral to slightly understeering car 99% of the time except for hard apex corners where I wanted the ability to induce oversteer (large front bar will lead to oversteer up to the apex and the large rear bar will aid in inducing the oversteer at teh apex) via a throttle lift (rear end rotation.) I learned to love this setup so much I kept it for the street because it was comfortable.
Big front bar and a SLIGHTLY smaller rear bar. Front as stiff as it will go and the rear in the middle. Coupled with springs and a little extra camber for the street, this setup made the car come alive.
After seeing how small the rear bar is in the 37s, a larger rear bar will crear more oversteer (which is not the same as reducing understeer.)
My best advice as it relates to suspension mods, go drive. Try it without anything, add a part (one at a time, if possible) and go drive again. Learn how the modifications you do change the dynamics of handling. You may love the rear-only bar, at least for now!
04-23-2015, 07:37 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Read me: Lean Less | Articles |
There is more to it than just the size of the bar and this article does a great job of explaining what the bars are supposed to do and how the change is more dynamic.
All modern cars have a tendency to understeer. It's a designed safety factor (think of it as fun removal.) My changing the springs, in your car, you have already started the process to alter the initial suspension geometry (which is really just how the car handles your steering inputs.)
My street preference was pretty close to my track preference which was a neutral to slightly understeering car 99% of the time except for hard apex corners where I wanted the ability to induce oversteer (large front bar will lead to oversteer up to the apex and the large rear bar will aid in inducing the oversteer at teh apex) via a throttle lift (rear end rotation.) I learned to love this setup so much I kept it for the street because it was comfortable.
Big front bar and a SLIGHTLY smaller rear bar. Front as stiff as it will go and the rear in the middle. Coupled with springs and a little extra camber for the street, this setup made the car come alive.
After seeing how small the rear bar is in the 37s, a larger rear bar will crear more oversteer (which is not the same as reducing understeer.)
My best advice as it relates to suspension mods, go drive. Try it without anything, add a part (one at a time, if possible) and go drive again. Learn how the modifications you do change the dynamics of handling. You may love the rear-only bar, at least for now!
There is more to it than just the size of the bar and this article does a great job of explaining what the bars are supposed to do and how the change is more dynamic.
All modern cars have a tendency to understeer. It's a designed safety factor (think of it as fun removal.) My changing the springs, in your car, you have already started the process to alter the initial suspension geometry (which is really just how the car handles your steering inputs.)
My street preference was pretty close to my track preference which was a neutral to slightly understeering car 99% of the time except for hard apex corners where I wanted the ability to induce oversteer (large front bar will lead to oversteer up to the apex and the large rear bar will aid in inducing the oversteer at teh apex) via a throttle lift (rear end rotation.) I learned to love this setup so much I kept it for the street because it was comfortable.
Big front bar and a SLIGHTLY smaller rear bar. Front as stiff as it will go and the rear in the middle. Coupled with springs and a little extra camber for the street, this setup made the car come alive.
After seeing how small the rear bar is in the 37s, a larger rear bar will crear more oversteer (which is not the same as reducing understeer.)
My best advice as it relates to suspension mods, go drive. Try it without anything, add a part (one at a time, if possible) and go drive again. Learn how the modifications you do change the dynamics of handling. You may love the rear-only bar, at least for now!
04-26-2015, 03:02 PM
#4
Great answer, thank you! From what it sounds my driving style is similar to yours, I definitely want to avoid under steer and more comfortable with the end coming out since it is controllable. As of right now I have stock oem front bar(which is extremely soft) and hotchkis in the rear at the stiffest setting. I have not gone hard on it yet but went thru canyons the other day and felt real difference how well car comes out the corner. In this case do you think I should get an aftermarket sway in front softer? since a stiffer one might get it to understeer, am I getting it? lol also thanks for the link!
I am not sure about a softer front bar. Perhaps less slop in a front bar (eg: bushings) may make a huge difference. I looked at the front bar in the car I am buying and it seemed like a larger bar, but the mounts and endlinks were all soft rubber bushings.
Another thought, given the weight of these cars is to tweak tire pressure. Staggering a few psi front to rear may make a big difference in overall feel.
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