BAH! Update on 35mm Sway Bar - Opinions Please

[Cale]

I just got back from latest AutoX event. Man my calves are sunburned.

This event included myself with the new addition of ST front 35mm bar to go along with the 1LE rear 21mm bar.

Anyhow..

The car can not take sharp corners well at any speed. It simply understeers and is very hard to control. If I try to gas it when it begins to understeer, the car then seems to want to oversteer a bit but then fights it....this reaction of the car is harsh and is hard to regain control.

The slalom ability of the car seemed to improve a slight amount.

Now - compared to the 1le front bar, the car is now able to take "casual" (you know, less extreme) corners at much higher speeds and feels much more stable during.


Any words? Opinions? I'm almosted tempted to go back to the 1LE due to the oversteer. Then just buy Bilstein HDs.

[ June 23, 2002: Message edited by: Cale ]</p>

[V6Bob]

Mostly, you need to get the shocks before you decide what swaybars work best. Swaybars are the last thing a pro roadracer uses to tune the car.

Maybe - "What the inexperienced driver often describes as terminal understeer is often driver induced simply by trying to turn the car when it is going too fast, with the brakes on too hard, or even by turning the wheel too hard." Carroll Smith, "Drive to Win".

[Cale]

Thanks Bob, and I will add in the shocks before I get rid of either one of the bars.

Maybe I was driving too fast... but any slower and it'd be hard to make up for in the later straightaways due to me only being a V6. Then again, thats why I need to be back in at least STX or ideally GStock.... since I'm currently in ESP with my wheel/tire setup.

[V6Bob]

The key is getting on the gas early. You could see this really well watching the Cup guys qualify for Sears Point. A guy would come into the last hairpin close to pole time. The "Foxtrack" time would go green (showing he was below the pole time) as he charged into the final hairpin. Then he would understeer a bit wide and the time would go red, he'd lose more time than he had gained going in. The fast guys would go into the hairpin a bit slower, get the car turned while tight to the apex, and really come off the turn hard. There was no visible oversteer, BTW, even in a 35mph autocross type corner.

Good luck. You're being very thoughtful about this.

[ June 24, 2002: Message edited by: V6Bob ]</p>

[Dominic]

What size rear bar, tire, and shock spring combination are you using? I think the 35mm bar is too much for most V6 cars.

[Cale]

Bob, thanks for the advice. I need to start picking up on some books, tapes, something... wish I knew of a road racing school in the area. Not that I'm looking to be a professional road racer here, but its just such a challenge I can't help myself.

Dominic,
I have the rear 1LE 21mm bar. I switched from the front 1LE 32mm to the 35mm with the advice of some, namely Bob. I was getting a little too much oversteer with the 32mm front bar too easily. Although, the 32mm thus far has proved to of been better on the slower sharp turns, but was extremely sloppy on the slalom and was scary when trying to pull off a less extreme corner at higher speeds.

I also have stock shocks, but am planning to go with Bilstein HDs ASAP.

I am running my street tires out on the course - all around - 275/40/17 Goodyear F1
Looking into buying a set of road racing tires for my 16" stock rims. Need to contact my local AutoX Manager to see what he recommends (going to buy a tire to place my car in STX...probably, since I'm too far gone in mods to shoot for G-Stock)

[ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: Cale ]</p>

[Deuce Bigs]

i have the lg motorsports springs and bilsteins, 1LE front and rear sway bars and poly bushings. car handles awesome. very predictable and fairly neutral but a slight oversteer but again it's predictable adn easy to gain control again.

[V6Bob]

Cale - a few suggestions for books:

Going Faster! - Mastering the Art of Race Driving, The Skip Barber School - far and away the best overall, IMHO. If you buy only one...

Winning - A Race Drivers Handbook, George Anderson - A number of excellent drivers debate different ideas about technique.

A Twist of the Wrist and/or The Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles, Keith Code - The only books that really talk about an important issue - what to think about and how to think about those things while racing.

Tune to Win, Carroll Smith - Not specifically about driving, but the best thing going on vehicle dynamics. Difficult book.

[Cale]

Bob, first of all - thanks for the guidance, really appreciate it.

Then....

Well... great flaming ball sac of fire. I got jipped when I bought my "1LE" Bars!! The guy from camaroz28.com sent me the correct rear bar (I believe, Im gonna double check), and apparently he sent me a 30mm bar instead of the 32mm bar (reasoning behind why the P/N tag was ripped off). That commie sonofa*****.

So - moral to that story - I was not driving with what I thought I had- I upgraded the rear bar to 21mm (supposedly, still gonna double check) while the front was 30 instead of 32mm.

Wow I hate people who are crooked.

EDIT: I just realized... I could only have a 19mm or even 17mm rear bar instad of the 21mm 1LE... cause I mean, if I got ripped off on the front bar, why not the back too.

I wouldn't know because the bar I upgraded to was defiantely bigger than my stock 15mm... so.... I'm gonna definately look for a P/N and maybe even just do some measuring if the tag is gone.

GRRR!!

[ June 26, 2002: Message edited by: Cale ]</p>