I was going to get a sway installed when i get my springs done (save labor costs), and don't know which to go with... everyone seems to have their differing opinions on brand (H-Sport, RDR, etc...), but no one really discusses differences in size. for someone who will probably never autocross, just wants a better handling car (doesn't want it to ride too rough either), which size do you guys recommend?

thanks
-ABT-

 

ABT-

I don't know what new bars are out there, but you do have to read the fine print. For instance, I know that most, if not all of the SOLID rear swaybars are 19mm mars. The H-Sport, I know, is a 22mm bar, but it is HOLLOW to save weight. It's EFFECTIVE size is 19m enaing that it is larger diameter tubing, but since these things are torsion springs, it has the same torque force as the solid 19. And it's more expensive for racers who are trying to keep off as many axtra pounds (on the car) as possible. If you aren't racing, I don't think there would be any point in spending the extra cash on a hollow bar.

I have the Madness bar, which is a solid 19mm bar with three hole adjustment, and I love it. Just don't use the innermost hole unless tou are racing and have coilovers. Best of luck. What springs are you getting?

 

do a search on sway bars here and on Randy's site. I have stock suspension MCS with 22mm alta Bar on firm setting. It is a good setup. I don't think a 19mm bar would cut it with stock suspension. Maybe with stiffer springs a 19 mm would work. Check with other suspension tuners. Randy knows.

 

thanks for the replies guys...

crazy - i am getting alta springs.

so i guess the 19mm is the ticket then?

 

Actually the H-Sport competition sway bar is 25.5 mm in diameter that is an effective size of 22 mm but at 4.5 lbs. Their sport sway bar is a tubular 19 mm with an effective diameter of 17 mm. I have the H-Sport Cpompetition sway bar set to the middle position and get very neutral handling.

Cheers,

JD

 

H-Sport has two bars; Sport and Competition. The Sport rear bar is pointless, here's why:

Stock SS: 16mm
Stock SS+: 17mm
H-Sport "sport": 17mm effective (19mm hollow)
H&R has both 18mm and 19mm
Eibach: 19mm
ALTA has both 19mm and 22mm
RDR: 20 or 21mm (I forget which)
Madness: 22mm
H-Sport "comp": 22.1mm effective (25.5mm hollow)

There's a reason the ALTA 19mm and the H-Sport Comp are the two best rear bars on the market; they surpass quality of the other brands for similar pricing. The H-Sport is a hollow chome moly bar with forged ends, making it very lightweight and the ends very strong. ALTA uses jig-welded end pieces, no "squished" ends like, for example, the Madness bar.

In terms of application, an SS Cooper would benefit nicely from the ATLA 19mm, moderately reducing understeer. The ALTA 19mm would be recommended to those that want their MCS with just slightly reduced understeer (no tail-happy). The H-Sport Comp is used for racing and aggressive street. You can get oversteer when provoked with this piece, however the 3-way adjustability (just 2-way with the ALTA) allows for fine-tuning to match driver preference and/or maximum neutrality.

Hope that helps,
Ryan

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How about the Alta 22mm?

 

>>In terms of application, an SS Cooper would benefit nicely from the ATLA 19mm, moderately reducing understeer. The ALTA 19mm would be recommended to those that want their MCS with just slightly reduced understeer (no tail-happy). The H-Sport Comp is used for racing and aggressive street. You can get oversteer when provoked with this piece, however the 3-way adjustability (just 2-way with the ALTA) allows for fine-tuning to match driver preference and/or maximum neutrality.

Thanks Ryan,

While Alta 19mm and other bars in the same size are good for use on an MC with stock suspension. If MC with SS+ then possibly 22mm if autocrossing/ track driving vs the softer 19mm.

The Alta 22mm is heavier but will also work with an MCS with stock suspension or with lowered springs.
The lighter tubular H-sport comp saves weight and is stiffer than the standard 22mm but is more expensive.

 

thanks ryan, thats exactly the kind of description i was looking for...

to echo miniac here.... what do you think between the alta 19 and the alta 22? (sorry minihune, but saying something "will work" doesn't really tell me if its right for my application or not...... is it?)

i am still failing to see what is the difference (besides size) between the 19 and the 22..... for someone who is only getting springs, and not planning on autocrossing.... ?

thanks
-ABT-

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It's really the level of rotation you're trying to get out of the suspension setup. Effectively, the rear sway bar reduces traction from the rear axle by transferring chassis torque (during a corner) to the front axle. Reduced traction in rear, and subsequent increase of traction in front, forces the car to "rotate" on an imaginary axis and/or understeer less/oversteer more.

To paraphrase Einstein: it's all relative 19mm rear bar will rotate less, 22mm bar will rotate more. No autocross, and mostly "sane" cornering speeds, I'd say the 19mm will fit you better. Ditto if you'd like to avoid oversteer in "panic-swerve" situations.

hope that helps,
Ryan

 

Get the Alta 22 mm bar. The grease fittings keep it from sweaking, it has 3 adjustable settings so you can progess at your own pace. It really is the nicest bar on the market as of today.

Uber

 

I'll through in my 2 cents. I've got the H&R 19 set to the stiffest setting. What is nice and I believe unique about the H&R is the fittings do not require greasing and very quite. Since I can only compare my rear sway bar to stock, I can only say that it handles quite nicely. No more understeer, very neutral, in fact I've pullled into a four wheel drift pretty easily. The construction is solid and a stealth powder coated black.