Just a quick question. I've searched and read that many owners have switched to the 22 mm NM bar on cooper S since this bar is solid and not hollow from what I've read. But can't seem to find reviews of the 25 mm bar. My JCW is a daily driver, with a track day maybe 1 or 2 times a year at ViR. I've had my car a year and I think I know the limits so far with it, just want the JCW coilers so to be more flatter in the turns. I've never just changed a sway bar, though everyone seems to always say that. I do remember a person at VIR who put on a rear sway bar at stiff setting on a mini and totally rotated the car on track and ended up in the grass. This would not be ideal for a normal street car. SO the question is, just do coilorover? or the sway bar too? Any info on using the 25 mm over the 22mm would be great.

 

What size is your stock swaybar? If it is 18 or 19 mm I'd go to the 25. Also get one that is adjustable so you can set it to your needs/driving style..

 

+1 on adjustable.
Just for a reference, here are the specs on the 19 and 22MM adjustable bars from one supplier. I didn't see a chart for the 25MM which of course would be greater.
OEM Stock Bar (17mm ) Baseline For Rate / Effective Rate =117 LBS/IN
19mm Bar Setting #1 115% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =135 LBS/IN
19mm Bar Setting #2 140% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =165 LBS/IN
19mm Bar Setting #3 177% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =208 LBS/IN
22mm Bar Setting #1 213% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =250 LBS/IN
22mm Bar Setting #2 260% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =305 LBS/IN
22mm Bar Setting #3 329% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =386 LBS/IN

WOW! I just hit 3000 posts!

 

I haven't measured mine, but I believe I read on another post the stock sport JCW rear is 22 mm hollow. NM says the 25mm solid bar was developed for the JCW race team. That's about all I know.
Stiff rate:
OE 33506859891: 298 lb/in
NM 22mm (P1/P2): 400/506 lb/in
NM 25mm (P1/P2): 625/791 lb/in

(P) Hole position.

 

Go with the Hotchkis (H-Sport) Competition 25 mm rear sway bar.
Equivalent to a 22 mm solid bar but lighter.


http://www.waymotorworks.com/h-sport...-sway-bar.html

 

Compare apples to apples. It used to be the stock bar was 17mm solid. Going to 19mm middle setting should be all you need. I remember another guy here did a 21mm and his car ended up on its side. You don't want it to oversteer in a turn if you go in too fast and have to let off the gas. You don't need that. I had a 19mm on my 2007 and that was sweet. It still understeered but not as much.

 

Is there one for the F56?

 

25 hollow is 22mm solid:
22mm Bar Setting #1 213% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =250 LBS/IN
22mm Bar Setting #2 260% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =305 LBS/IN
22mm Bar Setting #3 329% Higher Rate / Effective Rate =386 LBS/IN


Be careful is all I can tell you if you go 22mm. Or be a really good driver. Or both.

 

Sorry, I didn't see the 3rd gen forum section and was thinking R56 or earlier.

 

I have run both bars, and while I appreciate some sites say the hollow 25.5 is the equivalent of a solid 22mm however they are not in the some 200K miles I have using both. The 25.5mm has a much crisper and more predictable turn in regardless of numbers purported by vendors.

Get the 25.5mm Competition bar, and lube the bushings every 4 months if a daily driver, you will not be disappointed.....

 

Put it on the stiffest setting, you won't be disappointed.

 

Great post.

 

Who's gonna lube the bushing every 4 months? I don't check my tire pressure every 4 months.

 

Do you know anyone that has run the 25MM on the F56? Seems most responses is recommendations for the R56. And I think the stock rear bar on the F56 is 22 mm but hollow. Noted by the difference listed by NM for their 22 mm and 25 mm solid bars.

 

I have no personal experience with the 25mm but I have been told that it can be so stiff as fo adversely affect handling. Someone who has actually installed one may want to weigh in here.

 

I only lube it when it starts making noise. It hasn't made noise for quite a while, I can't even remember.

You do want to make sure that you lube it profusely when installing.

 

Gray Raven, a moderator, posted above he's used the hollow 25mm and a solid 22mm, prefers the hollow 25mm. He lists his car as R53. I remember a few horror stories about the 21-22mm solids on the R56 forum. I realize it's a different suspension.

 

I had the Hotchkis 22mm, upgraded to the 25.5mm and couldn't be happier. I'm definitely not going back to the 22mm. The 22mm is definitely easier to install though.

I track the car quite a bit and get the bushings lubed every oil change.


Grem....

 

If you decide to go with the NM 22mm solid, they also offer bushings with grease fittings. The 25mm hollow bar comes with the same type bushings.

 

I am kinda feeling that this thread is useless because of the confusion in which chassis this is... the f56 has very different capabilities and the oem sports bar is 22 mm. the spring rates for the nm engineering sway bars can be found in the gollum 3 thread. Otherwise, the idea of the 25 mm is to provide more stiffness with about the same weight. A hollow 25 mm will have a higher spring rate, due to increased diameter, but will weigh similar or less, because of the removed mass. The reason hollow bars work out the way they do is that brunt of the stresses move along the outside of a cylindrical object. These observations are not from seeing any sway bars in action, but from understanding the mechanics of stress.

 

Installed the NM 25MM rear sway on 2015 F56 JCW and felt the difference as soon as I start driving after the install ,even on the soft setting. Also added the rear adjustable Sway bar links kit. IMO ....so much better than stock.

 

What was the difference, did it actually make turnins faster or need less steering wheel input to turn? Plus, did it seem to make the car more twitchy in a bad way? I just don't want to make it spinout my car if I lift off the gas mid turn or something as I saw on the R53 with an oversized swaybar on track. Plus, have you tried the other settings on the sway bar?

 

I just installed the NM 25mm sway bar along with the adjustable end links. So far I have only driven it on the softest setting and it's a huge positive improvement on handling. Taking a few turns in the 40-45 mph range it felt stable and solid. I'm taking it to the track on Saturday and will decide if I need to move it to the medium setting.

 

Very curious to see how your results are as well as how the sway bar reacted switching settings.

 

What a difference from my last track session. I did a 3 runs (20 min each) with traction control on and that was great. Tackled the turns like a champ. Then I did my last run with traction control off and that is where the sway bar shined. The balance of the car was leaning on the under steer side but just a bit. If I pushed a turn too hard I could whip the *** end around but felt in complete control at the same time. Next time I head out to the track I'll try the middle setting but am already thinking that may make it too loose. We'll see.