Does one bar actually make a difference. I'm skeptical.

 

Everyone I have talked to on this board has given a stiffer rear sway bar a huge vote in favor. It is commonly seen as the best bang for the buck. I am installing a new bar in the spring.

 

Yes. Significantly reduces understeer.

 

It is regarded as the mod that is most worth the money.

 

Other than ditching the run flats, a rear sway bar gives you the biggest bang for the buck. Your MINI will never feel the same (in a very good way).

 

Yes. You wouldn't think it. But it's an awesome mod!

 

Well, I'd say it depends on your driving style and how you use your car. If you drive normal roads in a normal matter, it's of little value to you. If you AutoX or track your car, you will notice a significant change in the way the car rotates or in low speed corners on the track, it won't pick up the inside front wheel and attempt to turn it into rubber dust (assuming you don't have an LSD)

If you drive in a "spirited" manner on the street or backroads, you will see a difference too. However, too stiff of a rear bar will make the car skittish and ride rough too, but most are adjustable by varying where you attach the drop links.

It's more up to you and your driving style...IMHO.

 

I agree completely with MINIdave. If you don't like to drive spritidely, then you don't really need it. But if you do, and you are frustrated by the understeer, then it is a great mod.

 

I will agree with MINIDave. If you are happy with your car as is and have no desire to mod and/or drive your car in a rather spirited manner, then adding a swaybar is of little use.

Car manufacturers purposely tune their cars to understeer to keep their cars safe and balanced in normal day to day driving. Making any performance mod will affect that balance. Having said that, the rear swaybar is a very cost effective modification for reducing understeer for those who want to.

 

Simply put: "Yes"

It can make so much of a difference that if you are too aggresive with your selection of bar size and setting, and go into a corner too fast - you may end up facing backwards the moment you lift off the throttle.

However - taken with consideration and time to learn the car/response/driver capabilities - you would most likely be extremely pleased with the mod.

Find some corners where you can safely explore the cornering limits of the car as is (feel for the understeer and throttle-steer response). If you haven't done that yet - you are probably not ready for the RSB change. If you have; add the bar, then drive the same corners - you will be delighted.

 

I'm thinking about swapping in a bigger bar on my '11 MCS. Which is most recommended for aggressive street/track driving?

 

I have a 22mm bar on my car. I have it at the stiffest setting but will back it off to the medium setting when I get a chance. I very rarely track my car and am of the opinion that the 19mm at the stiffest setting should have been adequate for me. But the fast turn-in on the 22mm is just addictive

The issue would be, if it's really wet and slippery where you are, you need to be prepared for the fact that the back end could let go on you really fast if you're not careful and go into a corner too fast. So certainly even in the dry, decent tires are a must.

Speaking of tires, the stiffer rear swaybar will also wear your rear tires and brakes faster than normal. My rear tires tend to wear faster than my fronts and my rear brake pads are wearing at a balanced rate as my fronts. When I need to change pads, the fronts and backs are worn at about the same time. - or it could just be the way I drive.

 

If your into driving, and what MINI owner isn't for God's sake....yes BIGGER is BETTER .

Fun turning into some parking lot aprons on three wheels too

 

I prefer tight turn in - most of my driving is in drier SoCal climate now and I tend to be cautious on wet roads anyway.

Thanks for the info.

 

Yes, less body roll and less understeer.

 

I suggest the 20 mm Whiteline, and for the track add some camber plates.

 

I have been contemplating this mod also. I have the Sport Suspension option which comes with a 18mm RSB. 100% of my driving is on the street. I do like to stab the gas pedal now and then (More Now!) and I have never experienced understeer. Florida is mostly flat and straight. I get more Torque steer on hard accelleration more then anything.

My question is the adjustable 22mm set in the middle position equivilent to my 18mm RSB?

Thanks Axo

 

You will get understeer when the car approaches it's limits. You can get understeer at turn in or in a turn. If you are in the NE USA, come join us a the track where we can show you understeer, oversteer which can be easily induced.

If I remember correctly, the 22 mm rsb is about 250 percent stiffer than the 18 mm bar in the middle setting. Because you do not experience understeer, I think you do not think you need such an aggressive 22 mm rsb.

 

It's worth every penny. For a middle of the road ASW I went with the Alta 19mm set to the middle setting. Works great when canyon carving and not to overbearing under everyday use.

 

It is a good mod for the money.

 

I have a 19mm Alta on full stiffy. Right away I noticed quicker turn in and less lean. Whatever tendency towards understeer there was with the stock bar is gone. Thecar feel like there's pole throu the center of it right into the road, sort of like a slot car with the guide pin in the middle instead of the front (which would result in oversteer).

 

What setting should I go with on my Alta 19mm bar? I'm pretty cautious in the wet already (good habit from motorbike riding.) and do want to maximize turn-in performance. Should I go with full stiff from the beginning? How hard is it to change the setting?

 

Fixed camber plates are a better first mod IMO for a street car, especially for the 1st gen.

- Andrew

 

Starting off with the middle setting is the usual suggestion.

 

Dannyhavok,

Changing the setting isn't difficult. You just need to jack up one side or put the car up on stands, take off the wheels and grab two wrenches (plus a torque wrench). Some people say they can do this between the spokes of the wheels, but I think that would be more of a pain than jacking it up.

Given the relative ease of re-positioning - I would stronly recommend starting out with the softest setting - which will already be significantly better than anything stock. Learn the car; then move it up. It just isn't worth the risk of swapping ends in some corner because you weren't expecting the car to handle as it would with the new bar.... 30 minutes effort for a whole lot of peace-of-mind. And just think - each time you move it up - it feels like a new car! ... My two bits