guys, i might have access to a set of front & rear R53 sway bars. is it worth swapping on a R50 base? or should i just go with a 19mm rear bar only? your input would be great.

 

Go to the 19
The swaybar from the r53 is only slightly bigger, or possibly the same (depending on the suspension package speced out when new)....
The bigger, non factory one is also adjustable....and for barely $200 new, is a great bang for the buck upgrade.

 

I added a rear bar from a R53 and it was slightly noticable, however a rear 19mm is much better. Not worth doing the work twice, do it right the first time. Also, no need to change the front sway bar, otherwise you'll add more understeer.

 

I also did the R53 rear bar first (free), it did help dial out some understeer. Running the numbers show that adding a 17mm(R53) rear bar in place of the 16mm(R50) is almost the same as a R53 adding a 19mm bar. I have since gone to the 19mm and it is like going to a 22mm. These are all relative the the front bar. If I did it again, I would go straight to the 19mm. Either way, have fun!

 

Why don´t you go on the other side?. Try to put a thinner and softer arb at the front like Euro MINI ONE 16mm unit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...93&hg=31&fg=10

You will have a front 16 and rear 17. It improves the handling and better traction.

 

it also allows more roll.
Depends on how you want to use the car.
Personally i prefer the H sport front and rear with a higher rear spring rate.

 

Uh. I think that you have to put the rear on its stiffness hole or you will have a lot of understeer.

I´ve prooved many combinations and for daily use and spirited weekend driving on B-roads it´s better a high rate damper with a little bit stiff springs matched to the dampers and softer and thinner arb´s. Very little roll. Anti roll bars take away suspension independence, so with a bigger arb at the front there is no independence. If you have the hotchkiss and you have decent coilovers, try to disconnect the front arb and put the rear at the middle. This is the combination that actually we have on the Cooper, and believe me there is no roll, a lot of more handling, very fast cornering, and no traction issues.

 

I traded the R53 (Sport Suspension) front sway bar for an R50 front sway bar.

I agree a smaller front sway bar adds grip to the front.

 

Yes. And with your Leda coils try to disconnect the front sway bar in the track, and you will be impressive.

The German MINI CHALLENGE R53 had the 16 mm MINI ONE sway bar at front, and std. R53 17 mm at rear, with BILSTEIN MOTORSPORT coilovers to improve traction, cornering, wet handling......

Really is better.

My justacooper is also a BRG.

Look:

 

19mm rear sway and end link= done

 

What are those rims? I like the classic look, looking for something similar like the Rota RB's or Konig Rewinds.

And does a rear sway bar affect your rear tire wear? Does it make the back end slide laterally, or does it make the rear follow the front better?

 

When I added my 19 mm rear sway bar, I immediately noticed that the car rotated much quicker and more neutral, making cornering a breeze in comparison to before. Honestly, I don't know what other mod did as much for my driving and for my car's performance over this mod.

 

The wheels are COMPOMOTIVE ML1571 7x15 ET38

The rear tire wear depends more on allignment than on the sway bar. The arb just works during cornering. It does the rear more agile and there´s no understeer without front sway bar, and much more less with a thinner at front than the rear, so you have to be a little bit more skillful with the steering wheel, throttle, and brake. But it´s faster in followed curves when you learn how to drive it.

 

What's the weight, quality, and price like on Compomotive wheels? never heard of them.

I've heard of Jeep drivers removing their front sway bar... that sounds like a bad idea. Or would it help?

 

The weight is above 9 kilos per wheel. Yes, a little bit heavy. They are top quality wheels made in U.K. used by many rally drivers around the world, mainly in Europe. The price is about 1000 euros for a 4 wheel set. You can order them with different offsets and colours to suit your car. It is the most MINILITE look a like wheel (original sixties and most popular aftermarket wheel).

Website: www.comp.co.uk

 

i have a MINI One front bar and a 19mm rear bar with JRZ coilovers on the race car. it is a nicely balanced combination.

 

I'm going to TT my '04 MCS Sport Susp with NASA this year. I'm limited on points but a rear sway bar is only 2 and keeps me in TTE. (I've had a Full Comp license since 1999 but only raced 3rd gen F-bodies and no experience with front wheel drive.)

Not sure what tires I'll be running but probably something in the 100-200 rating. Not Hoosiers but maybe Toyo R1's.

Not planning to swap shocks/springs. This is my daily driver.

Is the 19mm bar the way to go? Which vendor?

Thanks,

Sidney

 

Since you've driven a competition car before, get the H-Sport Competition Rear Sway Bar and set it to full stiff.

Just leave the DSC on when driving on the street or the first couple of laps in the wet.

Alan