I am already running H-Sport springs and am about to do the H-Sport swaybar. The car is a daily driver - with the daily drive to work consisting of twisties up and down Lookout Mountain. I realize some trial and hopefully not too much error will be required to adjust to my driving style/taste, but would like opinions on setting the bar. The car will see some autocross duty as well. It seems like middle or soft settings are the most popular and make sense for my type of driving. With the H-Sport springs and mountain driving, any opinions for my specific application? My main concern is going beyond dialing out understeer and creating too much oversteer.

 

I would start on the softest setting, get use to that and decide from there if you want to dial it up more. The rear swaybars even on the softest settings are considerably stiffer than the stock bars. My two pennies.

BTW, are you talking about Lookout Mountain in Golden Colorado? If so, that's one of my favorite drives (and bike rides) from when I lived out there.

 

I'm in the process of installing my H-Sport bars. The rear was a snap. The front is being a PITA. I ALWAYS set all my sway bars to full stiff, regardless. It hasn't proved me wrong yet.

 

I wholly agree... there are a LOT of people that have installed rear bars and set them to full stiff "because someone told them to" and then experience trailing throttle oversteer they weren't expecting and majorly hosed their car up... In some cars I've been in, it's more like snap oversteer (depending on other mods and alignment).

Curbs aren't forgiving, nor are tire barriers or retaining walls.

Start softest and move up from there. It's easy to adjust, and IMHO, it's not worth starting on the stiffest setting unless you are fully prepared to handle what might happen. It's best to err on the side of understeer in the beginning and dial it out.

 

true

 

I find the soft setting just right for street use. It reduces much of the understeer and is still safe for those times you need to hit the brakes around a corner. The middle setting is good for track days where you want a balanced car and the stiff setting is auto-x only. Even on the soft setting, the rear will step out if you hit the brakes during a hard turn in the rain (not that I learned that myself... )

 

I had mine set on the middle setting initially in the rear. After a couple of experiences with the rear stepping out on some tight S curves, I moved it to the softest setting. I never had any problems with the middle setting on the street...only when pushing it real hard did it get a little hairy. The softest setting handles great and has a little bit better ride quality too. On the middle setting it kind of felt like having a solid axle in the rear since both sides get tied together more. I would probably recommend starting at the middle per Hsports instructions and go from there. Just know to be careful when pushing it and be ready for oversteer. I would only use the stiffest for autocross or a fairly open track where it might be reasonably safe to spin out.

 

These are the best descriptions of what the different settings do that I have ever seen. Thank you all!

dan

 

You should go with the middle setting.

 

i run middle nowadays.. i just gotta be careful not to step on the brakes mid corner.... i have to look further at onramps to make sure no slow-pokes will slow me down

 

Thanks guys for all of the responses, very helpful. I think I will start on the softest setting with an eye toward moving to the middle after awhile.

Dave - Lookout Mountain, Georgia, actually. I have raced bicycles for over 20 years. We also have a few nice climbs here back east, much lower elevation, but some steep pitches, most between 2-6 miles in length.

Len

 

For me it is middle rear , soft front for street and hills with a only a switch to full stiff rear for track and Auto-X.

John

 

About 2 months ago, I BOMBED an on-ramp. Thank heaven I did take a good line because my foot was to the floor in third (really fast sweeper), was using all the available inner paved berm and concrete on exit. If I had to lift even a little, I would have been TOAST. I know it is stupid to go 10/10 on the street, but I did... and got away with it... this time. Since the weather is getting crappy and I don't need trailing throttle over- stear, I moved the links all the way soft (last hole). Its easy enough to tighten it up when going to the next autox in spring.

 

After attending a tech day at the Hotchkis compound a couple of weeks ago, I'd have to go along with suggesting the soft setting (for competition model).

Personally, I'd feel more comfortable suggesting this setting so as to not be responsible for any mishaps arising from the more agressive ones.

 

Which H-sport rear sway bar are we talking about? The middle setting on the comp bar is far stiffer than the middle setting on the sport car. I have the sport bar on middle setting which seems perfect for steet driving.

 

I have the Comp bar.

 

Agreed. It seems to work equally well for street and AutoX.

 

I have the comp bar also.

 

The comp bar is going on my car.

 

Anyone done this on a convertible? Mine will (probably) never see a track or autoX - only spirited street driving with some twisties for exercise. I'm considering DINAN's bar (19 mm) or H-sport sport bar on middle setting, with no change in front. I may do camber plates in the future.

 

Agree completely.

You can go to your local autocross club or do a test and tune and see what feels right. Blast into a decreasing radius turn at speed, lift off the throttle, if you end up backwards........it's too stiff for street

Do NOT do this on a street. Have fun.