Had it installed at AMVIV5 last weekend. Those guys are fast! (I watched them remove one in under 10 minutes from the time the car drove up.) I could tell the difference right away in almost any turn. Less understeer is obvious, and I didn't think there was that much to start with. It simply turns a lot better. I don't notice a torque steer diff but the turning improvement is worth the $300.

 

Way is good with a wrench and he can fit his hands in really tight places.

Which bar did you get?

 

H-Sport 19mm, middle position. Yeah, I don't know which 2 were doing it (different car than mine) but it was like a pit crew. Had the wheels off, like 6 screws out from wherever (left them right where they dropped), right coilover off, subframe loose, old bar out, new bar in place, bushings in place all in maybe 10 min. Probably took another 15-20 to get it all back together and off the stands. Amazing. The guy watching with me said "that would take me 3 hours and I'd have to call somebody to fininsh it probably".

 

You should see them do a pulley...
If you ever blow through Atlanta, check him out at his shop; he keeps everything in stock and will always show you how/why to do things.
Like freakin' Yoda or something...

 

His half Mini trailer is a hoot too. I've heard the pulley stories.

 

That's KK's trailer; he loaned it to Way for the trip. The clubmates are pretty generous and support each other.
Way comes to our track sessions as an instructor and then embarrasses us later as he flies past us all.
He manages to stuff oodles of spare parts in his car and KK brings a generator, pavilion, jacks, etc. into Kaboose the trailer. If somebody breaks something, Way is there like a pit crew.

There are a couple of good shots of Way on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNMZRVpB89Y

 

How much did it cost to install?

 

Yes, Way and crew are very fast and good.

I had the Hotchkis 19mm with zerks installed at AMVIV, middle setting.

It made a big difference on my 07 MCSa. I did the Death Valley run with stock suspension and the Mt. Charleston run with the new sway-bar.

A world of difference. I'm happy as I have the non-sport suspension.

Rear sways ran $280-$300 installed at the event, not sure you could get a better deal from anyone unless you had one of the guys as a bud and they did it for a 6 pack or two or three.

Starting the job in the picture.

 

And let me guess: the finished job looks exactly the same! Mine was $300 installed ($200 for the bar). Since I notice such a difference cornering now, I wonder what a similar front asb would add to it, or does the rear one pretty much take care of most of the lean by itself? Anybody ever do the rear, then the front to compare?

 

There aren't any aftermarket front sway bars for the R56 yet, AFAIK.

 

whats his shop name?

 

Way Motor Works, you can link to his website via the NAM vendor list. Address is listed along with phone numbers I believe.

 

I wonder why that is? There are 2 bars, why do they ignore the front one? The JCW susp has both, the SS has 2. I'd consider doing the front after what I feel with just the rear bar replacement. Get on it vendors!

 

The reason that there are less front bars is because if you put in a larger front ASB you will introduce more understeer. Most people want to eliminate understeer and move towards a more neutral handling vehicle.

 

When you switch front sway bars, it's usually to a smaller diameter one to reduce understeer. A bigger rear sway bar is a far more common approach, though.

Way said that the smaller front sway bars from the R53 almost fit, but there is some protrusion on the R56 that interferes. And since not many people go for the smaller front bar, no one is offering them yet.