I'm putting a rear sway on my '08 MCS. I spoke to the folks at M7 tuning and they pointed me to the H Sport Competition Bar (25mm). Is anyone here driving one? I plan on setting it in the softest setting. M7 inidicated that 4 out of 5 sway bar sales are the comp bar.

All the marketing content on the web seems to almost caution that its intended for competition only. Is it ok for use on a daily driver? Are there things i should be concerned about?

 

I used it on my DD and loved it. Took a little getting used to but made a big improvement in handling and I wouldn't call it dangerous or anything. I would definitely recommend it!

 

Arthur is wearing one now; great manners, no squeaks.
I started with it set soft and will move it to the middle this weekend; there's still room for a more active rear in the twisties.
I'll see the track once or twice a year but I live on gnarly backroads....
If you like to have your car TURN, you'll love it.

 

the Comp Bar is the ticket on the R50/52/53 cars, but we find the 19mm H-Sport bar best on the R56. it's because of the light weight rear control arms. give us a call if you need help.

Chad
DT

 

How much did it cost to install the bar? I was thinking of Alta's 22..but something drew me the the 25 mm so im getting that...but can't install it myself so was wondering how much ppl paided for the install in the end. Thanks

 

Hotchkiss won't squeak....


Chad --- why the 19 over 25 on the R56? I'm tickled-pink with the comp bar. Thanks for the advice on the phone, btw; you helped settle my nerves before digging in...

 

My comp bar is getting installed tomorrow - also having the HR sport spings installed - estimate is @ 5 hrs...(that's by the "Mini Book") but my mechanic will bill me for actual which he expects to be less. Also getting an alignment done.

 

Took us 3.5 hours to do; 3 complete amateurs with decent tools on jackstands. That was springs, comp bar, and H-sport camber links.

 

I paid Way $100 to install mine last weekend. I watched them install one in 1 hour (but they're really fast). Mine is 19mm and I notice a real difference turning. I can't imagine what a 25mm feels like!

 

WOW... huge difference in the car's road feel. I'm more than satisfied. In the spirit of full disclosure - the car is an 08 MCS with the JCW stage 1 kit, sport suspension, and 17" R90s on Goodrich KDWs (non run flats). The HR Springs and Comp sway bar finish the car. The car rides better than when delivered w/the OEM run flats. It tracks incredible and turns like it was intended to. I'm also very happy with the look. The tires fit the arches perfectly - i was concerned the HRs would bring it down too low. I was also able to get the alignment to spec without any other suspension mods. I will try and get some pics if the weather breaks this weekend

 

Chad,

Could you expand on that a bit? What happens? Does the Comp Bar somehow overwhelm the control arms?

 

We installed an H sport comp bad on medium setting a couple weeks ago on my Cabrio and it certainly has shifted the center feel of the car. I have an Alta 19mm sway for my wife's R56 that should be going in oneof these weekends. It wasnt that tough of a job.

 

I've got an H Sport comp sway bar on my R53 and R56. Way installed both of them the same day when we took the R56 over to get the painted arches installled.

On the R53, I keep it on the middle setting. The R53 is lowered on H Sport springs, and it felt too twitchy on the firmest setting. It also has H Sport adjustable camber links, after getting rid of the clunky Alta ones.

The R56 is on Cross coilovers, and the H Sport bar feels incredible on the firmest setting! Before the coilovers were installed, I tried the softest and middle settings. I think I liked the softest setting best with the OEM springs, but the high ride height made it hard for me to feel what was really going on with the car.

For autocross, the H Sport comp bar on firm kicks serious butt. Matt Jensen drove my car at a local event a few weeks ago and I got a chance to see what someone that really knows how to drive a car can do with the right setup.

 

Terry,
Have you taken the car into the mountains on a fast drive yet? I have the bar set at softest with the H&R springs and it only understeered once on me yesterday. I was able to induce oversteer by throttle modulation too.
I was just wondering if your bar at full-stiff might walk your rear around on a tight road like Wolfpen Gap...?

 

I wouldn't say so. I have R56 trailing arms on my slammed R53 along with an H-Sport Comp bar and the combination is fantastic and totally neutral. However, I think where Chad is coming from is, the stock R56 handles so well from the factory that there's no need for a super stiff rear swaybar. If I put an H-Sport Comp bar on an R56 I'd definitely start out on the softest [most rearward drop-link hole]. It would probably handle most neutral there unless the car was super lowered, at which point the roll centers are low enough you need more swaybar to get the rear end to rotate again. On a stock ride height [or even lowered up to 1"] R56 there's rarely a need for an aftermarket swaybar, IMO.

 

Nope, haven't hit the big twisties yet, just the little stuff around Red Top.

I don't push it hard enough on the street to test the limits, though. I'm doing my best to save that for the track

Like Ryephile, I've got the car pretty slammed right now. It definitely didn't feel right with the comp bar on firm with the OEM springs, but it's amazing with the coilovers. I never had lowering springs on the R56, so I have no idea what would work best.

It's a great sway bar. I just wish they'd make a smaller front one for the R56

 

FWIW, I have the HSport Comp rear sway. I have done several AX schools and 6 Track days (HPDE) this year. With camber plates, shocks and stock springs, my car has ZERO understeer. This is fine when you are doing everything correctly. If on the other hand you lift off the gas (which is a natural reaction) when cornering too hot, you will spin. My feeling is the Comp is too much bar.
I think a balance of camber settings and a med bar is plenty for most. If you are racing, your skills are way above the norm and a comp rsb may be perfect. That is my 2 cents based on my experience.

 

I think a lot of it has to do with the rest of your suspension. I also have the H-Sport Comp bar, along with coilovers, camber plates, adjustable rear control arms and adjustable swaybar endlinks.

Even on street tires (admittedly, they're stickier-than-normal Azenis RT-615s) and with the bar in the full-stiff position, I found it almost impossible to intentionally induce lift-throttle oversteer on my car during autocross events. In fact, the car still tended a little bit toward understeering, so I had to jack with the tire pressures to get it completely neutral.

 

Hmmm...this makes me think I made the wrong choice with the 19mm which should be delivered, today. I think someone mentioned that the thickness of the bar might cause rubbing again other parts. Did any of you guys have this problem?

 

FWIW... I have had the 19mm H-Sport bar on for over year, and I have experienced zero problems. In fact, I often forget its there (does that means its time to stiffen 'er up?)

 

Probably cuz its only 1mm thicker than the stock bar. (assuming you had the sport package)

 

I wonder if the effects of the rear sway will be less if I am already lowered and have -1.5 degrees of camber in the rear....

 

The "its only 1mm thicker than stock" is a bogus argument. First, because it is 1 mm thicker and that is a meaningful amount and second because that is the softest of 3 settings. A 19mm bar starts a bit firmer than stock and adjusts significantly stiffer than stock. The comp bar starts very stiff and goes up from there.
If you don't have much understeer at the limit (however you use your car), a comp bar is too much. Get what you need and don't assume comp is the way to go (even though it may be). Too much is worse than not quite enough at the limit. IMHO

 

I found that the 19mm H-Sport sway bar at the middle setting producees quite a bit of oversteer on a stock suspension R56 MCS.