dtsoccer, did you ever get the sway bar?

 

You might consider a 20mm bar, which overlaps the two softer settings of a 22mm bar, and the two firmer settings of a 19mm.

The softest setting on a 19mm bar is useless, as is the hardest setting on a 22mm, so the 20mm bar is a great compromise - it's the "sweet-spot" size for an S, with three useful settings. Fits 1st or 2nd gen. as far as I can tell.

Here's one: JSCSpeed or MiniMania

I'm taking off my solid 22mm bar in favor of this one, as the softest setting on the 22mm is too stiff now that I've added camber plates in front. That's the issue with a 22mm bar - it isn't as versatile as a 20mm.

Here are the ratios of stiffness for the various sizes: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...57-post30.html

 

That 20mm bar from JSC Speed looks pretty sweet.

 

I had the Hsport comp bar on my 06 (with adj camber plates and shocks). I had it on soft, and it was too much more often then it was ok. On track days when traction was not ideal, the car would come around way too easy. Same on the street with cold tires and roads. It takes too little to unsettle the car with the larger bars. The fat bar was fun to play around with but too much when you want neutral handling. Just my 2 cents. Im just starting to mess with my 08 and won't get any bar until I adjust the camber at both ends and see what that does.

 

Yes I got the sway, but I have yet to put it on. I haven't had the time and my guy with the garage is getting renovated. I'll post up when I put it on.

 

After reading through this thread I was surprised no one ever mentioned bushing material and bar material as a factor. Thickness is not the only factor that affects a sway bar, as you can have a 22mm bar that has softer load ratings than another 22mm bar...

Bushing material:
- Rubber
- Urethane
- Delrin
Bar Material:
- Steel
- Hybrid alloys
- Solid core
- Hollow core

All these items have impact on a sway bars rating and drive feel. Simply swapping out rubber for urethane or delrin bushings to a Factory sway bar can change it's characteristics and feel.

Just a little proof that "Size Doesn't always Matter"

 

What does matter, and is included in my earliest post, is comparative stiffness of the factory bar v. the replacement bar in the installed configuaration. In my case:
Hotchkiss Competition rear bar, #22810R (+226%, +294% & +383%), set on middle hole
Since this post I have moved this to the end hole (+226%) after additional adjustments and modifications.

 

But, what also matters and isn't included would be bushing material used and drive "feel" quality not under load. Many people want a good ride feel when daily driving as well as aggressive response when pushing it.

So what is your oppinion on your setup for daily use?

 

With my tires, pressures, alignment, weather, roadways, springs, load, type of driving, aggressiveness of driving, preference for road feedback over isolation, tolerance of roadnoise, the urethane is appropriate with my bar on the soft setting. Predictable turn in, forgiving and correctable, can create understeer or oversteer through throttle modulation, throttle on exit is forgiving on over-application. I'm completely satisfied.

However, with poor roads (potholes or rough pavement) even the springs I run (alone) are too stiff regardless of the bar, adding the bar causes the car to skitter on that surface; with factory springs the bar on the soft setting is acceptable, although the factory bar is best here (no surprise!)

In addition, on good roads and factory springs the bar performs best for me in the center hole.

If my wife drives the car it is far too firm in stock form on perfect roads.

My application is a compromise that suits me and my conditions 80% of the time.

 

Sweet! This is the type of info we need around here, Thanks!!!

 

I put the Alta 22mm sway bar and I love it..mostly street driver but I do track events....its fine for the street..you can also put it on the soft setting..

 

I just intalled the tarett sway bar it is a little more expensive but quality and workmanship is first class. It has alot of adjustabilty from stiff to soft have it about middle setting and love the way it works

 

That TARRET bar is sweet.....I would have bought that one if I had seen it prior to buying the Alta 22mm bar. Love the craftsmanship

 

So what are the specs (or at least diameter) of the normal OEM bar vs. OEM Sport Suspension swaybar. It looks like there is very little info on the MINI-sourced Sport Suspension.

Don't forget that Sport Suspension replaces both front and rear bars.

 

I have the OEM sport suspension, and after doing the standard front end camber mod (i.e. pushed strut towers inward in slotted holes) I'm pretty happy with the effect-- a noticeable reduction in understeer and quicker turn-in. I'd like to reduce the understeer and rear sway just a little more-- and so I've been following these threads about bigger rear swaybars-- but not sure I want to make the ride much harsher than what it is like now.

I was wondering-- would adding aftermarket rear adjustable end-links such as the ones from Alta give a perceptible improvement in rear-end sway without changing out the stock 18mm sway bar, particularly given the option to dial in some pre-load? Can anyone comment on how much of a change in control vs. ride comfort that might produce vs. the more common approach of changing to an adjustable 19mm bar and keeping stock end-links?