I recently spoke with a local shop and they suggest for regular street use (highways) installing a RSB and adjustable lower control arms would make the rear of the more prone to "steer" the car and therefore one would be constantly steering with both hands to keep the car straight during highway driving. Alternatively, they suggest that a thicker front sway bar would be better.

Since I planned to install the NM springs, I thought I'd do the RSB and control arms too but after hearing this, I wanted to get reaction from the members here on how their cars feel after the installation of these parts. I don't plan to track the car anytime soon--just want a planted feel in the corners (not that these cars in any way resemble my dad's '73 Caprice Classic) and an aggressive stance.

Thanks for your input!
P.S. I'm also planning to install the NM Torque Arm insert which I understand will help with the engine rock.

 

I disagree on that adding an increased diameter rear sway bar will "steer" the car.
What isn't noted from your shop is that alignment comes into play.

A sway bar is for transient response, reducing body roll during cornering and keeping the wheels to the ground.
Increasing the rear sway bar has the possiblity to remove understeer, and add throttle-lift induced oversteer (if set very stiff).

After driving several FWD vehicles with an increased rear sway bar, keeping the car straight with only one hand never been an issue.

- Erik

 

Thanks Erik! I was thinking the same thing but not being too familiar with Mini's the shop's recommendation made me pause.

 

Looks like we should respond more often to these threads, we are too busy most of the time. The suggestion from our shop, which is Bay Bridge Motors, is specific to car environment. We suggest for high speed applications to set up the car with a stiffer front end than rear end, which provides stabillity, aggressive turn in, and no snap over steer. On low speed car applications (parking lots with cones, inner city driving, or tight corner woods driving) we will suggest more rear bar. The theory is that when there is not enough car speed inertia we will then lift the rear wheel off the ground to lose traction in the back of the car to help it get around the corner, that being said do you want the rear inside wheel to lift off the ground at 70 MPH? That is what you would call snap over steer.

The book of car handling by Carrol Smith that was created in a parking lot, with a camaro, became the main stream of "how to" in car handling.
Fortunatly after working as a race car engineer in the Pro Formula and sports car industry we were able to determine car setup between high speed race tracks and low speed race tracks and throw Carrol Smith's book in the garbage.

If your car feels nervous at high speeds, and both hands are on the steering wheel, and the alignment is pointing the wheels in the right direction, but your sway bar and shock adjustments are unknown you may look at the car being too stiff in the rear. Remember the stiffest end of the car will react first, which end do you want to react first?

 

jacques, thanks for taking the time to reply. pardon me if my inquiry seems rudimentary but my question was for a daily driver setup (combination of highway & city driving). your shop's recommendation was the first time I'd heard of switching to a larger diameter front bar and therefore i was extremely puzzled. i purposely did not call you guys out, but did want to get feedback from those who'd already done the modification.

 

I suggest always steering the car with both hands, except when your right hand is shifting gear.

I have a RSB, it's a daily driver, and I tell the car where to go, not the other way around. It's a great mod, I haven't heard anyone say they regret it. Reduces body roll and helps with hard cornering. You won't regret it.

 

The suspension setup with NM springs, rear sway bar, and rear control arms is a pretty standard daily driver setup. Your not going to have any 2 handed steering issues with this setup. Remember as much as most people want to think they are race car drivers 99% of them are just daily drivers having fun. So if this was a bad daily driver setup you would see thread after thread with complaints about how their MINI drives with these parts. Instead you will find many treads praising these parts and combination.