I have an Alta 22 mm sway bar that I never installed on my 07 S. I now have a 2012 Cooper Hatchback with 15 in. 'Holie' wheels and 175/65/15 tires. Is this sway bar going to turn the car around when pushed hard through corners?

 

I think Way recommends the 22mm bar for the 2nd gen cars (correct me if I'm remembering wrong!) so you should be just fine. A lot of guys are running the 22mm bar and you aren't seeing a lot of "crashed my MINI due to throttle lift off in a corner today!" threads.

 

I have the NM 22 mm rsb and have never had any issues out of it and have it on one of the stiffer settings.

 

I also have the 22mm NM engineering RSB (on the middle hole) and no adverse handling problems, quite the contrary, it is amazing. I highly recommend it. (Note: I am on 205/50R16) Do it.

 

Thanks for the replies. I feel better now about installing it.

 

I have the one from alta and love it. Make sure you get the end links I hear the stock ones don't last long.

 

I have a 22mm Alta on the middle setting with nm springs on sport dampers. I try all the time to get it to rotate and I can't do it. The front and back may slide together but it does not even hint it is coming around. The tendancy is still understeer. My Clubman has a 19mm eibach bar on the stiffest setting and it feels too soft for me. It is not as tossable.

Endlinks: I am using stock endlinks and have been running this set up for about 30,000 miles so far. I don't see any problems with the links or with the dampers due to being lowered so far. I initially thought I needed to shorten the endlink since I lowered the car. But it already makes a 90 degree angle with the bar at rest (maximum leverage) and I do not really want it any stiffer so I am going to leave it be. The only advantage would be un-sprung weight reduction if there is any and the ability to balance the cornering if one side is longer than the other. But that would mainly be something you would notice on a racetrack, not so much the street.

 

Hello - Just installed a 22MM NM engineering bar on my 2007 S... have it on the softest setting to start feels nice on the road so far. My next autocross is in two weeks - I was planning to switch to the middle holes, but is it safe to just go to the maximum stiffness for autocrossing? I have stock springs/shocks with Hankook RS3 tires.

 

I just installed the Alta last week, it has been great so far.

 

[QUOTE=smoke05S;3487339]I have a 22mm Alta on the middle setting with nm springs on sport dampers. I try all the time to get it to rotate and I can't do it. The front and back may slide together but it does not even hint it is coming around. The tendancy is still understeer.QUOTE]

Have you tried increased rear tire pressure? Throttle lift after beginning the corner?
I'm getting rotation with an Alta 19mm bar on the stiff setting with 40 lbs rear pressure.

 

on my R53 the 22mm does cause my *** end to rotate in the wet or cold, but the ex wife's R56 stays planted with it

 

I also have the NM Engineering bar on the softest setting. No problems whatsoever. In fact it's amazing!!

 

do you guys know if they'll come up with a RSB for the R60 Countryman?

 

That Countryman WRC has been out for quite some time, but 0 trickle down to the street car. That's disappointing but I am sure it is a temporary condition.

Mini2na, yes I lift and even tightren up the line if I can to try to get it to rotate. My favorite on ramp is 2 lanes wide (plenty of room to gather it back up if I get out o shape). It's a 270 degree corner, the entrance is flat so the front pushes as you enter, I get on the gas to get rid of the weight imbalence on the front. Just then the corner becomes banked so you can actaully push pretty hard for the middle third of the corner. That's when either both ends slide or the front begins to slide again. I can lift at this point and would expect the back to tend to step out but it doesn't. Not too much further the banking goes away. If something goes wrong here you will be hurled into the middle of the freeway so unless the road is clear I usually back off at this point and i am still entering the freeway at 75 mph+ Maybe it is the banking working against me? I never tried it in a big flat parking lot. I usually play with pressures to maximize grip! But you are right I bet I could do it that way also..

update: I found another really fun corner out near Magic Mountain on the 126 west, 2 blocks west of the 5. At the second light you get to there is an off camber right. The turn is 2 lanes wide on a 6 lane wide road (with no divider and one around) so there is plenty of room to gather it back up if you get it wrong. I won the drag race from the first light with the Harley and a GTI and then I tossed it into the off camber right after heavy braking going about 80 MPH. The car had that light feeling and the front pushed quite a bit, I lifted (I know wrong thing to do) and the rear started too. For a short distance I could make the front slide with a little gas, and the rear slide when I lift. Both were sliding as I applied throttle along with the corner flattening out. It hooked up and I powered out of the turn with little drama. I think the car is about as balanced as it is going to get right now. That's the Alta 22mm RSB set in the middle, NM springs on stock sport dampers and the free camber mod.

 

UPDATE. I just installed the 22 mm RSB. Middle setting. It works great (so far).

 

I've had the Alta 22mm RSB installed for over 3 years, added their end links about 6 months later, in the mid-point and it is absolutely great. So go for it!
Our club is getting ready to run the track at Watkins Glen next Sat. so I'n going to set it to the stiffer setting, may leave it there since MOTD is less than 2 weeks after that!!!

 

I'm gealous! Have fun at the Glen!

 

Can't imagine we won't, but right now the weather forecast is not the best.
But there is always the winery tour!

 

Autocrossed my 2007 MINI Cooper S for the first time yesterday with the new NM 22MM rear sway bar in the middle setting. I also took the free chamber, had my mechanic set my alignment to 0 front toe, just a touch of rear toe, and set the rear chamber to -1.50. I am also running the 16" Hankook RS3 225 50 tires from last year. I must say... the new bar felt great... the car is much, much more neutral and turns great. Took several runs for me to get used to the differences, but by my last runs were my best ever and I think there is a lot more time to be had. I also ended up with the rear tire pressures = front versus having them 8-10 lbs more as I used to do. I had a lot of people tell me my inside rear wheel was 6" off the pavement sometimes... while that looks kool... somehow I think it would be better planted...

 

My experience with the OP's question has been that whatever size bar folks have on their car is the one they feel is the best one to have.

 

This is true about any part, kinda how ALOT of bad information gets put out.

We sell way more 22mm bars than 19mm.

I would recommend the Hsport Comp bar. I've used every brand avail and still these have proven to be the best, quietest, lightest, and highest quality around.

 

Went for an extanded spirited drive today and I snapped a bracket off. One of the screws holding the rear sway bar bracket loosened up and fell out. Anyone know what size thread the RSB bracket uses? I am going to go with longer ones and replace them all so it doesn't happen again.

 

Bentley lists the Stabilizer bar to rear subframe as an M8 bolt (torqued to 14 ft-lbs), the length is not listed. My possibly faulty memory remembers it a little over an inch long.

 

Here's a LINK to RealOEM showing the rear sway bar and parts for an '09 JCW Coupe.
And be sure to use Locktight on those threads when you replace the bolts!

 

I ordered my bar today, after all the skepticism and questions. I'm glad You're feeling comfortable about it.

It's as much for Safety as it is for Comfort!