I am thinking about what class to run for next season and I am planning on going to the national event in Nebraska. I need to decide what to do for swaybars. Right now I have JCW springs/shocks, H-sport competition rear bar, standard small front sway bar. I need to get 100% legal for the street class.

I am going to swap out the JCW shocks for Koni Yellows. For the swaybar should I:

1. Keep the small standard front swaybar and put the JCW swaybar back on instead of the larger H-sport rear bar.

2. Put the JCW front swaybar on and keep the larger H-sport rear bar?


If I should do number 2 I will likely pay someone to put it on as its more of a job then I want to do. I have heard that its better to have the small front bar up front for autocross do to more traction out of turns.

Very interested to see a discussion on this topic.

 

You want to do #2. The JCW front bar is only 0.5mm thicker than the standard Sport package front bar. So the change is very negligable from a feel perspective, but unfortunately required to remain 100% stock legal. But you want JCW front bar with the the bigger aftermarket adjustable rear bar in order to get better front turn in and traction.

Change the front bar to the JCW at the same time you change the front shocks. It will save some time.

 

If you are able to use the larger RSB and be legal than leave it in. Do no go with a larger front sway bar for Auto-X. The larger you go on the front, the more you negate the effects of the larger RSB. Larger RSB's are used to get the car to oversteer or rotate. This allows your front end to stay more planted and thereby allowing you to get on the throttle quicker. Some Auto-X people go so far as to try and find a 16mm FSB which are available on stock Cooper ones in Europe. Others have even disconnected the FSB altogether. I would leave the small one up front and consider going with adjustable rear end links so that you can eliminate pre load on the RSB. That's my 2 cents.

 

What this guy said. If you can find a way to be legal with a smaller front sway bar, you'll have better rotation.

 

Problem is to be legal with JCW springs and use a large rear bar I have to put the JCW front bar on, or only use the small 18.5mm JCW rear bar.


What about using the Koni sport shocks to tighten up the rear instead of the large h sport bar?