Running without front swaybar.

[GeoKez]

I have read in other threads that a few guys have chosen not to run a front swaybar when coilovers are installed.

This OK?

I've got some issues with the drop links I installed and the bar is interfering with the front crossmember, so in order to go racing Thursday night, I'm going to disconnect it. Am I doomed at the first corner or is there a chance that this could do good things?

 

[4piknup]

The sway bar adds stiffness to the springs only during cornering by tying the front end together. It maybe a snap oversteer demon. Will be interesting

 

[BMGTZ]

george I have some links you can borrow....rather than see you risk the car. I would need to get them out of that hail damaged car

 

[Velocity Racing]

Well I can give a bit of first hand expirenice on this...

I snapped the front bar testing a few months ago, and couldn't source a replacement in time for our next state round, so decided to run without the front bar. I had a chat to Murray Coote about it pre event and he suggested if it felt no good or was too snap oversteery to either disconnect the rear bar and up the shock rebound stiffness all round or leave the rear bar alone and soften the front.

In the end I just left the shock settings in the normal spot and for 80% of the time it felt just like normal. It did however occasionally want to be a bit more tail happy in some faster corners, but it was more annoying than scary, but it was not always consistent. A few times in medium speed stuff it seemed to take a bit more to catch the slide than normal but overall was drivable. I like a some what neutral to understeery car so it didn't really suit my driving. Didn't really effect stage times either as we set the usual times against our main rivals.

On Tarmac I would think it would just make the front end feel a bit soft, unless you have a big heavy rear bar I doubt it would be an issue. Might even help turn in a bit too

FYI here is some incar without the front bar..

http://youtu.be/_XZtZDGB20c

 

[GeoKez]

Yay! Great footage Lewis, you should post more of that up, love it.

Well, if you've seen my footage on Tarmac, you know my lack of good driving skills and setup give me a car that understeers something fierce. Coming from rwd land, I would prefer a tail that steps out more than a nose that won't pull in. In the wet, the car behaves much more to my liking, although when I get happy on the go foot, the power understeer frustrates me a lot. Again more a product of my lack of experience than a poor handling car I think. Your video is encouraging in the sense that it doesn't seem to be doing anything really unpredictable. I wonder how different that would be whilst all gripped up on the black stuff.

Brian, thanks for the offer of the links, but unless your coming on the night, I won't get a chance to grab them. If you are able to bring them down on Thursday, there'd be a carton of your favorite piss in the trailer. I like risk free, but it's been so long between drives........getting itchy.

 

[EVO-00X]

From around 4 minutes to 4:40 in your video, if I was your navigator I would have thrown my hands up in the air and said "fuk this shit, Im outta here!!".
Respect for the downhill run on the loose stuff. Great driving.

 

[Velocity Racing]

thanks guys ... i do have stacks more that i should put up...

anyway not really sure the effect on tar vs gravel, Id assume it will just be the normal effect, that is like gravel just with higher speeds and loads to get the car moving the same way! I think it would only be an issue on the really fast change of directcions, but even then i doubt it will be undrivable.. I guess we will know tomorow morning ... regardless you will have fun, thats the main thing!

 

[BMGTZ]

From around 4 minutes to 4:40 in your video, if I was your navigator I would have thrown my hands up in the air and said "fuk this shit, Im outta here!!".

you can usually tell when your nav is getting nervous...they call corners early

 

[GeoKez]

Righto, seems I'm not going to find out how it would handle as the event was cancelled by the cops, on account of a small bushfire. Go the nanna state! 4 hours and 40L of towing fuel so I cant get scrutineered and then drive home. :thumbsdown:

So, after talks with the Brian's trust, I'm looking at a few options, and which one of them I go with pretty much depends on one thing. What are the factory EVO3 lower control arms made out of? Has anyone had any experience in trying to get something to stick to them?

If they can be welded to, I might just reconstruct the GSR style linkage as i'm stuck with the GSR bar for the time being. If not, I will have to refab the droplinks to get the right geometry. 1st option is the preferred.

 

[evo-gsr]

Use an Evo 1 lower control arm...then you can use the GSR swaybar setup without the links, which are a weak point.