replacing front/rear sway bars

BimmerRob08 · 03-03-2010, 05:42 PM

Has anyone replaced the OEM sway bars with higher-performance ones? Dinan on their stage 2 kit has a front sway bar and eas offers a set for front/back.

Any tech data on this? How difficult is it to replace the front sway bar? I once installed a sport suspension kit on my Saab 93 Aero but had to have the dealer do the front sway bar due that the engine had to be lifted, lots of other crap, etc. so left it to them.

Also, anyone suggest they are worth it if I go with a lower spring set or even if I stay stock springs, would it be worth installing the sway bars?

thanks,

rzm3 · 03-03-2010, 08:39 PM

Front sways are easy to install. Rears are a serious PIA because you have to drop the ENTIRE SUBFRAME!

And I would only upgrade both sways together. A stiffer front sway only with everything else staying stock may actually cause more understeer.

In general, the stiffer wheel gets more weight transfer and causes the tire to loose traction, hence understeer.

BimmerRob08 · 03-03-2010, 10:53 PM

makes sence. I would only do both front/back sway bars. I had to drop the rear subframe on the Saab also, it was alot of work but pretty straight forward.

MrHarris · 03-04-2010, 03:56 AM

I thought whatever axle you stiffen that creates more traction.

So if you stiffen the front, you get more traction aka less understeer? I guess I learned wrong?

Antonov · 03-04-2010, 12:10 PM

Which ever axle you increase roll resistance, grip increases at opposite axle by allowing more weight transfer.

For rear wheel drive cars, you have to be careful with rear sway bars, because they have a tendency to create in lifting which limits how early you can open the throttle. This is why many race guys don't use a rear sway bar at all.

BimmerRob08 · 03-04-2010, 05:46 PM

Interesting. But I wonder if it'll make a positive impact on the track with the M3 or going from OEM to performance sway bars end up causing a negative impact on handling? If one combined wheel spacers, 10mm lets say front and back, lowered the spring with the Dinan stage 1 kit and added the eas sway bars. Am I going to feel a performance increase in handling, corner speed, controlability on the track or/and highway driving? or is it going to be worse than stock? Not that stock is bad because it handles very well IMO.

03-03-2010, 05:42 PM	#1
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	replacing front/rear sway bars Has anyone replaced the OEM sway bars with higher-performance ones? Dinan on their stage 2 kit has a front sway bar and eas offers a set for front/back. Any tech data on this? How difficult is it to replace the front sway bar? I once installed a sport suspension kit on my Saab 93 Aero but had to have the dealer do the front sway bar due that the engine had to be lifted, lots of other crap, etc. so left it to them. Also, anyone suggest they are worth it if I go with a lower spring set or even if I stay stock springs, would it be worth installing the sway bars? thanks,
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03-03-2010, 08:39 PM	#2
rzm3 Moderator 673 Rep 4,737 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (18)	Front sways are easy to install. Rears are a serious PIA because you have to drop the ENTIRE SUBFRAME! And I would only upgrade both sways together. A stiffer front sway only with everything else staying stock may actually cause more understeer. In general, the stiffer wheel gets more weight transfer and causes the tire to loose traction, hence understeer.
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03-03-2010, 10:53 PM	#3
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	makes sence. I would only do both front/back sway bars. I had to drop the rear subframe on the Saab also, it was alot of work but pretty straight forward.
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03-04-2010, 03:56 AM	#4
MrHarris yodog 197 Rep 5,025 Posts Drives: '86 Corolla Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Diamond Bar, Ca iTrader: (5) Garage List 2009 BMW [10.00]	I thought whatever axle you stiffen that creates more traction. So if you stiffen the front, you get more traction aka less understeer? I guess I learned wrong? __________________ 2009 E92 M3 \| Alpine White \| Black Extended \| Advan RS \| Turner Test Pipes \| Dinan Axle-Back \| OETuning \| Eibach Springs \| UUC SSK \| VRS Front Lip \| VRS Type I Diffuser \| Matte Black \| RPi Scoops \| MS Filter \| Yokohama AD08 \| F1 Pinnacle Special Thanks: Gintani \| OETuning \| eAs
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03-04-2010, 12:10 PM	#5
Antonov New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 87 Carrera, 2011 X5d Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Which ever axle you increase roll resistance, grip increases at opposite axle by allowing more weight transfer. For rear wheel drive cars, you have to be careful with rear sway bars, because they have a tendency to create in lifting which limits how early you can open the throttle. This is why many race guys don't use a rear sway bar at all.
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03-04-2010, 05:46 PM	#6
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	Interesting. But I wonder if it'll make a positive impact on the track with the M3 or going from OEM to performance sway bars end up causing a negative impact on handling? If one combined wheel spacers, 10mm lets say front and back, lowered the spring with the Dinan stage 1 kit and added the eas sway bars. Am I going to feel a performance increase in handling, corner speed, controlability on the track or/and highway driving? or is it going to be worse than stock? Not that stock is bad because it handles very well IMO.
	Appreciate 0 Quote