sway bars that is :rofl:


photomunkey turned me on to these sway bars from Progress Technology

front bar is tubular with 1.25" OD x 0.25" wall thickness :eek: and three endlink adjustment holes in each arm

rear bar is solid 19mm with two endlink adjustment holes in each arm :bowdown:


http://progressauto.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=rx8&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&manufacturers_id=&pfrom=&pto=&dfrom=&dto=&x=0&y=0

That's the same size RB uses (32mm and 19mm). Although there are no adjustments on those. Are you going to get a set of the PT sways?

The RB bars are softer, their front bar is only 0.188" thick and their rear bar is tubular with a 0.125 wall

big difference!

and yes I am :)

.

price aint bad either...anyone install these yet?

photomunkey has the first set I believe

Progress rocks. Brings me back to my EG days.

hmm, very interesting. :) what endlinks will you use?

These look quite promising. I'd like to hear more about them if there is any other info.

Nice find Team.

I like the price! Would these work well with Tein Flex?

amazing thread title

fwiw, Speedsource makes the same size front bar for GrandAm that is sold exclusively through MazdaMotorsports for 3x the cost of this one


ptuning.com sells the bars for the same price, but with free shipping :)


.

geez u got me excited for no reason. thought there was action in this thread!

lol, you just had to take a peak ... :naughty:

yea and still i look again and still nothing lol

hey, I don't just roll over for anybody :cwm27:

it ok i waitin for someone else to do dat :P

lol, who's the softy :p:

the person who wants to fix my back pain hahaha

These look nice. Guess I know where my next money is going!

w00t, they are on the way

I probably won't receive them before Monday though seeing as how UPS sucks ...

Received the bars today, went to take a pic and discovered I left my digicam at work :banghead: so no stiffy pics for MissyK yet

quality looks very good, bars are powdercoated a nice gray metallic color, supplied with black polyurethane bushings and silver zinc-plated brackets, but no grease fittings

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL846/454183/7219576/230396455.jpg


http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL846/454183/7219576/230396458.jpg

Is there any purpose to multiple endlink holes if your endlinks are adjustable?

the adjustable endlinks only adjust their length to add or avoid pre-loading the bars in the static position

the holes in the bar arms allow you to change the effective stiffness of the bar for tuning the balance, it's all based on lever arm length, the holes closer to the bar pivot point (the D bushing) create a shorter lever arm which results in a stiffer bar rate and the holes farther away from the bar pivot point create a longer lever arm which results in a softer bar rate

they're not the same thing

bushings?

beers :beer:

what about them, see previous comments & pics :dunno:

what about them, see previous comments & pics :dunno:


clear you big, big box....

beers :beer:

im am sorry, your pm box :)

beers :beer:

that looks pretty good. what endlinks are you using?

team... how would you compare these to the agency adjustable... what suspension are you coupling with these (the koni's right, i know you have told me i can't remember)... have you thought about making your own end links?

edited, see post below

yes, I am planning to assemble my own adjustable endlink design

I have custom Koni 2812 DA monotube coilovers, this is a hardcore competition setup not the common street shocks

EDIT: I haven't looked the AP parts in a while, it appears that they're identical to PT bars so I'm assuming PT is now building them for AP/Vivid. I don't have any info on AP's wall thickness :dunno:

Installed the bars last night. The front bar was the usual PITA to remove/install. The instructions suggested a different front bar installation method than I normally use, to drop the engine undercover and remove the lower radiator mounting brackets. I didn't feel up to trying it that way though.

I set the rear bar to the soft setting and the front bar on the full stiff setting. Car is very responsive and so flat in the turns, yet glued to the pavement for as fast as I cared to push it on the curbed streets. Turns in fantastic and seems neutral so far ... :uhh:

So far, me likey :)

Installed the bars last night. The front bar was the usual PITA to remove/install. The instructions suggested a different front bar installation method than I normally use, to drop the engine undercover and remove the lower radiator mounting brackets. I didn't feel up to trying it that way though.

I set the rear bar to the soft setting and the front bar on the full stiff setting. Car is very responsive and so flat in the turns, yet glued to the pavement for as fast as I cared to push it on the curbed streets. Turns in fantastic and seems neutral so far ... :uhh:

So far, me likey :)

why is it everytime i read a post by you it cost me money..

btw, thanks for the review.. when is the next auto x

beers :beer:

Took her out and really hammered on it yesterday. Car is still a bit loose power exiting the turns, but very controllable. No surprise really, the engine output is up everywhere and she really sings even at 4500 ft elevation :evil_laug

I'm comfortable enough now to recommend the swaybars.

is that with the lsd installed or is that yet to come?

that's still to come, it's going to be several weeks - month before I can get to it unless I hire it out. I was just quoted $375 if I drop the diff and bring it all to them. I'm thinking I can do it in place without dropping the diff though. It's just a matter of finding the time.

nice...I've been looking for a set. Now thanks to team he test muled it for me!

lol, give yourself the big, stiff shaft, you'll like it ... :cwm27:

that's still to come, it's going to be several weeks - month before I can get to it unless I hire it out. I was just quoted $375 if I drop the diff and bring it all to them. I'm thinking I can do it in place without dropping the diff though. It's just a matter of finding the time.

i'm very interested to see what sort of impact the LSD will make. when a friend installed a 2-way LSD on his e30 m3 it totally transformed the car. he went from competitive in STX to pretty damn dominant. :)

I chose 1.5-way because I was afraid the car would be too loose on corner entry, it can be changed to 2-way if I decide otherwise

EDIT: I haven't looked the AP parts in a while, it appears that they're identical to PT bars so I'm assuming PT is now building them for AP/Vivid. I don't have any info on AP's wall thickness :dunno:

if the description of the AP sways can be trusted on agency-power.com, both are solid.
AP front sway bar (http://www.agency-power.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/58_74/products_id/166)
AP rear sway bar (http://www.agency-power.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/58_74/products_id/167)

sway bars that is :rofl:


photomunkey turned me on to these sway bars from Progress Technology

front bar is tubular with 1.25" OD x 0.25" wall thickness :eek: and three endlink adjustment holes in each arm

rear bar is solid 19mm with two endlink adjustment holes in each arm :bowdown:


http://progressauto.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=rx8&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&manufacturers_id=&pfrom=&pto=&dfrom=&dto=&x=0&y=0

hey team, what diameter stud do the PT sway bar ends accept? the AP sways fit the OEM sway bar endlinks (10mm). RB's studs are 12mm.

hey team, what diameter stud do the PT sway bar ends accept? the AP sways fit the OEM sway bar endlinks (10mm). RB's studs are 12mm.

heh, to answer my question... just called PT and joey (inside sales, CSR) says the sway bar ends are 10mm like stock. he also said the PT sways are indeed in stock at this time; the website just doesn't reflect current stock. :spank:

Nice find & review...went ahead and ordered me a set...Have you been able to test them out on the track or Autox them yet Team?

no, I've been entirely focused on getting our Stock RX-8 ready for the season first, plus configuring a new trailer, plus a 70 hr work week, plus trying to move and sell a house halfway across the US

I did get the diff over to the driveline shop and Kaaz just called and said the WPC clutch plate conversion was complete on the new LSD, so that will be done soon

Thanks for the reviews on the Progress rear sway bar. I ordered mine last week and they came in a couple days later. I installed it this afternoon and I love it.

The install was very easy. I have it set to the tightest setting but now I feel like I should change the front too. I can't believe how weak the factory bar and bushings are.

using the Progress rear bar with the OE front bar is asking for an accident, especially in slippery conditions

Maybe some greased bushings from Energy Suspension (http://www.energysuspension.com/) is needed? I've beat my front Mazdaspeed setup to death, squeaks like crazy lately from the 10kg front Zeal springs. I need grease!

where is the cheapest place to order the Progress front and rear swaybars, i thought someone posted one time saying someone had free shipping on them.

i search on google sent me to the site autosportstyle.com who has the progress technology swaybars front and rear for 268.86, what do you guys think......i tried calling them and was not able to talk to anyone, this is an awsome price i just dont wana loose my money

fwiw, Speedsource makes the same size front bar for GrandAm that is sold exclusively through MazdaMotorsports for 3x the cost of this one


ptuning.com sells the bars for the same price, but with free shipping :)


.

:icon_tup: hella fast shipping!!!

bought mine from the ptuning.com as above, they drop ship direct from Progress

i ordered mine yesterday, cant wait to get them :us4allswi

Does progressive sways use stock end links? Or you have to buy upgraded end link for the front bar?

Does progressive sways use stock end links? Or you have to buy upgraded end link for the front bar?

In post 44 it was answered that it uses stock end links. ;)

:rofl:

First place I went was www.pttuning.com

Couldn't find any parts for the 8...

In post 44 it was answered that it uses stock end links. ;)

Thanks Ted, you just answer my question! Probably going to get one pretty soon.

don't bother getting the rear energy suspension greaseable brackets/bushings. the universal brackets are just too damn big for the rear. zerk fittings for the front are useful given what a total pita the front is to access, but the rear is super easy to dismount and grease if need be. just use the PT brackets/bushing that come with the rear bar as they fit much better.

don't bother getting the rear energy suspension greaseable brackets/bushings. the universal brackets are just too damn big for the rear. zerk fittings for the front are useful given what a total pita the front is to access, but the rear is super easy to dismount and grease if need be. just use the PT brackets/bushing that come with the rear bar as they fit much better.

So the energy suspension bits fit up front? Got a part number? TIA :)

the front ES bracket/bushing part # is 9.5166 (http://www.energysuspension.com/pages/swaybbct.html). you can get them from summit racing (http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=energy+suspension&N=700+4294925130+4294839050+4294841743+4294812167+ 4294841741+4294805898+115+4294805973&Ntk=KeywordSearch). you may also want to get larger front washers for the front sway bracket. the included washers are mighty puny. i got 3/8" washers from home depot. they're much wider and won't come close to settling into the bracket slider hole. the top of the washer used for the lower sway bar bracket hole will need to be dremeled down a bit if you go this route to ensure the bracket sits low on the sliders.

HAHAHA so did the install today....and the front was like a total breeze but the rear is being a straight PITA...will attempt again this morning to remove rear...sprayed down w/some liquid wrench so we'll see how that goes...Since I was also installing a CAI, my whole front bumper and front underguard was removed which made it hella more easy to access bar & maneuver ...

From just driving around a bit w/the front bar on full stiff, I can note the difference :boink: :aroused: :ylsuper: car is so damn responsive it's scary

the PT bars come with urethane bushings, brackets, and some grease

you should figure on replacing urethane swaybar bushings once a year, they wear and get sloppy even when greased, it's a highly stressed part on a car that is driven hard through the turns

not sure what you're problem is in the rear, IMO the rear bar is a piece of cake compared to the front because you have to disassemble the car in the front, the rear is just undoing the endlinks and bushing mounts = very easy

Well the problem seems to be that I've managed to strip both bolts connecting the upper end link & sway bar to oblivion :wallbash: so now I have to cut off...
was told its pretty easy though to do

uhmmm What kind of saw is needed to cut a 14mm bolt?

hmmm be careful for brake lines and sparks if you go with using a cutoff wheel.

I have done some great stuff with a Dremel and the diamond cutoff wheel.

Gets in tight places. :D:

A sawsall would work but I feel the cutoff wheel would be the easiest.

Another option is a hacksaw. (If you need a workout on your arm this is the best choice). ;)

A grinder with a cutoff wheel would be the most industrial way to cut the bolt. :yesnod:

Thanks alot bruh!!! Yeah man, I pretty much came to the conclusion that my rear bar & endlinks were welded on...

BTW damnn that is a stiff front bar...pushed her halla hard through a turn today & there just so happens to be bump midpoint & my whole front end came up off ground :lol2:

Next purchase will be some adjustable/tougher endlinks

get them from AWR Racing, best ones out there

Thanks alot bruh!!! Yeah man, I pretty much came to the conclusion that my rear bar & endlinks were welded on...

BTW damnn that is a stiff front bar...pushed her halla hard through a turn today & there just so happens to be bump midpoint & my whole front end came up off ground :lol2:

Next purchase will be some adjustable/tougher endlinks

No problem.

Wow!
Which springs are you running?

Tanabe GF springs over Tokicos...a pretty conservative setup...

How much stronger/stiffer are these than the agency bars, it still is beyond me how a tubular bar (PT) is stronger than a solid one (AP), but i'll leave that up to the engineers.

Do you think this merits the 13.4 lb vs. 7lb difference between the PT and AP bars, the PT being the heavier even tho it's tubular... :scratchhe

they revised the bar to be solid, didn't know that, previously is was tubular so I suppose now they have the stiffest front bar :dunno: their price is out of line compared to the Progress bars, looks like Progress is making them for AP since the design details are identical, it's not that much stiffer though, filling in the center section adds a whole lot more weight for a minimal gain in stiffness

I talked to them about the TeamRX8 bars, but they can't bend the thin wall bar that I need, only heavy wall or solid bars :(

Re-read my post, the PT bars (tubular) are 13.4 while the AP bars (solid) are 7lbs ? :scratchhe

Shinronin should chime in here he gave me those #'s maybe his former AP bars were not soild?
Also i've always heard that tubular is better than solid from a strength perspective.....

the former AP bars were tubular with a thinner wall, so either the current ones are not solid or they didn't update the weight

Re-read my post, the PT bars (tubular) are 13.4 while the AP bars (solid) are 7lbs ? :scratchhe

Shinronin should chime in here he gave me those #'s maybe his former AP bars were not soild?
Also i've always heard that tubular is better than solid from a strength perspective.....

AP's website says their sways are solid, but i don't see how that can be the case. when a friend and i were installing the PT bars he just held a bar in hand and stood on a bathroom scale. the front PT bar is much heavier than the front AP bar. thus it's not an ultra scientific weight ;) but i don't know how we'll ever get particulars of AP's design. we were pretty surprised at the difference in weight to say the least. there are also differences in welds, construction, and arm design between PT and AP.

If you look at the AP website the bar they show now looks exactly like the Progress bar, it use to be different

are these now the stiffest production sway bars available now? im thinking about em since you recommended them, but originally i was thinking of going with something not too much stiffer than stock as they may be less "upsetting", or easier to manage? should i just get these and learn to drive with them?

also, i was wondering about the weight difference. the front sway is quite a bit heavier than stock, more than double the weight. you dont seem to be worried about that though, is it simply a sacrifice in weight for such a great improvement in handling?

yes

wow, so just yes to everything i asked? :p: still im a little worried because less upsetting also means more consistent. great price though, ill guess ill save up for these.

i was thinking ap sways before this, where they in fact updated?

i believe earlier you recommended AWR endlinks as well (i guess for those of us who dont want to fabricate our own?). just curious what else is out there and what makes the AWR ones better than the competition? also, these endlinks are adjustable. how do you "tune" endlinks? finally, i was thinking of first getting the AWR endlinks and using them with my stock bar for a while and get bars later on when i have more money. will this provide any benefits (or downfalls)?

thanks!

What endlinks your guys recommend going with progressive sways? AWR or Racing Beat? Stock endlink probably not suitable for the larger and stiffer bar. Would progressive bar need to have the hole enlarge in order to fit racing beat endlinks?

Yes, you'll have to drill the holes larger for the RB endlinks, they have the OE 10mm holes, RB endlink is 12mm

I ran the OE links with the RB front bar and never had an issue.

The AWR endlinks are heim joints, which means direct and strong. In time they will wear, especially on a street car, which results in them rattling over bumps. That means you'll probably want to replace the heim ends every year or two, which makes them more maintence intensive, as are most racing parts

TeamRX8, what is your recommendation regarding which endlinks to use with the PT bars? I bought a set of Racing Beat Endlinks for the front and plan to use the stock endlinks for the rear. Should I just use stock endlinks on the front if I don't track my car much at all, if ever. There is no track in MN...Do you have to drill holes on the front sway per Racing Beat instruction? I currently have but not yet installed Koni adj yellow shocks/racing beat springs. I only drive my car on weekends and probably rarely autocross.

Thanks.

Next purchase will be some adjustable/tougher endlinks

get them from AWR Racing, best ones out there

but from what i gather, stock should be fine for your application

front bar is tubular with 1.25" OD x 0.25" wall thicknessWhat about the rear bar?

try the very first thread

http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1728408&postcount=1

I'm using the OE endlinks, but have not really raced on them yet with the PT bars

I ran the RB front bar with is slightly softer with the OE endlinks without issue

the only broken OE endlinks I've seen are from people mounting the rear swaybar upside down, which is easy to do. The bar hits the subframe and the endlink overloads and breaks the ball out of the socket. Seen this happen now to at least three members here ..

It seems that I fail in reading 101 - LOL

gratuitous bump :D:

Ha...shameless self-promotion...

I like...

when is your next race?

hopefully tomorrow

first event yesterday, the sways kicked @ss, going back for some more today

That's great to hear Team.

Sweet and I installed a set on his car.

We are finishing up on Tuesday (RB Springs and Koni Yellows and a tire rotation :D: )

He ended up going with the RB end links for the front. Making the hole 2 mm bigger doesn't see like much but the bolt on the end of the link looks a lot bigger when held next to the stock end link.

:icon_tup:

i agree with team (http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1854483&postcount=413) that the PT front sway on full stiff is too stiff. both with stock shocks and springs and now with the motons front full stiff induces too much understeer.

I set mine at middle hole on the front and stiff on the rear. So far I like it that way. I had an issue with the end links the last track day that was causing oversteer problems....fixed that...and it seems good.

i agree with team (http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1854483&postcount=413) that the PT front sway on full stiff is too stiff. both with stock shocks and springs and now with the motons front full stiff induces too much understeer.


that will depend on a wide variety of variables, I only had very mild understeer at the limit, my rear bar is on full soft, the front bat bar I moved one end link back one hole from full stiff

I've only had my 8 since January, but I like the handling on it so far. Would these sway bars really make a noticeable difference on the street?

the sways will transmit lots of vibration from road imperfections, but they do bring the handling alive. with stock springs and shocks once you overcome the sway the transition to the springs/shocks is pretty massive. i found out just how massive during a rather fast entrance to an on ramp. ;)

that will depend on a wide variety of variables, I only had very mild understeer at the limit, my rear bar is on full soft, the front bat bar I moved one end link back one hole from full stiff

yep, my 8 had the same slight understeer. i'm not complaining by any means. i think the holes front and rear offer a great range of adjustment. :)

I ordered mine yesterday. Whoo Hooo!

I've fallen in love with my car all over again...if ya remeber I had ran into a dilemna w/my rear endlinks, well I finally got around to installing my rear progress sway bar and those awr endlinks you suggested team...not even going to get into how long it took me :icon_no2: :spank:

Beleive it or not the car is much quicker all the way around, hands down :worship:

My only complaint is the endlinks are a bit annoying but I'll get use to it...they make this thump noise on every bump I hit...other than that I love every aspect about the car, the ride is a bit more rough on the streets but its okay for me :lol2:

Now me & my baby are ready for our 1st AutoX

I discovered today that you'll need adjustable end links in the rear to run the bar halfway between the two settings (one endlink in the forward hole and the other endlink in the rearward hole). The arm angle changes quite a bit between the two positions. Otherwise the bar will preload badly.

bump ...

My concern with adding a super stiff rear sway bar and nice endlinks is this:

The location where the rear endlink is bolted to the tie rod (I think it's a tie rod) is this sort of half assed metal piece that's welded onto the rod. Aren't you guys worried that it'll just snap off?

Bump!

No, the only thing I've seen snapped off are the endlinks themselves, oem & RB, and that was because they installed the rear bar upside down putting the endlinks under abnormal stress/load...

JIC does offer a nice line of replacement suspension links, but unless your trying to build a dedicated track car I wouldn't worry about it...

bump, so far the OE endlinks are A-OK

I ordered mine a few days ago. Waiting till they arrive and I will upload some pics. Hopefully it was a good buy. Only thing I have is Hymee exhaust, Clear corners, and AF sts.

I ordered mine a few days ago. Waiting till they arrive and I will upload some pics. Hopefully it was a good buy. Only thing I have is Hymee exhaust, Clear corners, and AF sts.

Yes...please post pics...after my Tanabe nightmare (which is still underway) I'm paranoid as hell about fitment.

I already posted pics :dunno:

kicked wicked @ss this past weekend, trust me they're golden :)

they fit just fine. like team i autox on them and they are indeed great. :) i'm running the front on medium and rear on soft.

hey team, when you say you set the front bar 1 back from full stiff, does that mean both sides are in the middle holes? or did you try using different holes for each side? i ask now because you said on page 4 that to run the rear bar on opposite holes you need adjustable endlinks..so i was wondering if you used same holes or different on the front bar as well.

I'm back to full stiff on the front and full soft in the rear, but understand that my entire setup is unique compared to what most anyone else uses, so your preferred settings may vary

the front bar you can change between all the settings with the OE endlinks; there are three holes on each arm; that equates to five total settings. The rear bar has only two holes per arm, or a possible three settings. The hole positions are such that to run the bar in the middle setting; one link in the forward hole and the other link in the rearward hole, will require the endlinks to be different lengths. So with the OE endlinks you can only run the rear bar full stiff or full soft, or at least without adding a bunch of preload. IMO it's not an issue. I can easily tune for that difference through other settings.

does the side that u use a certain hole on matter? for example, imagine your bar...

ooo--------ooo

so is this...

oox--------oxo

different from this?

oxo--------xoo

does the side that u use a certain hole on matter? for example, imagine your bar...

ooo--------ooo

so is this...

oox--------oxo

different from this?

oxo--------xoo


No, they're the same setting

I went to ptuning.com today and they are on "order", which they indicate means that it will send them out as soon as they get word that they're in stock. Did any of you experience this when ordering from them? I know that they are drop shipped so is that standard protocal when something is drop shipped? Thanks in advance.

they may be out at the manufacturer ...

Yep. I ordered them from one of my distributors, and after a month of waiting I found out that the Progress is out of them. I guess they were making them as fast as they could, but can't keep up.

I ended up cancelling my order for now. I don't like paying people without getting anything....for months.....

I got mine this past monday. I installed them last night. First I have to say the difference is night and day. There is no role in the car at all and the car feels tight and glued to the road on every corner. Install took about 3 hours on the front. We had an issue dropping the plastic from the bottom so we had to pull it through. Getting the nuts off were a huge pita. All we used was a huge assortment of tools and car jacks. An air gun and a lift would have been wonderful. We ended up taking both front tires off to pull the bar through. We had to take one of the tie rods off because the aftermarket bar arm was too long and couldn't get it over the tie rod. We tried everything to avoid that but the radiator hose would not budge and the bar wouldnt turn. The rear bar took nothing. That took about 20 minutes. I will post pics in about 30 minutes when I get them off my camera. Over all the install was ok and well worth it.

my PT sways are coming tomorrow, I ordered from Ptuning. It took 7 days to become available from Progress, finally shipped on wednesday.
I have a question. Are the softest settings on both front and rear PT sways stiffer than the stocks? TeamRX8? I Assume it is a yes question, just wanted to confirm my initial setting.
thanks

my PT sways are coming tomorrow, I ordered from Ptuning. It took 7 days to become available from Progress, finally shipped on wednesday.
I have a question. Are the softest settings on both front and rear PT sways stiffer than the stocks? TeamRX8? I Assume it is a yes question, just wanted to confirm my initial setting.
thanks

I have my front in the middle and the rear on soft. With that setting the car is much more responsive to turns.

are you all running stock endlinks?

TeamRX8, i understand you're still running the stock endlinks. do you still plan to keep this setup? or do you still plan to make custom endlinks for yourself?

the softest PT settings are way stiffer than the OE bars

I've been wanting to build my own adjustable endlinks, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. The OE endlinks are adequate strength-wise, but a PITA to move between the adjustment holes WRT bolting/unbolting them.

thanks guys
I will start with front in the middle and soft in the rear or both soft, will decide tomorrow.
I got ss brake lines, clutch line, speedbleeders, ceramic brake pads, pt sways and yellow koni in my garage. I will do them all at the same time so the wheels need to come off once. I almost forgot about the brake fluid and spring clamps.
I will have lots of pics but not much of diy; I think we have planty diy in this club.
wish me luck!

thanks guys
I will start with front in the middle and soft in the rear or both soft, will decide tomorrow.
I got ss brake lines, clutch line, speedbleeders, ceramic brake pads, pt sways and yellow koni in my garage. I will do them all at the same time so the wheels need to come off once. I almost forgot about the brake fluid and spring clamps.
I will have lots of pics but not much of diy; I think we have planty diy in this club.
wish me luck!


much luck, and you have a long weekend ahead of you..

beers :beer:

Here a few of my sway bar pics. Not very good becasue we didnt have a lift. Some of the pics are close

so I was adjusting the front bar between runs at the autox today and the threads galled up on the OE endlink stud and the nut locked tight with there still being a 1/8" gap between the end link and the bar end. I was using an allen wrench to hold the stud from turning and tried to force the nut, the end of the allen wrench twisted about 90 degrees :Eyecrazy: the nut is seized tight, I'll have to cut the d-mn thing off now

Here a few of my sway bar pics. Not very good becasue we didnt have a lift. Some of the pics are close

Why are yours black/grey while the others on this thread are red????

I was using an allen wrench to hold the stud from turning and tried to force the nut, the end of the allen wrench twisted about 90 degrees :Eyecrazy: the nut is seized tight, I'll have to cut the d-mn thing off now

:) Have fun...

You sticking w/oe or opting for some awr endlinks?

Why are yours black/grey while the others on this thread are red????

Don't know. I was going to paint them red then thought the color matches the paint of my car so I left it.

hey got 8, you probably should have started your own thread instead of jacking this one... i guess if you really wanted to you could have linked to it, but this is just too much

hey got 8, you probably should have started your own thread instead of jacking this one... i guess if you really wanted to you could have linked to it, but this is just too much

sorry about that don't mean to jack any thread.
let see if can make it better for you. no promise, I'll try to make those pics disappear.

at the meantime, here is something that is related to the thread:
teamrx8,
are going to replace your broken oem end links with oem end links or with aftermarket end links?

wow! now its all gone completely! you should start up your own thread, it was good stuff, just not in the most appropriate place :p:

sorry if i seemed a bit harsh before :(

btw, i would also like to know what will happen with TeamRX8's endlinks. what is the verdict? also, was that exactly a fault of the OEM endlinks themselves? or something else?

if there are any red bars shown in this thread they are not the Progress Tech bars, probably Racing Beat or Tanabe

the PT bars are a silver-gray color and come with black poly bushings

does anyone know the length of the front and rear OE endlinks?

EDIT: WTF, there are no red bars shown in this thread ... :squint:

Oooops! Sorry...I must have linked to another thread that covered my problem with the Tanabe sways...many apologies!

if you used the discount code "approved" on Ptuning.com you can get a 5% discount along with free shipping.
http://www.ptuning.com/html/discount_code.cfm?clubid=ptdsmtuners

Great thread. I've used PT sways on previous cars and found them to be outstanding.

Question: what settings would you recommend for a drift application?

thanks,
dd sends...

I installed my front PT sway bar and for some odd reason it just doesn't feel as good as the Tanabe one.

I have it on the middle setting and I made sure to tighten everything nicely with the car off the jacks.

The rear bar hasn't arrived yet.

I wonder if the Tanabe bar is really stiffer or if my butt dyno is just off.

if you used the discount code "approved" on Ptuning.com you can get a 5% discount along with free shipping.
http://www.ptuning.com/html/discount_code.cfm?clubid=ptdsmtuners

Damn it...that pisses me off!

I just ordered the damn things two weeks ago.

The PT front bar is considerably stiffer than the Tanabe front bar, as is the rear bar. It will make the car understeer when used with the soft Tanabe rear bar.


I installed my front PT sway bar and for some odd reason it just doesn't feel as good as the Tanabe one.

I have it on the middle setting and I made sure to tighten everything nicely with the car off the jacks.

The rear bar hasn't arrived yet.

I wonder if the Tanabe bar is really stiffer or if my butt dyno is just off.

The PT front bar is considerably stiffer than the Tanabe front bar, as is the rear bar. It will make the car understeer when used with the soft Tanabe rear bar.

I have the stock rear bar on, not the Tanabe...I couldn't get the Tanabe rear bar on.

That's why I returned it along with the Tanabe front bar and got the PT sways instead, as per your approbation.

It's probably just my butt dyno gone bad, but in my A - B comparison the PT seems softer.

Don't get me wrong, the car definitely understeers.

On the freeway, on our way to Palm Springs, I had my girlfriend hold the steering wheel steady while I worked the throttle and she finally grasped the concept of understeer. :)

Anyway, I can't wait for track day (road racing)...having three settings up front and two in the rear will be lots of fun to play with.

Watching all those Best Motoring videos where the RX8 gets creamed at the track has made me pretty apprehensive...I'm not trying to prove anything at the track, but I don't wanna be dead last either.

Is all the hype true? Is the RX8 really that slow at the track? In the hands of a good driver, what kind of cars can it keep up with? S2000? WRX? M3? I'm scared :(

I have the stock rear bar on, not the Tanabe...I couldn't get the Tanabe rear bar on.

That's why I returned it along with the Tanabe front bar and got the PT sways instead, as per your approbation.

It's probably just my butt dyno gone bad, but in my A - B comparison the PT seems softer.

Don't get me wrong, the car definitely understeers.

On the freeway, on our way to Palm Springs, I had my girlfriend hold the steering wheel steady while I worked the throttle and she finally grasped the concept of understeer. :)

Anyway, I can't wait for track day (road racing)...having three settings up front and two in the rear will be lots of fun to play with.

Watching all those Best Motoring videos where the RX8 gets creamed at the track has made me pretty apprehensive...I'm not trying to prove anything at the track, but I don't wanna be dead last either.

Is all the hype true? Is the RX8 really that slow at the track? In the hands of a good driver, what kind of cars can it keep up with? S2000? WRX? M3? I'm scared :(

Its mainly about driver your first time out...depending on your run group (probably newb) you should mainly be focused on getting comfortable in your car and trying to overcome any bad habits. Focus more on finding your comfort zones and properly identifying were you are doing bad and how to correct it.

I hate to keep pimping my cheesy videos but please refer to the following snippets...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6914148819260604622
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8068635336967829043

Those were my first runs out in the RX in green group (newbs)...If you notice, its the driver's skill which is the most important...

Have fun its a blast!

it's not softer, your balance is so screwed up you can't go fast through the turns is all

Track days are not a race. There is no first or last.

Track days are not a race. There is no first or last.

Ha...explain all the boys with race timers then!

Your right tho...its not technically a race...and theres not technically a first or last...

Key word..."Technically"...

Well those are the advanced group and timers don't constitute a race - except against yourself.

For a first timer your mindset should not at all be concerned about your speed. You need to concentrate in order on: safety, proper line, improving the line, speed. Who cares if a Miata blows by you? I guarantee you'll still have fun. (unless you put your car into a wall or your engine goes boom but I digress)

Its mainly about driver your first time out...depending on your run group (probably newb) you should mainly be focused on getting comfortable in your car and trying to overcome any bad habits. Focus more on finding your comfort zones and properly identifying were you are doing bad and how to correct it.

I hate to keep pimping my cheesy videos but please refer to the following snippets...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6914148819260604622
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8068635336967829043

Those were my first runs out in the RX in green group (newbs)...If you notice, its the driver's skill which is the most important...

Have fun its a blast!


Wow! That must have felt pretty good.

This one time I was out TEIN was flogging their new 350Z and I was destroying it in my WRX.

I guess it was their first time dialing in the suspension because the guy kept losing control.

Thanks for the vids...they made me feel better!

But my question stands...aside from driver error (and you're right, that's what it's all about for newbs), can the RX8 keep up with the cars on this list http://www.speedventures.com/7-28-2007_event.asp (scroll down to the bottom) ?

Team, when you do Auto-X, how does the 8 fare compared to other sports cars driven by decent driver? I don't know much about it, but are you usually in the top 5?

Well those are the advanced group and timers don't constitute a race - except against yourself.

For a first timer your mindset should not at all be concerned about your speed. You need to concentrate in order on: safety, proper line, improving the line, speed. Who cares if a Miata blows by you? I guarantee you'll still have fun. (unless you put your car into a wall or your engine goes boom but I digress)

Oh, and I'm not a first timer...I've been to several tracks, including Laguna Seca where I got my ass handed to me by several Vipers and Porsches -- those bastards.

Laguna Seca was also the track where I totally ran out of brakes...I had to drive home from Monterey (I live in Los Angeles) with my hand brake because the local dealers didn't stock pads for the WRX yet (the car had just come out)...lesson learned: always bring spare pads.

Well those are the advanced group and timers don't constitute a race - except against yourself.

For a first timer your mindset should not at all be concerned about your speed. You need to concentrate in order on: safety, proper line, improving the line, speed. Who cares if a Miata blows by you? I guarantee you'll still have fun. (unless you put your car into a wall or your engine goes boom but I digress)

Ha...well in my little circle of track whores...we all use the results for bragging rights...

Also, slowest around the track has to buy the beer for the evening...all about the incentive...haa haa

But...I agree with everything you said...simply had to put my twist on it anyways...

Wow! That must have felt pretty good.

This one time I was out TEIN was flogging their new 350Z and I was destroying it in my WRX.

I guess it was their first time dialing in the suspension because the guy kept losing control.

Thanks for the vids...they made me feel better!

But my question stands...aside from driver error (and you're right, that's what it's all about for newbs), can the RX8 keep up with the cars on this list http://www.speedventures.com/7-28-2007_event.asp (scroll down to the bottom) ?

Team, when you do Auto-X, how does the 8 fare compared to other sports cars driven by decent driver? I don't know much about it, but are you usually in the top 5?

The way I read that list of cars..."That should be a good time, something on the track to keep things interesting and give me something to chase down"...

The ONLY thing in my run group I considered a problem was the spec miatas...chasing one down was challenging and rewarding once I am given the pass...

The other cars you'll be running against all have their advantages and disadvantages but all very competent so stay awake. I was only running the RB sways and after adjusting my tire pressure I had no problems with control or grip. It really is a joy to drive fast around a track.

The way I read that list of cars..."That should be a good time, something on the track to keep things interesting and give me something to chase down"...

The ONLY thing in my run group I considered a problem was the spec miatas...chasing one down was challenging and rewarding once I am given the pass...

The other cars you'll be running against all have their advantages and disadvantages but all very competent so stay awake. I was only running the RB sways and after adjusting my tire pressure I had no problems with control or grip. It really is a joy to drive fast around a track.

Yeah, I hate the Miatas too, even on big tracks like Willow Springs they can pull best time of the day.

Do you have a tire pyrometer?

How did you know what pressure to adjust each wheel to?

Yeah, I hate the Miatas too, even on big tracks like Willow Springs they can pull best time of the day.

Do you have a tire pyrometer?

How did you know what pressure to adjust each wheel to?

Unfortunately no I did not have one with me at the time. I was complaining to the other RX8 track whore that the rear felt a bit squirrelly and I was assuming it was due to the RB sways (front+rear). When he mentioned that he was running 35 front 30 rear I remembered that I was still running 40psi cold like an idiot. How my tires did not blow up I have no clue...the second I dropped to 35 front and 30 rear all was well. After each run I would recheck the pressure.

What I should have done is whip out the chalk but I was pretty happy with the results and it was the end of the day. Next time around I'll have chalk handy as well as the pyrometer.

Unfortunately no I did not have one with me at the time. I was complaining to the other RX8 track whore that the rear felt a bit squirrelly and I was assuming it was due to the RB sways (front+rear). When he mentioned that he was running 35 front 30 rear I remembered that I was still running 40psi cold like an idiot. How my tires did not blow up I have no clue...the second I dropped to 35 front and 30 rear all was well. After each run I would recheck the pressure.

What I should have done is whip out the chalk but I was pretty happy with the results and it was the end of the day. Next time around I'll have chalk handy as well as the pyrometer.

I see...

What's the chalk for?

Do you have a pyrometer? If so, where did you get it?

You chalk the tires and after a run you can tell where the chalk got rubbed off and thus how much of the tire you are actually using. I think I remember seeing a thread somewhere that had pictures. I want to say it was polak but I'm not sure and too lazy to search.

I bought one off of summit...cheapy...

You chalk the tires and after a run you can tell where the chalk got rubbed off and thus how much of the tire you are actually using. I think I remember seeing a thread somewhere that had pictures. I want to say it was polak but I'm not sure and too lazy to search.

I bought one off of summit...cheapy...

old autox trick.. works great..

beers :beer:

bump for a shameless plug

i just learned that Never Enough Auto Accessories (www.neverenoughauto.com) also sells these Progress sways. I thought to look there after recalling that i had purchased a Progress rear sway for my Toyota Matrix a few years ago. Brad is a great guy and provided me excellent service and quick email replies. i plan to order from him over ptuning. he also offers free shipping i believe.

http://www.neverenuf.com/catalog/anti-sway-bars-c3010-p-1.html

My rear PT sway finally arrived yesterday.

I'm tempted to put both front and rear on aggressive.

Team!!!, you said you thought front middle and rear soft worked best for you...did that give you mild oversteer or mild understeer or neutral?

Just curious, as I feel mild understeer with those settings.

But could be butt dyno is broken because of two months chronic understeer.

Your input is much appreciated and stuff.

it will vary by setup, my setup is unique from yours, just start somewhere and go from there

Learned a sweet trick from Comptech's instructions when I installed their rear bar on an RSX. Instead of the poly grease that everyone else uses on the bushings, which attracts dirt and is the stickiest non-glue substance ever invented, they recommend several wraps of PTFE pipe thread sealing tape on the bar. Easy and neat to apply, stays in place, readily available, works great, doesn't attract dirt.

Learned a sweet trick from Comptech's instructions when I installed their rear bar on an RSX. Instead of the poly grease that everyone else uses on the bushings, which attracts dirt and is the stickiest non-glue substance ever invented, they recommend several wraps of PTFE pipe thread sealing tape on the bar. Easy and neat to apply, stays in place, readily available, works great, doesn't attract dirt.

Interesting...Sounds like a good idea...Wonder if there is any negative in doing that...

these new sway bars or new koni shocks to match with my tein s springs?

dont mean to jack but which will reduce more body roll or w/e the case may be thanks : )

sways

these new sway bars or new koni shocks to match with my tein s springs?

dont mean to jack but which will reduce more body roll or w/e the case may be thanks : )

Get sways for body roll...

Still wondering about the teflon tape thing...It's sounds like a good enough idea...And I totally enjoy working with carcinogens heh...

the tape does sound like a good idea. what to do...tape or zerk fittings :(

what exactly is "PTFE pipe thread sealing tape"? is that teflon tape? i just googled "teflon tape sway bar" and found that it is used to reduce noise but also used with grease as well

Yeah, same stuff.

S

PTFE snazzy way to say Teflon...Just so you feel smart and stuff...acronyms rawk!

just ordered these sways ! cant wait to put them on

PTFE snazzy way to say Teflon...Just so you feel smart and stuff...acronyms rawk!

Sorry for the confusion. I'm trademark-sensitive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teflon

Most of my rolls of pipe thread tape come from Home Depot or Harbor Freight and were made in China, thus are not DuPont Teflon(R).

Nice link! Good education.

........thus are not DuPont Teflon(R)


OMFG....

S

I've used the Redline synthetic grease with good results, IMO the tape method isn't any better, periodic maintenance is required with either one except you have to remove the bushings to install the tape

the PT bushings don't have zirk fittings though so in that case they have to come off for grease too ...

For the $20 or so...I just got the greasable Energy fronts.......:)

keep an eye on them, we had one of the front ES brackets brake on a softer bar we use on the Stock class car

Thanks...good so far....

I think it was a fluke, but the slotted mounting holes make for a weaker design. It broke down across the slot where there was less material ...

Maybe I'll weld on a couple of big washers or something...I'll look and see if I have any distortion. I've pushed it pretty hard...so it should show something by now :)

maybe they just need larger washers in general? someone mentioned earlier that the washers included seemed insufficient

there's not much room to woprk though, IMO you would need a square washer or grind the one inner edge square on a round washer

again, not sure if it was just a fluke or not, hasn't happened again (yet)

there's not much room to woprk though, IMO you would need a square washer or grind the one inner edge square on a round washer

again, not sure if it was just a fluke or not, hasn't happened again (yet)

Get the woman's car out there and get to the flogging! Heh

I'll probably wrap tape and then grease ultimately anyway...

About to resurrect the AWR end links thread here in a bit...

did you guys get new ES bushings and brackets to replace the broken one? still using them?

yes

the ones with the zerk fittings?

yes

Still on vacation?

there's not much room to woprk though, IMO you would need a square washer or grind the one inner edge square on a round washer

i used larger washers and did the latter.

Still on vacation?

no

no

You are a man of little words...primarily four letters and less...I can respect that...heh

are you using the same front brackets and bushings on your STU car? why or why not?

I happen to be in the process of returning the RSX to stock, and have a verdict on the Teflon/PTFE vs. icky shmoo polyurethane lube.

Comptech rear bar used with PTFE as they recommended:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/RSX_parts/teflonresult.jpg

I have removed the tape that remained. The polished areas of the bar had basically no tape left on them. Maybe I didn't use enough of the tape, but I'm not convinced doubling or even tripling it would have yielded a durable result.

Eibach front bar, installed and removed at exactly the same time with Energy Suspension lubricant:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/RSX_parts/urethanelubricantresult.jpg

I had cleaned all the lubricant and collected dirt from the bar. The only marks on the bar are the light scuffing of the powdercoat.

Guess I just suffer ickiness from here on. Sorry for passing along the original bad advice I had followed.

is there a DIY available?

edit: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=43677.html

for some reason i did not find that DIY very helpful. any helpful tips you guys can offer?

for some reason i did not find that DIY very helpful. any helpful tips you guys can offer?

* positioning the new front sway can be very frustrating. remain patient and don't force anything. two people are most helpful in this regard.
* if you use liquid wrench be careful to not over-torque the nuts on the sway bracket studs

in general the front sway swap is a giant pain. the rear is cake. :)

the bar comes with the easiest instructions; drop the big plastic undercover underneath the radiator and then remove the lower radiator brackets, the front bar then comes in and out easily then from underneath the car

i dont remember where i heard this, but i was always under the impression that sway bar endlinks must be loaded when torqued down. is this true?

the reason i ask is because i an autox test n tune is coming up this weekend and i plan to install the progress sways before then and dial them in. if the suspension does in fact need to be loaded when the endlinks are torqued down, that will make adjusting a bit harder.

so, whats the verdict? i read expo1's DIY about installing sways and nothing was said about this, so im hoping that what i thought all this time was wrong because that would make things a lot easier.

thanks!

i dont remember where i heard this, but i was always under the impression that sway bar endlinks must be loaded when torqued down. is this true?

the reason i ask is because i an autox test n tune is coming up this weekend and i plan to install the progress sways before then and dial them in. if the suspension does in fact need to be loaded when the endlinks are torqued down, that will make adjusting a bit harder.

so, whats the verdict? i read expo1's DIY about installing sways and nothing was said about this, so im hoping that what i thought all this time was wrong because that would make things a lot easier.

thanks!

You are supposed to hook em up but not torque down the links until after you drop the car down.

The other way is to measure from center of the wheel to the top of the fender and use a jack to bring the wheel up.

The idea is that once the car is down and the system "loaded", you then torque stuff down.

If you want...throw something equivalent to your own weight when your in the drivers seat too...heh...got scales?

unless your corner-weighing the car it won't really matter IMO ....

why is that exactly? not having to would make it a lot easier on me though.

team, how exactly do you go about adjusting your sway bars on site at an event? perhaps i should just do what you do :p:

the problem with torquing when the car is on the ground is how to get under the car to torque anything down when its on the ground. what i do in my garage is i have 2 jacks, and i jack up the car from the lower a arms until they just barely lift the car off the jack stands, then i torque the endlinks. problem is i dont want to try to do this on site at the autox.

I too have a set coming and they should arrive wednesday and Im curious about a few things:

1) After placing the bars and after the car has been lowered, should the steering wheel be turned left/right to allow access to tighten the bolts or must this be dead center before tightening?

2) Which of the holes leans more towards an aggressive tune, closer or further from the bend? [may have been answered]

3) if i set the front and rear to the least aggressive setting should i expect my car to handle just like stock, only better? or will this induce over/under steer?

I usually turn the steering wheel full to one side and reach in from behind the wheel, simply unbolt and tighten, it makes no difference to straighten the wheel.

the front and rear bars are mounted opposite with regard to their arm position relative to their pivot position, so for aggressiveness their endlink positions are opposite. The least aggressive will be full stiff on the front and full soft on the rear, which will be the furthest endlink holes towards the front of the car for both bars. The most aggressive setting will be the opposite, the furthest endlink holes towards the rear of the car for both bars.

Nobody can say for sure how exactly your particular car will handle; too many variables. Safest thing to do is start with the least aggressive setting and adjust to a more aggressive setting if needed.

are you saying you dont even have to lift the car to adjust the front sway bar??

yes, I have a blanket that I lay down on to reach in and make the adjustment, been doing it that way for years on multiple vehicles ...

do you fit a torque wrench in there too? i better practice before the test n tune.

No, I don't use a torque wrench. I have a calibrated arm ... :lol2:

seriously idk how to tighten that sh!t down. do u just use a 5mm hex key and a combination wrench? i tried out a hex bit socket like this one

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Mechanics+Tools&pid=00942675000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Sockets&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

on top of a torque wrench and a combination wrench and the end of the hex broke off and is stuck in side the lower endlink stud ><

Has anyone Auto X with both bars on full stiff and/or front full soft and rear stiff? How does the car handle? too sensitive?

Thinking of changing to one of the two settings for next event

Again, the settings you end up using will all depend on your EXACT setup, including alignment, etc. I presently run full stiff front and full soft rear. Sometiomes it needs to be adjusted depending on the surface grip, but my setup is unique from anyone else's here ...

and I generally don't have to use the hex key unless the threads get boogered up on the endlink studs. The nut will usually tighten down without the hex if the threads are in good shape, at least they do for me. I've noted before that I don't like the OE endlinks because it uses a hex key rather than a hex head, but still have not put together a good set of heims, not enough hours in the day or days in the week lately ...

sounds like maybe you had the wrong hex :dunno: I think there is a 5.5mm size, but I'm not entirely sure which one the endlink uses, I just use the hex wrench that fits in there tight :dunno: you don't have to go balls out on tightening it down either, if you do sooner or later you'll strip or gall the stud threads, ask me how I know :mad:

naw my key was right it fit like a glove. perhaps i will also invest in a combination wrench with a 6 point box end instead of 12. one of these days i should pick up some awr links as well.

so i guess you replaced your jacked up endlink with another stocker?

I'm intending to, I actually forgot about it until yesterday, ran two events with it like that :Eyecrazy:

not enough hours in the day or days in the week lately ...

If you sleep for 2 hours every 8 hours you will have more time in your day than you know what to do with...takes about 3 weeks to adjust to it tho...

My toys come today, however my rx8 has been out of commision for almost 5 weeks now and i have no ETA :(

stupid dealer

damn abbid im jealous. i hope mine come today too :D:

I'll break them in for you if you'd like.

i ordered my front sway yesterday, but the rear is out of stock... is anyone else waiting for them to come in? if so, how long have you been waiting?

any other recommended vendors?

also: props to polak for the discount code, that was awesome <3

I had to wait for my PT sways for about 4 weeks...they had the same "out-of-stock" issue a couple of months ago when I ordered...but it was worth the wait...especially after my Tanabe nightmare...I thought I'd never get a rear bar on her.

order from www.neverenoughauto.com i believe they have bars in stock. great people too

My PT sways are sitting in my room, unpackaged and laid out dying to be installed.

I got a call saying my block came in, however they said my clutch line is seeping and not holding pressure and wanted me to pay 50 bucks for a new line. I called mazdatrix and had them overnight a stainless steel line to my dealer for less than that. When i get her monday i may be installing the sways if my block is up to my tastes :)

dammit abbid im jealous! my bars still didnt come in! im crossing for today tho since test n tune is tomorrow

my bars arrived today, installed them as soon as i got home from work. took a tiny bit less than 4 hours. the single thing that took up the most time was the 2 plastic clips at the back of the undertray. they just wouldnt come out, i didnt want to cut them out but i ended up doing that anyway cuz it took too long. pain in the ass number 2 was wiggling the stock bar out. its like a puzzle, u bust ur brains figuring it out, then u can do it no sweat lol

tomorrow is test n tune. i hope to dial in the sways. i also hope teamrx8's method of adjustment works for me, but maybe ill bring a jack just in case.

It is like the hidden item in a picture, once you see them you can't help but see them. :lol:

anybody here have these bars on a stock rx8? i wonder how a stock rx8 set to full soft would behave...oversteer? understeer? neutral?

anybody here have these bars on a stock rx8? i wonder how a stock rx8 set to full soft would behave...oversteer? understeer? neutral?

mine will be an otherwise stock with these sways, what else have you done?

ive got coilovers, rpf1s, azenis, thats the bigger things


i had a test n tune today. i cant figure out for the life of me how the heck you use different holes on each side of the front bar with the OEM endlinks. im pretty sure you'll need adjustable endlinks to pull this off. if im wrong, please explain!

I believe you need adjustable endlinks that way you can line things up with out putting the endlink through some serious crap..
I have both Front / Rear Agency Power endlinks. (Btw, only the fronts are adjustable. You dont need to adjustables in the rear.) I am pleased with the over all design & performance.

You can check them out through my sig..

I've been able to use all the front bar holes with non-adjustable endlinks, sometimes one might be hard, but generally the holes are large enough and on a horizontal plane and the endlinks long enough to accomodate getting them into different positions

the rear is different though, you'll need to take them both loose first, then put them in the same positions without adjustable endlinks

otherwise enough with the worrying and theory, get out there and acquire some practical experience

ive got coilovers, rpf1s, azenis, thats the bigger things


i had a test n tune today. i cant figure out for the life of me how the heck you use different holes on each side of the front bar with the OEM endlinks. im pretty sure you'll need adjustable endlinks to pull this off. if im wrong, please explain!

you can preload the bar to whatever you want. just jack the front assembly up while you push the endlink into the holes.

Endlnks are subjected to a pulling force, not a rotational one. It doesnt matter what direction they are facing for them to do their job.

That being said, the weakest part of the endlink is going to be the screw and its possibility of it being sheared under load. The endlink itself could be 3 inches thick, but it wouldnt matter if it used stock size bolts to connect to the swaybar.

i thought preloading the bar is typically undesirable. seems that adjustable endlinks would be the way to go.

preloading?

I just threw the em on there.. Hmmm. Ha Ha

i thought preloading the bar is typically undesirable. seems that adjustable endlinks would be the way to go.

the preload in this case is in the operational direction of the swaybar.

Therefore the load would be placed on the springs which is where it goes anyways.

Jul 24, 2007 2:57 AM
On FedEx vehicle for delivery :Drooling_
BROCKTON, MA

Jul 20, 2007 10:23 PM
Left origin
CHANTILLY, VA

this is going to be the longest afternoon ever

my rear hasn't even shipped yet, how bad is it to put on my front sways without the rear, given that i keep to daily driving? i almost want to wait just to have the full contrast/compare drive

nothing bad will happen, just beware of oversteer

actually youll have to beware of understeer. no harm in putting the front bar in first besides that. itll save u time later if you have it now. the rear bar can be done with the wheels on the car and takes less than an hour.

Still waiting to install mine :(
http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1990396&postcount=48

What is their spring rate? I like to talk numbers baby.

;)

would it be okay to run just 1 adjustable endlink instead of a pair? i want to adjust the rear to the middle setting and thought i would only really need 1 adjustable endlink.

also, i remember someone had a problem with their rear awr endlinks, but i just cant seem to find the post, can someone point me in the right direction?

also, how might i go about building my own custom adjustable heim joint endlink(s)? where can i find the parts and to what specifications?

thanks!

i'm the guy who was the guinea pig for the rear AWR endlinks with an adjustable sway (http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=113248). in fact, yesterday i swapped out the front AWR endlinks for the stock endlinks. like the rears, the front bodies need to be shorter and the bolt needs to be longer. i'll post more later.

thanks for the tip, i was thinking of just ordering awr links but now im thinking id rather make my own since 1 is probably all i need.

anyone know where the parts can be obtained?

looking forward to your specs

thanks!

bump

looking for guidance on specs for parts, and where i can get em. anybody?

http://www.bakerprecision.com/

These guys sell all that stuff, at a range of quality and price specs. I'd go with them over another vendor because they're on my way to work. I don't actually know them or have any direct experience yet.

As for what you need, go online and figure out what's available, measure your parts, put the puzzle together.

I have progressive sway bars/Racing Beat end links/Racing Beat springs/Koni Yellow shocks on my car for about 2000 miles now and I could not be happier. Rear adjust to 3/4 stiff and front also about 1/2. Car handle the curves very very good. Very little body roll. The ride is not as jarring as I thought it would be. It is also very stable in high speed run as I had an encouter with a Mazdaspeed 3 two weeks ago and we were hitting triple digits on turns. Sorry for street racing....Anyway, I use the middle hole on the front bar and soft setting on the rear. Car handle is very neutral. The rear stays where it belongs and I never have understeer when I go hard on turns. Then again I probably didn't go too hard to test it because I was driving on public road. All in all it is a great set up. http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa8/LuckyBluebell/IMG_1314.jpg

looking good Bro ...

Thanks TeamRX8. You gave me several advices before I done this mod and I want to thanks you for that too.

just put the agency power sway bars and end links in a few days ago.....along with my other suspensioin upgrades, driving the car is kinda like sitting on your couch and playing gran turismo

actually youll have to beware of understeer. no harm in putting the front bar in first besides that. itll save u time later if you have it now. the rear bar can be done with the wheels on the car and takes less than an hour.

Front can also be done with the wheels on the car, still needs to be lifted though.

ive adjusted my fronts without removing the wheels or lifting the car

turn in all the way to get access to the endlinks. only thing is there might not be enough room to torque them to specs without lifting the car or removing the wheels.

team says his arm is perfectly calibrated :p:

lol, i wish my arm was perfectly calibrated!

ive adjusted my fronts without removing the wheels or lifting the car

I should have specified....i meant installed.

tight is good enough :dunno:

tight is good enough :dunno:

thats what she said.

she was right too :p:

Team - According to whiteline, doing 1/2 adjustments (choosing hole 1 on one side, hole 2 on the other) does NOT result in equal spring forces left and right.

http://www.whiteline.com.au/default.asp?page=/faqswaybars.htm




I jumped on the Progress sway bar bandwagon and installed the pair tonight. I noticed that, while the car definitely corners flatter, it also seems to respond to steering inputs slower! gives the feeling of having a slower steering rack. has anyone else noticed this? my car is stock, except for these sway bars, which are both set at the softest setting.

Also, the rear swaybar fits in more than 1 orientation. There is a bend in the bar, it can either bend down towards the ground, like a "V", or bend upwards away from the ground/muffler. I installed it pointing up /\ figuring there is more clearance that way. Which way are all of you installing them?