morganoh

Anyone interested in Sway Bars for our cars?

Its an australia products and its almost 1/2 price of what the US And Japan companies are offering.

Sway bar thread

Whiteline sway bars


By the way can any one please advice me on what is the use of the Sway bars, is it like anti roll bars?

M-ster

Sway Bars are too known as anti roll bars, bascially it reduces body roll and sways especially when taking corners. But they are rarely called anti-roll bars, as 'Roll Bars' are also refered to the bar sitting behind convertibles (they aids in the case of a overturn when an accident happened, thus protecting the passengers inside the cockpit).

One of the negative aspect of the 8's handling is that it has too much bodyroll (too pampered by my previous car which was the Miata). I've the RacingBeat sways, they does a great job of minimizing the sway/roll! A very worthy mod I must say! I think if were to top it off with the Autoexe underchassis braces, the 8 would drive like a dream!!

morganoh

so I guess its a must for us?

M-ster

Well,its not a must. It all depend on individuals. One coming from a typical family sedan driver, would probably find the 8's handling to be superb! As compare to one coming from a roadster owner eg Elise. Their concept of handling would be different.

Ask yourself before doing any mod, especially performance related. Do you really needs it or benefit from it.

This taken from your other thread.

The adjustable sways are not easy to adjust. Unless you track alot, dont think you gonna be benefiting much from the adjustable ones. As for if it compliments different suspension set-up, that I'm not sure. Do a search on whiteline in the Australia forum, there was a thread much earlier discussing on whitline sways.

morganoh

Just a few more questions.

Would the effect of this Sway bar be the same as the Autoexe Undercarriage Bace?
Or both are a total different things.?

Actually I do not race, just wanted to turn around a bend at higher speed with out braking.
Ivan just help me to buy a Rear Floor cross bar from RE. so looking for something for the bottem of the car.
If money is the main concern, Is the Sway Bar a better choice or the Autoexe ?
Cos it will be too much for me to install both of them.

Thanks

jetblast

if money is tight and you have to choose go for the Autoexe underchassis braces :D you won't regret it.
i can give you a ride to prove my point and a little advertising on behalf coupe07 for recommending this excellent piece of mod.

sqflyer

I agree with jetblast... our 8s already have stock sway bars so you won't benefit that much from aftermarket ones, at least not as much as the undercarriage brace from Autoexe.

M-ster

You would be surprise! I did.

takahashi

M-ster is not lying... it does A LOT!

I have MazdaSpeed strut and sway bar.

Yes we have strut and sway already, but it is nowhere near good and the lean is too much for comfort. When I took the stock sway out and I bent them slightly with my arm. Everyone I know who had a sway bar loves them, and I am sure you do too.

Accordng to your theory, then you should jack your car up... you DO have a undercarriage brace ... in fact 2! although it is just a small one.

Ringer

Hi Guys,

Braces and sways are 2 completely different things.

Braces strengthen the car body to reduce body flex. It is passive. The effect is not noticeable in everyday driving, only when driving and turning hard. Handling benefits when the body is braced so all the steering inputs and suspension reactions are "true" wrt the body. When body is flexing the handling wll become "lose".

Sways (or anti-roll bars or stabilizers) are active. It's a U tube connecting the 2 wheels of the same axle. When taking a corner and the car rolls, it acts to flatten the attitude of the car. The effect is clearly noticeable.

Our 8 is equipped with stock sways front and back and stock front top brace. If you change the stock brace (I did) and/or add bottom and rear braces the effect will be noticeable in hard driving especiallly the sharpening in handling. Car would generally feel more solid and confident inspiring. Maybe even quieter.

If you change the sways to a much larger calibre than the stock the effect will be noticeable anytime you make a turn. Believe me it will feel like the car is on tracks. This kind of effect can be achieved with changing to stiffer coilovers but sways adds another dimension. The ideal is change both and in a balanced fashion to achieve your objectives.

-Ringer-

Ringer

Thanks Takahashi san for spotting the stock bottom braces.

-Ringer-

Genesis

Good posts here you guys....sways and braces are next on my shopping list

morganoh

So can I conclude that the Brace will only be useful if I drive "hard" and FAST. Racing Fast

And the Sway bar will be more for everyday driving? Everyday Fast??/

If yes, guess I will get the Sway bar instead..

morganoh

Apart from the Autoexe Brace.

Is there any other brand in the Market that are offering a replace brace for our stocks one?

Hi Ringer, is your brace not Autoexe brand? Can u advice me on what brace have u added and where can I get them?

Thanks

sqflyer

Anyone tried aftermarket sway bars vs undercarriage brace to be able to give us a better insight? I'm not suggesting that stiffer sway bars are not noticeable, but rather that undercarriage brace helps handling more than aftermarket sway bars since we already have stock sway bars. Anyone with 1st hand experience, pls share with us.

M-ster

Think there's a little confusion.

The braces I mentioned (as well as what Jet and Sq) are the Autoexe UNDER CHASSIS braces. Its a 12pt, 4 pcs braces. Not many options in the market.

And wat Ringer refered to are the front and rear Tower strut. the 8 originally comes with front tower strut (found in the engine bay, sitting on the 2 shock mounting pts). Most aftermarket offers either stiffer 2pt front tower strut or 4 pts strut, and you'd have the option to get the rear strut as well. the 8 doesn't come with rear strut (goes into the boot). Alot of choice in this case.

I would suggest you pay www.japanparts.com a visit. they have quite an extentsive range of MS and Autoexe stuffs. You would get a better idea wat goes where....

coupe07

confirm RE rear strut?

if money is a concern, tink undercarriage brace is far more value for money than sway bars....

our car stock oredi has sway bars..... no doubt stock oso has undercarriage, but its no where near the autoexe ones...

coupe07

u toking abt undercarraige or top brace?

coupe07

thanks bro!

coupe07

i have extras underbraces this shipment....

coupe07

bro, bumper? text u tmr!

Ringer

Looks like there's still some confusion. At the next meeting I'll explain graphically how sways work. Actually I don't like the term sway- don't want to be sway lah! I prefer the term stabilizer.

Strut tower bars are braces. Braces are pieces of metal to re-inforce or stiffen the bodywork. In a sports car you can have bracing over the front and rear strut towers as well as under the body between the wheels of each axle - objective is to keep the wheel/suspension mounting static wrt the body. I have only changed the front strut tower brace to Carbing (with brake stopper).

I am thinking of next project to change the stabilizers to Whiteline solid swaybars. I always felt the RX8 stock, rolls too much for a sports car, almost as much as a saloon car, kinda conduct unbecoming. I heard/read that MS makes only a marginal difference. Autoexe a bit more noticeably flat. RBs are very flat and Whilteline solids flattest of all. It's all to do with the calibre and quality and quantity of the material used in the U tube. I'll go for Whilteline.

I am sure there is a downside. Weight is one. Ride quality likely adversely affected?? No one seems to be able to enlighten me on the effect on ride quality. Anyone? Another question is effect on unsprung weight. Does it add to the unsrung weight? Help, anyone?

-Ringer-

M-ster

You back liao? k, will hear from u tomolo.

M-ster

The whiteline bars are solid, as most are hollow. that's why the whiteline bars are heavier than the rest. there was a debate as well about the pros and cons of soild vs hollow bars.
Most bars in the market i believe they are heavier than the OEM ones since they are made thicker, I guess if you ain't tracking with your 8, dont think the little extra weight is gonna affect much.
And what do you exactly meant affecting the 'ride quality'? As in you dont want the ride to be more harsh?

takahashi

The ride quality is ok. Although you will feel the road more from the shock. Most feel like the body is becoming one. It is not necessary a harisher ride.

Good quality strut bars are the same as the stock one. MazdaSpeed is only 2-3kg over the stock.

The Autoexe underbrace is 11kg cf stock which is less than 500g. but it is so low under the gravity point so it won't affect handling. Slower acceleration ... I will loose 10kg for that brace :p