Front Sway bars
10-07-2007, 12:17 AM
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Front Sway bars
Just curious to see how many RX8 drivers where using the stock front sway bar at nationals this year? And/or if you where using the stock bar but modified it to be a little stiffer?
Not that it would help my driving or use of old tires.
Not that it would help my driving or use of old tires.
10-07-2007, 01:17 PM
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Hard to say, the difference in rate is so small that my butt meter has a hard time picking it up. The extra holes definitely introduce some interference between the stock end link and the shock body at full droop, not sure if that negatively impacts anything.
It is a CHEAP modification, and if anything it makes the bar lighter, right
It is a CHEAP modification, and if anything it makes the bar lighter, right
10-08-2007, 11:47 AM
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East course we ran the 27mm solid Whiteline bar (car was second fastest)
West course we ran a drilled stock bar at it's stiffest (car was third fastest)
At home, I've run the stock bar.
I've also run the stock bar at its "middle" setting.
I can't tell the difference, except at Atwater where the big bar caused lots of push...but that is a surface that promotes understeer. Well, that's not exactly true, the car slaloms flatter (quicker??) with the big bar.
In other words, like tires, it probably comes down to personal preference and driving ability, in terms of what is "fastest"
West course we ran a drilled stock bar at it's stiffest (car was third fastest)
At home, I've run the stock bar.
I've also run the stock bar at its "middle" setting.
I can't tell the difference, except at Atwater where the big bar caused lots of push...but that is a surface that promotes understeer. Well, that's not exactly true, the car slaloms flatter (quicker??) with the big bar.
In other words, like tires, it probably comes down to personal preference and driving ability, in terms of what is "fastest"
10-08-2007, 08:57 PM
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Seriously, we are talking about a significant difference for "identical" cars...I can't remember if we weighed on the OZ's or lighter SSR's, but that would, at most, account for 10lbs. of the variance...
10-08-2007, 09:45 PM
#13
I think we were at 2835...how can there be so much variance, besides the extra heavy crankshaft in the later cars?
Seriously, we are talking about a significant difference for "identical" cars...I can't remember if we weighed on the OZ's or lighter SSR's, but that would, at most, account for 10lbs. of the variance...
Seriously, we are talking about a significant difference for "identical" cars...I can't remember if we weighed on the OZ's or lighter SSR's, but that would, at most, account for 10lbs. of the variance...
I had the low fuel light on.
10-08-2007, 09:49 PM
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Still, I can't see any way that my car could run below 2800lbs.
On the other hand, when they did the "official" camber measurement (with wheels pointed every which way and a half a degree squish factor lol), we DID get -2.2
10-08-2007, 09:56 PM
#15
The car was weighed with the stock bar, pretty sure with the SSR's, but we were consistently running with at least 1/4 tank of gas, so there's 15-20lbs, easy.
Still, I can't see any way that my car could run below 2800lbs.
On the other hand, when they did the "official" camber measurement (with wheels pointed every which way and a half a degree squish factor lol), we DID get -2.2
Still, I can't see any way that my car could run below 2800lbs.
On the other hand, when they did the "official" camber measurement (with wheels pointed every which way and a half a degree squish factor lol), we DID get -2.2
10-08-2007, 10:22 PM
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The car was weighed with the stock bar, pretty sure with the SSR's, but we were consistently running with at least 1/4 tank of gas, so there's 15-20lbs, easy.
Still, I can't see any way that my car could run below 2800lbs.
On the other hand, when they did the "official" camber measurement (with wheels pointed every which way and a half a degree squish factor lol), we DID get -2.2
Still, I can't see any way that my car could run below 2800lbs.
On the other hand, when they did the "official" camber measurement (with wheels pointed every which way and a half a degree squish factor lol), we DID get -2.2
10-08-2007, 10:25 PM
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Yeah, that's why I made the "half a degree squish factor" comment. My car does -1.7 on the calibrated rack at Custom Alignment of Mt. View.
I think most people are treating the camber and weighing stuff as kind of a half assed joke...
10-09-2007, 02:22 AM
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Figure that the scales are out of cal as the last I wieghed my car it had just over 1/4 tank and stock muffler compared to Topeka where I was just under 1/4 tank (maybe 1-2 gal difference) and no muffler just the pipe that connects to it.
The camber was odd to me also as I know the last alignment had me at -1.2 with least amount of caster and the guy said I was sitting at -1.9. I did notice that I had the biggest tire to fender gap there though
Was curious to see how many different FSB choices there where at the nats this year. Had been thinking about modifying the stock bar as I can't see spending the money on the mazdaspeed bar
10-09-2007, 01:44 PM
#24
I prefer the stock bar on my Tokico-car, but at Nats in Joe's Koni car I liked the drilled stock bar better. Not sure if it's a subtle difference in our alignments, or if the front/rear shock balance differs between Koni & Tokico. Also, Joe had aftermarket endlinks - perhaps my stock endlinks are binding and adding front stiffness. Dunno.