Just got my sway bars from Racing Beat yesterday. They have several significant nicks, scratches, and areas where there is no paint coverage.

Is this normal quality for racing beat sways? Should I care? Will they rust where there is no paint coverage or scratches?

 

These are how mine looked when new.
https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...chmentid=32634
https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...chmentid=32632

How bad are yours and could it be shipping damage? I don't think they would rust but you can touch them up with spray paint.

 

did ya think that maybe calling RB would give better results? Call and ask them about it. They're good people.

 

I agree....

 

Mine also had two nicks on the front bar about the size of a dime. I just hit it with a quick coat of red caliper paint.

 

must not be powdercoated, paint is cheaper ...

 

I think you are correct, looks like paint to me. https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...chmentid=53714

That is when I learned I needed bushing brackets with zerk fittings.

 

unfortunately another cost saving feature, just replace them with these:

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...8&autoview=sku

 

I did not have any nicks or scratches on mine when I got them, but let me say that it would be VERY hard to get the front bar on without lots of nicks and scratches...

 

Yep, used those for the fronts. The rears were hard to find so I got some zerk fittings and drilled / tap the OEM bracket to make them greaseable.

 

why cant you use the stock bushing brackets?
im planning on doing RB sways+endlinks next and just wondering if i should throw these bushings on the list of goodies to get

 

If you get a set of front & rear RB sways they will give you new polyurethane bushings for both bars and new brackets for the front. The rear OEM brackets are re-used with the new bushings and the OEM front brackets will not fit over the new larger front bar. It’s only a matter of time but the grease in the bushings will disappear and you will hear squeaks https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/something-owners-aftermarket-swaybars-might-want-lookout-65304/

Bushings with grease fittings allow you to quickly add grease to them and they will not dry out. I would just add zerk fittings to the brackets when you add the RB Sways.

 

Ah..... before bothering to make a very long distance call and attempting to not be at work at a time I can call I thought maybe someone would give me an idea of the condition they normally come in.

It would be nice is people would help instead of just bashing the poster.

 

well on one hand it's just a sway bar, on the other you paid for it new; if your new car had gouges and scratches you wouldn't be happy with that either. It's really up to you, but it sounds like you received damaged goods, especially if tere are non-painted areas

the ones pictured on the website don't look beat up or half painted

 

I recieved a front swaybar from RB yesterday, there were a few nicks on it, nothing that wouldn't happen on installation though.

 

Racing Beat's RX-8 Front Sway Bar

Racing Beat-designed sway bars reduce chassis roll during cornering and increases your car’s sensitivity to steering inputs, thereby improving maximum cornering power. Substantial engineering effort, select steel alloys, and precise heat-treating processes are combined to produce top performance components. All Racing Beat sway bars are finished with a distinctive, red powder coating that provides a smooth, glossy protective layer. You can be assured of many years of superior handling performance with these proven bars!


They "say" that they are powdercoated

Maybe there is a difference between a red powder coating and powdercoating.

 

good powdercoating does not scratch off readily, surface prep work is key or it won't adhere properly, it will eventually wear off from friction in the areas where the pivot bushings continuously rub against it