Adjustable end link experience with aftermarket sway bar
07-26-13, 08:57 AM
#1
Adjustable end link experience with aftermarket sway bar
Hey guys, Im going to start by saying I have a Sikky rear sway bar with Sikky adjustable end links. Recently I installed a BCR suspension with 16/12k BCR springs. After the hours of playing with them, the system is now corner balanced and aligned. I added SPC ball joints in the front to get the camber right and I finally found the right dampening settings for me.
After all this I would enter a corner pretty quick (say double what the posted) and the rear of the car even off throttle would just start sliding around to the front. On throttle it would push you right across a lane diagonally!!! It was a tad dangerous.
I installed the sway bar as the first suspension upgrade and when the car was at factory height.
After some thought about floating like this I considered the drops I had recently put the car threw. First Swift springs then when I was unhappy with performance and ride quality switched to BCR's. I decided to jack the rear end of the car up and check the preload of the adjustable end links. I found that threw the suspension height changes I had created an inch of sway bar adjustment in preload, removing it, making the sway bar neutral again made a large difference. The car no longer floats, I can press into the throttle much earlier than I perviously felt comfortable and stay in it. Only sliding as you should (love that lsd).
After I figured out that was the issue, I tried the sway bar at its softest setting rather than the middle where I liked it the best with the stock suspension. I found the harder spring rates of the BCR's ate up the body roll that made me like the second setting on the bar. Between the upgraded springs, shocks and bar I like the harder springs with dampening right in the middle at +15 front and +12 rear with the bar on its softest setting (F-sport bar pretty much).
I feel like I have the suspension set up at the point where I feel like I finally have made it significantly better than stock. For those curious about BCR's there stock springs ride great are quite and IMO not sure if the upgrade to swifts could really be worth it in any aspect other than weight.
The point of this thread is if you have adjustable end links in the rear be aware of what changing the height without changing preload can do. Or if your dropping your car you may want to consider buying adjustable to keep all that preload off your stock bar.
After all this I would enter a corner pretty quick (say double what the posted) and the rear of the car even off throttle would just start sliding around to the front. On throttle it would push you right across a lane diagonally!!! It was a tad dangerous.
I installed the sway bar as the first suspension upgrade and when the car was at factory height.
After some thought about floating like this I considered the drops I had recently put the car threw. First Swift springs then when I was unhappy with performance and ride quality switched to BCR's. I decided to jack the rear end of the car up and check the preload of the adjustable end links. I found that threw the suspension height changes I had created an inch of sway bar adjustment in preload, removing it, making the sway bar neutral again made a large difference. The car no longer floats, I can press into the throttle much earlier than I perviously felt comfortable and stay in it. Only sliding as you should (love that lsd).
After I figured out that was the issue, I tried the sway bar at its softest setting rather than the middle where I liked it the best with the stock suspension. I found the harder spring rates of the BCR's ate up the body roll that made me like the second setting on the bar. Between the upgraded springs, shocks and bar I like the harder springs with dampening right in the middle at +15 front and +12 rear with the bar on its softest setting (F-sport bar pretty much).
I feel like I have the suspension set up at the point where I feel like I finally have made it significantly better than stock. For those curious about BCR's there stock springs ride great are quite and IMO not sure if the upgrade to swifts could really be worth it in any aspect other than weight.
The point of this thread is if you have adjustable end links in the rear be aware of what changing the height without changing preload can do. Or if your dropping your car you may want to consider buying adjustable to keep all that preload off your stock bar.
Last edited by darbs242; 07-26-13 at 09:30 AM.
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