Sway Bar Research Question
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Sway Bar Research Question
My goal is to reduce body roll & increase cornering stability/control of my '04 is300 and perhaps getting closer to a neutral steer than the factory understeer. I have researched that upgrading the front & rear sway bars will make a significant positive impact toward reaching this goal.
So far I have found 8 different vendors offering sway bars for the is300:
HKS http://www.hopupracing.com/noname5.html
Hotchkis http://www.hopupracing.com/noname5.html
Daizen http://www.tmengineering.net/suspens...n/make/is.html
TRD http://www.i-m-racing.com/trdswaybaris.html
Sustec http://www.hopupracing.com/tasustleis.html
Cusco http://www.napsusa.com/napsusa/175-311-A30.html
Eibach http://www.hopupracing.com/eiankitfrrea2.html
Stillen http://www.i-m-racing.com/stilfronrear1.html
My question is what specifications should I utilize to most effectively compare these products in order to achieve my goal?
Most vendors seem to provide the diameters of the front & rear, and some provide the stiffness % increase (over OEM I assume) of the front & rear. I am just not sure what I should be looking for exactly, though I suspect for example, that too much stiffness increase in the rear might result in more of an oversteer than I think desire. But how much would be too much is unknown to me.
Would anyone have any ideas?
Really appreciate your help
Chris
So far I have found 8 different vendors offering sway bars for the is300:
HKS http://www.hopupracing.com/noname5.html
Hotchkis http://www.hopupracing.com/noname5.html
Daizen http://www.tmengineering.net/suspens...n/make/is.html
TRD http://www.i-m-racing.com/trdswaybaris.html
Sustec http://www.hopupracing.com/tasustleis.html
Cusco http://www.napsusa.com/napsusa/175-311-A30.html
Eibach http://www.hopupracing.com/eiankitfrrea2.html
Stillen http://www.i-m-racing.com/stilfronrear1.html
My question is what specifications should I utilize to most effectively compare these products in order to achieve my goal?
Most vendors seem to provide the diameters of the front & rear, and some provide the stiffness % increase (over OEM I assume) of the front & rear. I am just not sure what I should be looking for exactly, though I suspect for example, that too much stiffness increase in the rear might result in more of an oversteer than I think desire. But how much would be too much is unknown to me.
Would anyone have any ideas?
Really appreciate your help
Chris
#2
exclusive matchup
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honestly if you want to go hardcore, it's another art class. keep in mind, having the THICKEST and most solid sways doesn't mean it's going to make you a champ. the sways, shocks, unsprung weight, bushings, etc... e verything work together to make the car a good perfoamcne one. so imho it's always hard to just go out and tell people what to get, which one is the best.
i have the daizen with my HA and i love them. the setup works pretty well with each other. i guess that's all i can tell you
i have the daizen with my HA and i love them. the setup works pretty well with each other. i guess that's all i can tell you
#3
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I can't really explain what you should look for, but I have the Daizen sways and love them! The rears are adjustable so you have the flexibility to choose what setting you want. I love mine and I'm very happy with my decision.
#6
Lexus Connoisseur
Originally posted by crazeazn
keep in mind all the aftermarket sway bars will give you oversteer, most drivers do not know how to correct oversteer, so keep that into consideration...
keep in mind all the aftermarket sway bars will give you oversteer, most drivers do not know how to correct oversteer, so keep that into consideration...
#7
sways
I would consider myself a novice. I have the Area51 bar and love it! Not too pricey, not too stiff, and very neutral. Just right. About the same as the Eibach's or possible softer setting on Hotchkis? Have heard great things about the Hotckis bar and are on group buy on is300.net. Good Luck.
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#8
Lexus Test Driver
Originally posted by flipside909
Exactly! Novice drivers shouldn't even consider anything thicker than the L-Tuned/Eibach sways. Even with those sways, putting them on track setting can actually cause more harm that good with an unexperienced driver.
Exactly! Novice drivers shouldn't even consider anything thicker than the L-Tuned/Eibach sways. Even with those sways, putting them on track setting can actually cause more harm that good with an unexperienced driver.
Aftermarket bars bring a car closer to neutral, which the general market considers "oversteer". The ideal situation is actually slight understeer, with oversteer caused by gas, brake or steering input.
All of the above mentioned bars will give a "more neutral" response, none will provide what is truly known as oversteer. The car will be safer to drive and will handle a whole lot better, so you will definitely improve your car with any of the above choices.
Do note that we sell most of the above mentioned bars (at good prices I might add! ), so there is no bias from my post here for one brand over another.
Also note that while there are listings from different vendors for diameter and stiffness percentages, they usually don't correlate to each other, so that's not really going to help you much. Even knowing diameters isn't going to help, as there is another factor of material thickness if the bar is hollow, bushing mounting, sway bar material, etc. These all play a major role.
One thing you do NOT want to do is mix and match the bars on this particular car. Use the sets as they come.
Todd Matsubara
TM Engineering LLC
www.tmengineering.net
Last edited by DoubleWhoosh; 03-27-04 at 02:32 PM.
#9
Northern California Regional Officer
iTrader: (5)
I would get swaybars with atleast the rear one being adjustable. This way you can tailor it better to what you want.
The Hotchkiss, L-Tuned and Daizen all have adjustable bars. If the bars don't offer any adjustability, then you can assume they are balanced out to have a little understeer at best. I doubt if any of them will even be close to providing neutral handling. It doesn't mean that your car wouldn't handle better with the non-adjustable bars, it's just that you have no way to tweek the handling to your driving needs / style.
I chose L-Tuned on my wifes car (INDGOGRL) https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=98807
We wanted more neutral handling, but we also wanted to minimize the loss in ride comfort over un-even pavement. The L-Tuned are one of the softer sway bar set ups and the rear is adjustable, so for us the decision was easy.
The Hotchkiss, L-Tuned and Daizen all have adjustable bars. If the bars don't offer any adjustability, then you can assume they are balanced out to have a little understeer at best. I doubt if any of them will even be close to providing neutral handling. It doesn't mean that your car wouldn't handle better with the non-adjustable bars, it's just that you have no way to tweek the handling to your driving needs / style.
I chose L-Tuned on my wifes car (INDGOGRL) https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=98807
We wanted more neutral handling, but we also wanted to minimize the loss in ride comfort over un-even pavement. The L-Tuned are one of the softer sway bar set ups and the rear is adjustable, so for us the decision was easy.
Last edited by RMMGS4; 03-27-04 at 03:40 PM.
#11
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Re: thank you
Originally posted by CDE BRKR
appreciate all the helpfulness!
does anyone know of a group buy for the Daizen Sway Set for an IS300?
chris
appreciate all the helpfulness!
does anyone know of a group buy for the Daizen Sway Set for an IS300?
chris
#15
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i've got the eibach prokit sways, and i love them...just enough, but not too stiff. the rear's got 3 notches, so you can adjust that as well...i've got mine on the middle setting. good luck with your purchase!