Jedi

Was the sqeaking ever resolved?

John

iTrader: (17)

I have zero squeaking now. The key is to preload the suspension when installing the sway bars. Case in point. I installed the 350Evo bars prior to my coilovers. Initially, I had squeaking, but I preloaded the suspension and doused the bushings in lithium grease (with the purple bushings the 2nd time), and the sound was gone. Once I got my coilover situation sorted out, I installed the coilovers, and as soon as I lowered the rear to the ground I heard the squeaking. NOOO!!! Well, it was a simple fix, I backed the car up on ramps (thus preloading the suspension), loosed the the sway bar brackets, retightened them, and oila! Sound has been gone ever since. The key is lithium grease, and preloading the suspension.

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

you HAVE to lubricate any swaybar bushings... it's a fact of life. Any grease will do, but you want something that is water resitant, or the first rain will wash it all away.

Even with the newer bushings, I'm sure there will be squeeking if you don't add grease. Go find a piece of solid poly and rub it on metal... it will squeek. Add a little lubricant and the squeek is gone.

And, you have to re-lube them about once a year... the price you pay for sway bars and solid bushings!

I am thrilled with my 350EVO bars. I have used them soft front and medium rear at Texas World Speedway and been delighted witht he results. I'll try the hard front, medium rear at the next track event at TWS and see how that feels.

I am on OEM springs/shocks and 245/40-18 T1-S front and 255/45-18 T1-S rear. I have a set of Bridgestone SO-2s in the garage... 245/40-18 and 255/40-18... that will go on this weekend for. I think the shorter rear sidewall will eliminate some of my Z's tendancy to bring the back end around.

PeteH

J Ritt

iTrader: (4)

Guys,
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten the chance to install the new bushings yet, but I did do some more experimentaion with the Evo bar setup.
I was previously running Stiff F/Med R...I switched to Med/Med a couple of weeks ago, and I just did my first autoX like this. Man, that is one sweet setup (with Nismo S Tune shocks/springs). The car is better than ever. It handled beautifully, and didn't give me any trouble at all with excessive over or understeer. I wasn't even't getting any lift throttle problems like Hedonist had mentioned a while back. Although, I was running lower speeds (50-60mph through turns max at autoX). I would say this is probably the setting most people that have some performance driving experience would want to start at. At this point, I feel like it's very easy to make the car do whatever I want without fear of losing it. That's when you ususally get into trouble though, so I'll just have to keep it under control.

John

iTrader: (17)

For the record, I induced the throttle lift oversteer and the power oversteer when there was either (A) moisture on the track, (B) hit a little stream across the track, or (C) the RE040s has simply gotten too greasy when they were overly-hot. All of the situations occurred at the track.

On the street, I have never had the rear end out on my car (nor do I want to).

BlackFLZ

I also had a bad over steer condition at a track with my bars set at Mid/Mid They felt great at an autoX but on higher speed corners it was much more noticable. (scary really)

I also have Toyo T1-S tire (235/40/18 245/45/18.. I think) so the combo was new and felt completely different than the RE040 and OEM Sways.

So, for higher speed corners:

A.Should we do something different with sway bars settings?
Stiff/Mid?
With Mid/Mid Does having a now stiffer rear end (them stock) cause more oversteer?

B. Experiment more with tire pressure settings?
I could dial in the car with the stock 040s and sways. by having +5 lb pressure up front. I don't know what to do know.

C. Or learn to drive (Contol) it as?

Anyone else vary from the +5lb F now with the new sways?

- Jeff

John

iTrader: (17)

You shouldn't be having a problem with it set on M/M, so you're likely not being smooth enough with the throttle. What tire PSIs are you running exactly? They should be pretty close to being the same. I've only had two track weekends since I installed the 350Evo bars, Summit Point and Watkins Glen. And if you know Watkins Glen, you know it's definitely one of the fastest tracks in the country. I had no problem there whatsoever.

BlackFLZ

I was running 45/45 hot then I started. Then I lowered the rear a bit to 45/42 to get back to what I was used to with the FR stagger. It felt a bit better then.

Just read on another thread that the T1-S suck on the track. They did seem to get loose after a few laps. I'm also runnig on Eibach springs so maybe the combo needs more work. I hope to get coil overs (JIC or Koni) to help in the handling dept. The report on the Tein's is encourging also

I'll try J Ritt's setup by going Stiff/Mid. I'll report back next month.

What tires you running John?

John

iTrader: (17)

I'm running the crappy RE040s still since I don't have enough money to fork out for a set of track wheels yet. With 45psi, your tires are likely overinflated, and thus you don't have the maximum contact patch available on the tire. I would suggest dismounting your wheels and inspecting your tires closely, and I think you'll find that the centers are wearing faster than the edges. I was running 34F cold, and 36R cold, getting the tires up to 41/43 on the track (where they start to get greasy), and my rear tires are wearing prematurely in the center. I've since lowered my tire pressure in the rear to match the fronts.

dwnshift

iTrader: (1)

The great thing about these sway bars is the ability to tune for differnt conditions during a track weekend. Experiment a little....
350EVO will have a supirse for you guys next Wednesday.....
stay tuned.
I think our new version of the bushings has solved the squeaing problem.......we are suggesting a lubrication fro your pleasure.......

ok that was bad and not needed

John

iTrader: (17)

I think where people may be getting the squeaking is where the top of the bushing makes contact with the frame of the car. Also spray some lube in the bracket before you drop the bushings in.

jmark

iTrader: (1)

BJ,

Any updates on the "new" design poly bushings for the sways?

protocav

iTrader: (3)

i certainly don't want to step on anyone's feet (or go slightly off topic for that matter), but i just put the hotchkis sways on my g35 coupe. they are 3 way adjustable in the front and rear. for the front, the stiffness over stock can be set at 9%, 32%, or 63%.

for the rear, the stiffness over stock can be set at 54%, 92%, or 146%.

i have mine set at full stiff front, and medium rear to stiffen the car up everywhere, but give a slight rear bias (i think the g35 understeers a bit more due to the softer shocks). with stock tires, i would imagine i could be getting myself into trouble, but i have 20" wheels with a 245/275 package.

the setup is great...body roll was almost eliminated, and turn in is much easier (no more holding on with the thighs). also, i have no more slippage while out of turns on the throttle.

and for $250 out the door (no tax, no shipping). i don't understand why people are spending almost, or even more than 500 bucks.

i got them from titan on a group buy that is still going on. www.titanmotorsports.com

good luck all!!

protocav

iTrader: (3)

p.s.

they come with poly bushings and lube, and they are silent...

dwnshift

iTrader: (1)

Hmmmmmm a shot I take it. huh....
so exactly what torsinal deflection rate are you basing the OEM sway bars to be?

protocav

iTrader: (3)

not a shot at all...i am just noting a positive characteristic about my sways, since so many seem to be concerned with the squeaking. that's all. the hotchkis bushings have pockets and ribs in them to hold the grease.

by the way...phrases like "torsional deflection rate" don't scare me...i'm a mecahnical engineer. you could have just said stiffness, since there is only one measure of movement/flex that people need to know about with sways. the rate is directly proportional to how fast the suspension is compressed.

i started my post with: i don't want to step on anyone's toes, and i meant it. i was just looking for something similar, and less expensive. cost is always a factor with the consumer. you guys have great stuff, and i have actually spoken with you in the past about your sways....which reminds me...when will you be offering rear end gears that are already set up in the case...sort of a plug and play option?

thanks!

protocav

iTrader: (3)

p.s. nice bieffe F1-GPV, i had one myself...although not painted as nicely

dwnshift

iTrader: (1)

Not trying to scare anyone.... simply asking a question. Just wondering what #'s they are going off of. No harm no foul.
Paint job done by Seven1 Design
Now switched to Arai....the old team I drove for could hear me with the Bieffe
BJ

John

iTrader: (17)

I was previously wrong about the lithium grease getting rid of the squeaking. After additional research, I have discovered that you need to use marine grease. Finally, the sound is gone... So there's no need for a new poly bushing design whatsoever...