Just wanted to see if anyone using aftermarket sway bars really notice the difference. I have eibachs 1 inch drop, but notice alot of sway on long sweeping curves .i.e off ramps and free ways, the stock ones seemed very very very thick, on a scale from 1-10 how would you rate aftermarket sway bars as far as getting rid of sway is concerned, I used the factory shocks. should I get better shocks or go for the sway bars. let me know please what you have and how you like them. thanks-Bigern

 

Mine were very noticable the first time I took a turn with them. I have the Hotchkis.

 

I have the Nismo sway and also felt the difference the car has much shaper steering feel and reduced some of the understeer, well worth it depending on your driving.

 

A friend of mine installed the Cusco's in his Z - and, yes - there is a noticeable difference - much improved.

 

Sorry about the rookie question, but what exactly is the definition of "sway"? I rode in Jeff's car equipped with the Tein Flex with EDFC suspension along with Cusco sways and was impressed by how flat it remained while breaking and turning.

I consider that body roll, dive and squat, is that the same thing you guys are referring to?

 

Running the hotchkis...

Full loose front, full stiff rear... entering a turn... DAMN you better be ready! ZERO understeer.

Cory here locally with a stock enthusiast drove it just around the block, said it was a totally different animal.

 

The stiffer sway bars definitely impact your handling, especially relative to balancing the understeer/oversteer of the car. I am using the Stillen sways f/r and the Tein flex with edfc, lowered 1", and the difference is very significantly better compared to stock.

 

It's not just a matter of what sways it's very important what you set them at. If you go full stiff in the rear and soft in front you better be careful, especially in the rain. You won't have anymore of that understeer everyone complains about. For what it's worth Sport Compact Car got over 1g in lateral force in a Z without lowering. They ran Hotchkis sways on the medium setting front and rear and 265's (i think) front and rear and a Kazz diff, I forget the setting but I think it was pretty soft. They commented that the diff had very little to do with it and gave most of the credit to tire choice and the sways.

 

Absolutely. Eliminating the stagger on tread width reduces understeer/increases oversteer, and greater stiffening of the rear sway bar relative to stiffening of the front sway bar does the same thing. The wider treadwidth of 265 compared to stock increases the contact patch and therefore the cornering adhesion, helping the car to maintain its grip under lateral load.
The limited slip differential is primarily a drivetrain change, though as with many elements in car mods it has collateral consequences on handling (for example, just as reduction of weight or lowering the center of mass will have an impact), but it is going to have marginal benefit relative to holding the circle on the skid pad, as its primary purpose is to maintain transmittal of power to both wheels. This is great for better acceleration out of turns, putting down the power as it were, from two wheels compared to one in a car without the LSD, but it does not necessarily mean better adhesion all the way up the g-force continuum on a skid pad. Set too stiff it can promote breaking the rear loose. I have not read the article, alas, but it makes great sense that if they are using the sways, tires, (you did not mention what they did to the dampers and springs but they have to be involved in the equation) to get the car handling balanced, that they would not upset that by going for example to a full "locker" diff. A medium setting would provide enhanced performance without compromising all that progress achieved with the suspension by too radical a drivetrain mod.

 

I tried running medium in the rear... still had WAY more roll that I cared for. Going to full stiff got it where I wanted.

As for the front... responding to the comment...

"If you go full stiff in the rear and soft in front you better be careful, especially in the rain. You won't have anymore of that understeer everyone complains about."

It's VERY balanced in the dry... as for rain, I'll only play in a parking lot!

Though you're dead on, the ONLY time I've have any understeer was coming too hot into a turn at the last autox... and something like that is unavoidable, even in an Elise.

 

Eagle1 the shocks and springs were stock. The diff did cause the rear to break so they had to adjust it to one of the lighter settings.