Hello.

I installed a hotchkis front anti-sway bar. I'm pleased with the fairly drastic reduction in body roll when cornering. I'm using the 2nd stiffest setting and was considering going to the stiffest setting.

I know this will further reduce body roll, and increase understeer. But would a stiffer anti-sway bar necessarily increase stress to the chassis or other suspension components as a result of this change ?

Not that it matters, but I'm not too concerned with stressing the suspension. I don't race the car. Plus I installed Eiback springs and Bilstein sport struts & shocks.

thanks

 

No, it will be fine

 

Did you install a rear sway bar as well? Most people on here like to set the front sway bar at mid, and the rear sway bar at hard.

 

Na, it won't stress the chassis other than the endlinks. Swaybars are effective, but the single most important handling part is tires. Without sticky rubber, you can actually hurt handling by adding stiff swaybars. Also, the stiffer the bar, the less independant movement the suspension has.

 

+1

 

Stiffer front bar = more understeer

stiffer rear bar = more oversteer

Finding balance is key. Just tossing bars on a car and expecting it to handle better "just because" can be dangerous. Snap oversteer can be a result of too stiff of a rear bar



EDIT: Had the effects opposite

 

I think you have those backwards. Increasing stiffness in the front will increase understeer and increasing it in the rear will increase oversteer. I have a rear adjustable swaybar only and the oversteer increase dramatically if I put the bar on full stiffness. Even on setting one (78% stiffer than stock) can make the rear of the car a handful on all season rubber.

 

Yes, you are right, I had it backwards.

 

Stiff front and rear sway bar = Tokyo Drift!