Is there really a point?

I'm getting quality springs and a rear sway. I autocross and would like to taste road course someday soon. I'll move to coilovers sometime as well.

But are the strut bars REALLY useful?

The stiffer the front suspension, I understand, the more she'll continue to understeer so that seems silly.

Anyone have anything quantitative?

Thanks!

 

*Bump*

 

Stut bars are a rigidity factor. Some drivers claim it's something they can feel while others may not notice the difference. However, a good bar will keep the chassis from flexing and allow the suspension to do its job better. It may be slight enough that it might not be picked up on, but every little bit helps. It's similar to the Mitsu trunk bar. If it didn't work, I don't think they would have engineered one

 

Thanks Jamie, I appreciate your input. I'm a Works customer.

But as I understand it:

1) Stock, the '03 Evo understeers

2) A stiffer front SWAY bar will exacerbate understeer

3) A stiffer/thickerrear SWAY bar is capable of diminishing understeer and they are generally adjustable as to how much they change over/understeer

4) Oversteer is a bit better than some understeer for cornering in autocross and certainly on the track


So, all of that being said, what do strut bars do??? with or without swaybars?

Input, input, input!!! Thanks all!

 

On my previous car I added a front strut bar and it made the steering feel much more precise. That was especially true on high speed, sustained turns (such as exit ramps). Without the strut bar I had to constantly adjust my steering inputs, especially on bumpier roads. Hope this helps.

-Paul

 

Thanks, Paul!

Any other input?

 

easiest thing to do, is to go out and "borrow" a 90 or so VW GTi... run it around a couple of corners. Then buy a front strut bar for it, install it, and got run around a couple of corners again...you'll be like..."wow"... feeling the HUGE difference in handling for that car...of course, the difference wont be as much on our cars due to them being as stiff as they are already...I think the rear sway would be a better choice to purchase...or atleast the rear strutbar.

 

Thanks, I'm doing springs and sway ... the question is whether there's any value in the strut bars ... anyone with real experience here?

 

I wouldn't waste money on a different front bar. The stock one from Mitsu is about as good as it can get. In fact, per SCCA rules, you can't replace it with anything other than another triangulated bar (one that ties into the firewall).

Not having a rear one is a deficit as far as I am concerned for serious autocrossing. I plan on getting a rear strut bar eventually. If you are just getting an occasional autocrosser, there are far better things to spend money on than a strut bar. The Evo is very stiff already.

 

When a car corners, the chassis deforms (twists). Ideally, you'd want to put something like a roll cage inside the cabin to keep the chassis as stiff as possible. But on a street car, we need that cabin space to seat passengers, so chassis rigidity is compromised.

The reason why you want to keep the chassis as stiff as possible is to ensure the suspension is working the way it was designed to. When the chassis twists, suspension points move, and the tires will lose some contact patch. This translates to less than optimal handling. Strut bars help add back some rigidity to the chassis, give your tires more contact patch under cornering, which should translate to better handling.

 

Good point, Mark!

 

Let's keep riding this.

First, I'm in SM already so while the door's not completely open, I have some options for more mods.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

Rear sway - yes.
Springs - yes (same drop front and rear).
Too cheap for coilovers yet - yes.

Now:
Rear strut?
Front strut?
Front underbracing??

The latter sounds like it may be better than the first two? Opinions welcome, experience preferred! Thanks!

 

precision steering, redictable steering feel and everything feels tight, held on together.

You need that bar, if you want to auto x seriously. You'll experience so much chasis flex during auto-x that you will not have too much stability.

Also, you'll start to develop positive camber on the front tires, negative on the back tires.

this is no no.

trust me, i auto-x without it and with it. world of difference. I had those without 5 months and with 4 months.

stock strut bar is good. But with all the crap in your car or you'll put in, mind as well get some ones that's lighter.

i run esp, don't mean didilly squat for me.

 

I added a rear strut bar, and I did notice a small difference. Car is more rigid, and combined with rear sway upgrade, there is less body roll, and better steering characteristics.

 

Good stuff - what about those braces that go underneath the front...?