I just installed a Cusco 23mm rear sway bar into my MR, hoping to tighten up the handling a little bit. but when I took it out for a drive, the rear end felt like it was going to slide out on me in the turns, and it doesn't handle well at all. Why could this be happening?

The only thing I could think of is that I tightened the end-link bolts while the car was jacked up. Later I read a thread here that said that the rear wheels should be on the ground before tightening the end-link bolts. Could this be the problem? I know I could just go out and loosen the bolts and re-tighten them to find out, but it's late now, and i've have a few drinks, so i'm not going anywhere!

Any suggestions or tips on how to fix this are appreciated.

 

The fact that it is 23mm has something to do with it. What is the front sway bar diameter?

 

relax.....sinse your rear end is tighter now. (haha tight rear end get it ) hehe haha hehe......well anyway your car is fine. the back end of the evo is working better now because the sway bar theoreticaly enhances the affect of your rear diff from better grip and hence tighter. dont worry you wont lose control......to better the effect, get more downforce in the rear and it will be fine and dandy.

 

I honestly don't know ... but I put mine on with the rear jacked up and, yes, it's looser, but not as loose as you're making it out to be. Have you made any other adjustments?

Remember, an oversteer (loose rear) is better/easier to manage than understeer ...

You're on the last bolt, yes? The one near the tapered point?

 

I honestly find understeer (pushing/plowing) to be easier to control than oversteer. Oversteer, like drifting, requires a fine throttle control, too mush and your car comes around. Too little and it jerks around. Understeer is so easy to control, just back off the throttle until it starts turning.....my opinion

 

Right now I'm on the middle hole. Figured it was a happy compromise between the two outer holes. Which way tightens/loosens up the handling?

 

The bar gets stiffer as you shorten the lever arm. The endlinks should be tightened with the car on the ground. You have pre-loaded the bar by tightening it in the air.

 

so you can put the endlink bolts in just dont tighten them until the car is on the ground hu.....well I do most of my work on ramps or a lift. So if I back onto my ramps then tightening the end link bolts shouldt be a problem..

 

Is the center hole best for a neutral feeling or would you guys recommend setting to the max stiffness with stock suspension?

 

Get that bolt down to the end of the bar - that's the softest setting! Even that's tighter than stock.

 

Center is only 109% of stock, where, full, is 138% of stock, according to the sites I have read. Go to an alignment shop, and have them add some camber to the rear wheels. It will increase your rear grip, and give back the 'stock' feel you had before, but with higher grip. I had this setup for some time, and I was at \-1.3 in the rear, and -1.8 in the front. Now, I have -3+ in the front, and -1.8 in the rear.

HOwever, I am corner-weighted, braced, and towered, so my car is pretty much on a rail now at the track. I have all the stuff AMS recommends for their stage 2 kit, however, I used Flexs instead of the buddy clubs.

I can't wait to get the R compounds on it, it should be INSANE...

 

I think those percentages are dependent upon vendor ... I could be wrong but I don't think so . Move yourself to the softest setting. If you aren't sure where that is call your vendor and/or manufacturer...

 

so, you created more oversteer with the 23mm bar. That's the purpose of upgrading swaybars. The bars are also adjustable, so you can readjust the nature of this new oversteer to a softer setting. Otherwise, if you hate it, go back to stock.

sorry, it sounds like it kind of took you by surprise.

 

You are correct, stiffness is dependent on vendor, these were the settings for my Cusco 23MM bar, I just added about one year ago.

 

i would rather oversteer than under. i had 3 FF before and i am tired of oversteer. in understeer situration you can still control your car. with understeer all you can do is wait and pray