722ish

So, i installed the "new" mrt endlinks, and im waitin on a progress adj. sway bar. Just wondering what kind of luck people have had with rear bars on a wrx, and how it affects lift throttle oversteer? i run a 225/40 18, and i was kinda wondering if it would become lift throttle snap oversteer.... dont know if it makes much difference, but the car is lowered with H&R's and a cusco OS front strut tower brace... in other words, my stupid ass is just asking how much the ass end will come around be it full or lift throttle settings, and also, what should i beware of?

thanks
Mark

TampaWRX

A lot of the car's behavior will be dictated by the overall package you're running. I did not run a rear bar for very long on the stock suspension, but with aftermarket coil-overs LTO is more pronounced, especially on off camber corners(obviously). With my setup (22mm bars front and back, coil-overs, ALK, Cusco strut braces ft/rr, hard mounts and hardened links, 18" wheels, 40 series tires) breakaway is fairly consistent and progressive. I've noticed that the car rotates much more aggressively when trailbraking, since the rear is unloaded a little more than if I were braking entirely in a straight line before turn in(again pretty obvious). Just beware of using too little throttle. When the car goes to oversteer lift slightly, but not completey and when it goes to understeer (on exit), keep your foot in it. That's the beauty of AWD.

You shouldn't experience snap oversteer unless you are over the limit and by that point, you're either trying to induce oversteer anyway or you're on your way to an expensive and sudden stop. You should be fine, unless you're going with a >24mm rear bar on the street. Definitely not recommended.

722ish

Thanks, im a susupension retard, so these things are new to me... Actually, i have the Progress bar, and it has 3 positions to mount it, which do i use? Obviously it changes, but nowhere in the instructions does it say how to install it beyond the mounting... not the 3 hole positioning. im rethinking installing the bar, seeing as you say i would have to be practically retarded to lose it, well obviously you havent seen me drive...

TampaWRX

I would not hesitate to install it. So long as the bar is reasonable, i.e. less than 24mm, even your most silly driver should be able to handle it. If you're still on the stock struts, they will probably prove to be your ultimate weak point, as they are good, but too slow for the H&R springs if you ask me. I would start off in the medium position for the bar (middle hole) and move it up to maximum (hole closest to the actual body or center of the bar) when you feel more comfortable. A sway bar combined with strut bar boxes the suspension quite nicely in our cars. It took ridiculous, tire destroying camber and funky toe settings to get my car to really oversteer on 8kgf front and 6kgf rear coil-overs. You'll be fine and should noticed a marked improvement in your car's "pointiness" or ability to rotate while cornering. A rear bar will really help the tail follow the nose of the car.

Suspension is actually my favorite part of the car, because I can do the work myself. Of course, that's how I got the stupid alignment settings mentioned previously, so take that for what it's worth.

722ish

thanks.... i was just a little worried about LTO. i have a horrible tendency to do this, full throttle, mid corner, then i see headlights and im like, eek :o , back out.... no speeding tickets. i back out of the throttle like im driving with no brain, i know its dumb, and yet, i suppose ill have to retrain myself.im an with a right foot that isnt connected to my left or my brain. i should probably drive a chevy z71