mx5cartalk.com

Hoping for some advice.

Had a fang on the track today, and as with every time I head out onto the track, I've decided the car is too soft.

Check out the body roll. (and yes, I know I missed the apex by 2m)

http://curly.ii.net/gallery/AHG20Apr/IMG_0239?full=1

However, every time I drive on the road, I like the standard ride height and ride comfort.

So I was thinking of getting some stiffer anti-roll bars. Anyone have any experience with these? Any recommendations? Any disadvantages aside from wet road skittishness?

I suppose the other option is stiffer dampers, but steady state cornering is still going to result in the same amount of body roll, right?

Many answers Curly . . .
My choice was to get an NB 22mm front bar from a wreckers, and a pair of Nolathane bushes for the mounting points . . . I, as you do, want to keep ride height and comfort, but level out the cornering a little . . . a good alignment helped too.
There are many other opinions, but I'm happy with the compromise I've achieved . . .

What kind of suspension are you running Curly?? Stock, spring/shock combo or coilovers?? If you already have a stiffer suspension setup, you would not want to have a swaybar too thick or else it will reduce suspension idenpendence (i.e. force from a small bump to the right wheels will lift the other side up).

I curious to know how thick the stock NA sways are, cos according to Whiteline, 3mm increase is already 50% stiffer if not more.

Wow, I'm surprised you didn't roll it!

My knowledge of suspension is quite limited, but what setup are you running?

Slugoid wrote:I curious to know how thick the stock NA sways are, cos according to Whiteline, 3mm increase is already 50% stiffer if not more.

19mm is what came off mine . . . front one that is . . .

There are no downsides to better sways, just do it. Whiteline front bar first and then if it understeers too much, get the back one. Get adjustables where you can. Then you might want some springs and shocks - yours aren't working too well.

Yep - it's bog standard suspension wise. I've fitted the Mania chassis braces front and rear, and had a decent wheel alignment, but that's it.

It's even running the tyres that it came off the boat with from Japan, so I can't imagine how much roll it would get if it was generating more cornering force.

I'm thinking adjustable shocks (KYB?), and stiffer anti-roll bars front and rear would be the go? Was planning on moving to 15\" wheels when these tyres wear out as well...

The thing is though - it's still really great to drive on the track. Once it settles on a line, it's really adjustable - you can make it understeer or oversteer seemingly at will, without it becoming snappy. It'd just be nice to carry more midcorner speed and be able to flick through chicanes faster.

I have the whiteline front strut & Sway Bar...... its amazing the difference with these on.

I have adjustable whiteline front and rears and it sounds like they will do exactly what you are after. I think they are also a better upgrade than just putting stiffer springs on. Do as CT says... as a racer he knows about these things.

I have a 24mm Raceing beat front bar( witch i drilled extra holes in at 20mm ) the differance is amazing
I have the list of bar rates as well
BAR SIZE STD LENGTH.............Minus 20 mm..............Minus 30mm
25..............10198.........................11482...................... 12200
24................8661......................... 9752.......................10306
23..............7305............................8226........................ 8740
22...............6354...........................6886.........................7316
21...............5077.......................... 5717........................ 6074
20
19...............3402........................... 3830....................... 4070

the Minius lentghs are if you redrill the ends of the bar and may not be exact. But a good Idea of what can be changed
I think the No are in LB/Inch