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As the title says, i am looking to reduce the amount of body roll my car has.
After looking through some old threads and other places online, it seems the most common and accepted way to do so, is lowering the car - typically with coil overs.
However i likely wouldn't be able to afford a good quality set of coil-overs, and my drive way + surrounding street's speed bumps would not really allow for it ( im stock, monster truck height, and i still struggle to not scrape)

Do sway bars make much of a difference? (are they worth the price) and if so would i be better of getting a rear bar, front or both? And which brand is recommended?
Cheers in Advance,

*cant figure out how to edit original post*
I could bare with having to crawl over speed bumps and drive ways - but would 400-600 coil overs / shocks provide better handling than sway bars?

If you want to reduce body roll, but not lower. Swaybars are the best option.
They reduce roll, but won't help with squat or dive (if you feel they're a problem)

Coilovers would work, but bear in mind they're all very stiff.
As in, usuallly 3 times stiffer than stock as a minimum.

Another option would be to look into better shocks and stiffer springs in the normal length.

Sway Bar changes
Increase front rate - Front roll resistance increases, increasing understeer or decreasing oversteer.
Increase rear rate - Rear roll resistance increases, increasing oversteer or decreasing understeer.

Coilovers can be specified with the required spring rates so not always a massive increase over OEM.

Have you modified the car already? Wheels changed?

Magpie wrote:Sway Bar changes
Increase front rate - Front roll resistance increases, increasing understeer or decreasing oversteer.
Increase rear rate - Rear roll resistance increases, increasing oversteer or decreasing understeer.

Coilovers can be specified with the required spring rates so not always a massive increase over OEM.

Have you modified the car already? Wheels changed?

So what would increasing both the front rate and rear rate at the same time achieve?

My car is basically stock,
Only thing iv done since purchase is a thorough service, which included new tires. Just purchased some new brakes yesterday as well.

Increasing both by the same rate Wil make the car handle much the same as now, with respect to over/understeer.

But with less roll.

hks_kansei wrote:Increasing both by the same rate Wil make the car handle much the same as now, with respect to over/understeer.

But with less roll.

That sounds like what after quite contempt with how it handles, could use a bit less understeer - but not by much.

Are you able to comment on how significant the reduction of body roll would be?
Would it be worth the 500 dollars or so?
Or should I say if you had $500 that you wanted to spend on the performance of you car, what would you do with it.

$500 - Wheel alignment and track time
$500 - may get stiffer sway bars (new) and end links (new)

It is possible to calculate the change in roll stiffness http://fatcatmotorsports.com/FRC_1_6NA/FCM_MSDS_1_6NA.htm

My question is why do you want to reduce roll stiffness?

If you just want to be able to go around corners faster, spend your money on better tyres and an aggressive alignment (and wider wheels if the budget allows). Tyres are everything.

And if you're into going around corners fast, join a car club and start doing some track days.

Magpie wrote:$500 - Wheel alignment and track time
$500 - may get stiffer sway bars (new) and end links (new)

It is possible to calculate the change in roll stiffness http://fatcatmotorsports.com/FRC_1_6NA/FCM_MSDS_1_6NA.htm

My question is why do you want to reduce roll stiffness?

To be able to take corners harder without being thrown around inside the car as much - when I go 'spirited ' driving through the local mountains on weekends. Would also like to get into doing some track once I have a more stable income.

pepejesus wrote:If you just want to be able to go around corners faster, spend your money on better tyres and an aggressive alignment (and wider wheels if the budget allows). Tyres are everything.

And if you're into going around corners fast, join a car club and start doing some track days.

I have bridgestone potenza re003s. Not sure about the size. Would you rate these as decent?
Was considering getting a more 'aggresive' alignment, but dont want to be buying new tyres more often, and being concerned about drivability when its wet.

Having the corner 'flat' requires something akin to F1 style suspension/Tyres. V8 Supercars do not corner flat, rather lifts a wheel or two.

Further you need to lower your COG to be very close to the ground to ...

Have a read of this http://racingcardynamics.com/weight-transfer/

Has anyone had experience with HSD Monopro Coilovers?
Bloke is selling them cheapish on facebook.

To avoid being "thrown around" the interior you would want a better seat not firmer suspension in roll.

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What suspension is currently in the car???

If it is the original dampers and springs, then odds on they will be pretty sad.

A freshen up with standard spring height, good quality dampers and the car will be as good as new and nice tight. Also don't forget to get the suspension bushes checked as well. If these need doing then the car will be nice and firm for cornering with the amount of body roll that the suspension guys at Mazda intended. These little jiggers like a bit of roll to turn well.