NA Stock Sway Bars

madboy · Postby **madboy** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:06 pm

Hi all,

I did some searching for what I was looking for but after 30mins i couldn't find a difinitive answer.

I was having a look through the Maita Parts list PDF that is posted here somewhere and noticed they list 3 diffferent front sway bars and 2 different rears for the NA. I was unaware of any "shape" changes for the NA and figure these are different Diameter bars?

To try and check my theory, I looked up Whitelines webpage and they offer the same parts for the entire 89-97 range.

Can anyone tell me if the bars changed sizes from 89-93 to 94-97? I think also that the clubman had a larger front bar?

As you may have guessed I am searching for a "cheaper" way to make slight upgrades, my budget is totally gimped and I need to find cheaper ways to satisfy my mod urges.

Cheers
MB

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:45 pm

Ta-daaa!

http://www.miata.net/garage/soloii.html

from what I gather, the front anti-sway bar for NA6 and NA8 remain the same diameter, and the only difference being a slight difference in length of the section where it attaches to the end-link. I think NA8 is 5mm or so longer, or it could just be where the hole is placed.

The rear bar is 1mm bigger in the NA8.

And yes, the NA8 Clubman did have a bigger front bar, but not sure by how much .... maybe another 2mm? :roll:

Send tbro a PM because from memory, he was selling the stock Clubman front bar which you can probably beat him down to a six-pack of his favourite brew for it.

Some people will tell you, as a budget option, to remove the rear anti-sway bar so the car has a more neutral balance.
Please don't do this.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Thu May 07, 2009 3:09 pm

1red5 wrote:Some people will tell you, as a budget option, to remove the rear anti-sway bar so the car has a more neutral balance.
Please don't do this.

I have done this. It's a perfectly reasonable option for getting correct front/rear balance when you're changing spring rates. In my case I changed the NA8 original springs, which were rated at 154F/94R lb-in, to Teins at 280F/224R (5Kg/4Kg). The ratio of stiffness front to rear changed from 2.07:1 to 1.25 to 1, i.e the car was relatively much stiffer at the back and excess oversteer became a serious problem. Removing the rear sway bar returned the car to neutral handling with no detriment to stability.

It's not a budget option, balancing sway bar rates and spring rates is core to suspension tuning. You can't look at front or rear setups in isolation and you can't look at springs or sway bars in isolation.

CapitalF · Postby **CapitalF** » Thu May 07, 2009 11:28 pm

manga_blue wrote:
1red5 wrote:Some people will tell you, as a budget option, to remove the rear anti-sway bar so the car has a more neutral balance.
Please don't do this.

I have done this. It's a perfectly reasonable option for getting correct front/rear balance when you're changing spring rates. In my case I changed the NA8 original springs, which were rated at 154F/94R lb-in, to Teins at 280F/224R (5Kg/4Kg). The ratio of stiffness front to rear changed from 2.07:1 to 1.25 to 1, i.e the car was relatively much stiffer at the back and excess oversteer became a serious problem. Removing the rear sway bar returned the car to neutral handling with no detriment to stability.

It's not a budget option, balancing sway bar rates and spring rates is core to suspension tuning. You can't look at front or rear setups in isolation and you can't look at springs or sway bars in isolation.

Couldn't agree more - I went through the same process when I installed the same rated Teins. Then after adding a far stiffer Whiteline adjustable front sway bar I reconnected the std rear bar which is the current settings and working for what I do now.

Peter

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Tue May 12, 2009 5:06 pm

1red5 wrote:The rear bar is 1mm bigger in the NA8.

And yes, the NA8 Clubman did have a bigger front bar, but not sure by how much .... maybe another 2mm?

An economical upgrade on the Clubman is to use the NA6 rear bar as it's 12mm compared to the NA8's 11mm - did this thanks to Mr_Q's parted out BRG NA6.

NA6: 19mm Front & 12mm Rear
NA8: 19mm F & 11mm R
NA8 Clubman: 20mm F & 11mm R
NB8A: 22mm F & 11mm R
NB8B 22mm F & 12mm R
SP ?mm F & 12mm R
SE ?mm F & 14mm R

madboy · Postby **madboy** » Wed May 13, 2009 8:32 am

so do the NB front sway bars fit into an NA?

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:23 pm

not really, not for the front anyways, the ends of NB front bar is angled at 45degrees or so whereas NA is at 90degrees.
Forgot if it's as simple as installing the NB end-links, I think it is.
Send tbro a PM cause I think he did this because Whiteline stuffed up his order and gave him an NB bar instead of an NA.

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:05 pm

sorry to bump an old thread! (better than starting a new one!)
is it worth putting my stock NA8 clubman sway bar on my dads NA6?

is the 1mm increase going to see any sort of difference to the NA6 or should I just drink beer instead?

or drink beer while installing?
lol

cheers,
Chris!

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:15 pm

Changing the front say bar from 19mm to 20mm on an NA6 will change front roll couple (FRC) from 58.5% to 60.5%. That translates to a 2% increase in bias towards understeer, making the car feel 2% worse to drive. :roll:

Just drinking beer is a better option.

A stock NA6 is a better handling car than a stock NA8. Adding NA8 springs or sway bars to an NA6 would just be retrofitting the bad decisions Mazda made with the NA8.

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:43 pm

well, then its settled! beer ftw!

so..in that case...anyone need my NA8 clubman front sway bar? going cheap!

Postby **NitroDann** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:50 pm

you can double up stock bars if your crafty, but im guessing this wont help your situation. You need both bars changed if your happy with the current balance.

Dann