Rear Sway Bar Suggestions

[Dave_STi]

Anyone have any suggestions on what to look for in a rear sway bar? How important is adjustability? I was looking at Whiteline as I saw someone recommended them in another post. I want my STi to stop understeering like a snowplow.

[STeveD]

What year STi do you have, Dave? Under what conditions are you suffering with the understeer? Track, Solo 2, street?

Do you have any competition rule requirements to comply to?

What do you plan to do with the car in summer and winter?

If you buy a bar that is too stiff for your spring rates, you'll lift inside rear wheels and your diff will make horrible noises. RCE Yewllow springs or Swift Spec R's can help a bit with understeer as well.

So that's where adjustability comes in... with my 10kg / 9kg spring rates, my 25mm bars will lift the inside tires if I set them to stiff. Not good.

A 22mm adjustable bar will match well to stockish spring rates. However, you might still find that tire pressures are a cheaper and more progressive way of dealing with understeer. Applies best to competition settings, though.

[Dave_STi]

Hi Steve,

My STi is a 2007. I have stock suspension although I plan to get coil overs in the fall. I was suffering the understeer at the wet solo school in the spring.

In the winter the car is pretty much parked. In the summer a plan on doing 1 or 2 solo events this year and maybe 3 to 5 next year so it won't see too much track time.

[STeveD]

By Solo you mean primarily SoloSprint, correct?

An adjustable 22mm bar set soft may help, but so will running a high pressure differential front to rear until you get the coilovers. Then you can set it stiffer.

Right now, you're running dual camber bolts in front (OE top, Ignals bottom) and one Ignals in the top rear hole? This can help you maximize front camber and help with the camber differential for balance.

When you get the coilovers, you may want to pick a front to rear spring rate ratio close to OE or something that stiffens the rears. e.g.: 8kg front / 7kg rear or 10kgF / 9kgR.

[Dave_STi]

Yes solosprint.

When I was experiencing the understeer I did not have the bolts installed.

Would you recommend I avoid buying a rear sway bar until I have purchase coilovers?

Adjusting the pressures did help with the understeer.