Basic Suspension Questions

[2ManyCars]

I have two questions that are probably gonna seem pretty dumb. But I've gotten a lot of good advice here so I figured I would toss them out there...

1) Given that swapping the front swaybar is a PITA, is there any benefit to running a larger rear bar but leaving the front bar alone? I've always swapped both at the same time. Can anyone who has done this comment on whether this will cause handling problems and/or how much benefit it provides?

2) Are there any stiffer springs that do NOT change the ride height? I want a bit stiffer cornering but do not want to have any rubbing issues with my new 235-series tires.

Thanks

 

[aaronc7]

2.) negative, mazdaspeed ones would obvoiusly be your best best. Or coilovers and you can keep it at stock height.

 

[silverspeed03]

Changing the rear SB and not the front will cause the rear end to rotate more, if that's what you like.

 

[6262MS3]

I had a stiffer rsb with eibach springs on my old 626, the front bar was left stock as nobody made a stiffer one. At first I thought it was fantastic, the car turned-in very sharply and didn't lean at all in corners, if pushed too hard under power it would understeer a little bit but lifting the throttle slightly would easily slide the tail back on line. Good fun! Then one day I was charging through a favorite backroad corner pretty hard (it was deserted), the already-sliding rear skipped completely sideways on a frost heave and next thing I knew I was sliding/spinning into a big wide ditch at pant-crapping speed. Luckily it didn't roll, I wasn't hurt and somehow nothing on the car was bent or broken, I was even able to drive away.

All this to say that on a street car upgrade both bars as they're usually designed together to keep a good handling balance.

 

[RelliMS3]

I had a stiffer rsb with eibach springs on my old 626, the front bar was left stock as nobody made a stiffer one. At first I thought it was fantastic, the car turned-in very sharply and didn't lean at all in corners, if pushed too hard under power it would understeer a little bit but lifting the throttle slightly would easily slide the tail back on line. Good fun! Then one day I was charging through a favorite backroad corner pretty hard (it was deserted), the already-sliding rear skipped completely sideways on a frost heave and next thing I knew I was sliding/spinning into a big wide ditch at pant-crapping speed. Luckily it didn't roll, I wasn't hurt and somehow nothing on the car was bent or broken, I was even able to drive away.

All this to say that on a street car upgrade both bars as they're usually designed together to keep a good handling balance.

Thats some good advice, i was considering just doing the rear because of the difficulty in the front too and i laughed out loud from the phrase "pant-crapping speed"

 

[2ManyCars]

Yea, this matches everything I've heard in the past. Thanks for the advice...