Eibach anti roll sway bar

[goldwing2000]

It can improve handling by giving you less body roll in the corners, if you require that sort of thing, but it can also make the car feel "unsettled" if your roads are anything like mine. The added stiffness can make the car skitter right across the tops of the bumps in a curve on a regular street if you push it too hard.

The factory setup it plenty stiff for the type of driving I do. Mostly freeway with occasional weekend corner-carving for fun. If you're planning on Auto-x or something, then a bigger sway bar would make sense.

 

[goldwing2000]

I had Racing Beat Sway Bars and Strut Tower Bar, Mazdaspeed Springs, Tokico Blues and it sat on the stock Racing Heart wheels with Kuhmo Ecsta Supra 712 205/45/17's tires(if I remember right) installed on my MP3 when I had it. That car handled like it was on rails, it was insanely stiff in the corners. I will admit that you would notice it when you hit a pot hole or went over a rough spot in the road, but I think that it was definately worth it. The ride still wasn't that harsh, at least not too harsh for me. (nana)

Also keep in mind that the stock Mazda3 is about 50% stiffer than the stock Protege.

 

[m_long84]

Also keep in mind that the stock Mazda3 is about 50% stiffer than the stock Protege.

Hey man, I realize that it is about 50% stiffer than the protege, but I doubt that it's 50% stiffer than the MP3 suspension.

 

[Solo2Protege]

You have to have like no suspension travel for them to make any difference just rolling stright. Unless you are laying frame, the normal suspension travel will have very little effect by the larger sway bars, untill you run out of suspension travel or get right near the limit. Thats pretty tough to do in a straight line.

Like you said "side to side" if the car is not moving or transitioning from side to side, they don't do much.

Now if you go out and put on some uber crazy 2" sway bar, ya it may hinder the suspension movement in a straight line, but handling will suffer.


Also, while they don't have any in stock right now, Mazdaspeed has a sway bar kit as well....not sure what retail is on them, but, you can get them for about $275 via Mazdaspeed Motorsports, providing you are a member.

 

[Roywhitep5]

Also keep in mind that the stock Mazda3 is about 50% stiffer than the stock Protege.

:bs: felt the same to me

 

[djltoronto]

Now if you go out and put on some uber crazy 2" sway bar, ya it may hinder the suspension movement in a straight line, but handling will suffer.

when you say "suffer" do you mean, "will be dramitically enhanced"?

A 2 inch thick sway bar would eliminate body roll and make the car feel like it handles like a go kart.. And it would certainly change the way the car feels driving in a straight line.

 

[toucci]

:bs: felt the same to me

he's probably just comparing spring rates (screwy)

 

[goldwing2000]

he's probably just comparing spring rates (screwy)

No. Spring rates have nothing to do with body stiffness, only suspension stiffness.
Just going by what was said about the car when it was first on the scene. The strut towers were integrated into the firewall, multiple crossmembers were added, three-link rear suspension instead of mac struts, etc, etc, etc.

Don't take my word for it. Look it up.

 

[Solo2Protege]

when you say "suffer" do you mean, "will be dramitically enhanced"?

A 2 inch thick sway bar would eliminate body roll and make the car feel like it handles like a go kart.. And it would certainly change the way the car feels driving in a straight line.

your missing my point, just by simply adding a 2" sway bar, handling will not be improved as much as you think. it will be tough to control. A suspension setup needs to be peiced together with parts that match and work in conjunction with each other. Thats how stuff works...

 

[mazda3zoom]

the difference in roads is definately something to take into consideration. Goldwing and i live in Michigan. the roads here are 100 times worse then out in cali and probably nebraska too (im no weather man so dont hold me to that one) and with the suspension super stiff i could see how it would be easy to be flyin thru a turn hit some pot holes and go right off the side of the road.

 

[Solo2Protege]

oh i totally agree, a car that stiff belongs on a track, not the street

 

[djltoronto]

Does anybody know the diameters of the stock Sway bars?

 

[Solo2Protege]

typically aftermarket bars are 1-2mms thicker than the OEM bars, to give you an idea atleast. Wish my digi caliper worked

IIRC the Eibach bars are 22mm and 25mm.