How to choose a swaybar?

[BaliLover]

I've been trying to decide what swaybars to get for my S13. I currently have megan coilovers dropping the car to just above the top of the tires with 17x9 +20 235/40/17 rear, and 17x7.5 +32 215/405/17 front on the car. I'm running the R32 VLSD.

I feel the car has too much understeer for my tastes. Its not terrible but taking a 90 degree corner at high speeds I don't feel like the rear of the car wants to come around. I know this is more than likely due to the stagger of the wheels but I know the factory also builds understeer into their cars for safety. I know a good swaybar set will help to induce more oversteer but I have no clue what brand/size to get.

Largus bars are expensive and have a 31.5mm front and a 27.5 rear and appear to be adjustable

Suspension Technique bars are 26.9mm front and 20mm rear and are not adjustable

Cusco bars seem to be 28mm front and 18mm rear and are non-adjustable

Tanabe bars have a 30.4mm front and a 22mm front for the S13, but there is a 27.5mm rear available for the S14. They are not adjustable.

Whiteline bars have a 27mm front and an 20-22mm rear and are adjustable.

SO Why does each company have different sized bars, and why do some of them have a larger diameter difference from front to rear? Is adjustability something I really neer? I know they are not all made with the same shape, or of the same material so how do I figure out whats right to me other than to buy every one and try them?

I see that the Tanabe set seems to be sized the closest in size to the Largus if I use their S14 rear swaybar instead, I just wouldn't have the adjustability. Since most swaybars are designed around a stock non-staggered tire size, would the larger rear bar help me to overcome the stagger I currently have?

I should also mention that I run the Greddy oil pan and I've heard that some swaybars will hit it. I'd like to not have that happen if I can help it.

[naed240sx]

I can't really comment on the other bars, but I highly reccomend the whiteline rear bar. I have a similar tire stagger, and was understeering, and bought mine to try to eliminate it. With coilovers, I see no need for super aggressive bars like largus and whatnot. Some of the bars you listed are hollow, others are not. This makes a difference in stiffness, as well as the thickness of the bars. My car is perfect neutral with the whiteline rear bar. It is about the same size as the front bar, so it won't make the car overly tail happy or anything. You could also get a new bushing kit for your stock front bar if you like.

Remember that you can also play with camber settings to help rid your car of understeer.

[jr_ss]

I run Whiteline front and rear. I must say that they are truely amazing. I have them set on medium in the front and full stiff in the rear. At any given time I can get the *** end to come around but, it's also controllable to were I can stay neutral through a turn on the gas. I think that they are a great improvement to the car. I know that the Whiteline bar is a solid steel bar where some of them are hollow in configuration.

Glenn

[Jookmasta]

rear HICAS bar is what u need............can be had for under a hundred bux and it may be the solution to your problem. i personally felt it was the best bang for the buck mod ive done so far to the car and by far its a day and nite difference when coming around a corner.

[chmercer]

ill probably be getting largus as they are hollow. if i cheap out, then tanabe.

[nismofly]

im getting progress in a couple months

ill let you know how they are if youre still hunting

[240sxjeff]

I also have a whiteline swaybar but only the rear and I really like it. the car is now somewhat nuetral but all my suspension adjustments are out of wack since the car has been through so many suspension changes the past two years but no alignment

[naed240sx]

I also have a whiteline swaybar but only the rear and I really like it. the car is now somewhat nuetral but all my suspension adjustments are out of wack since the car has been through so many suspension changes the past two years but no alignment

That is bad. No point in investing in suspension stuff If you won't even get an alignment.

[240sxjeff]

My car sits in the garage while I drive my bike or other vehicle around. Alignment is not on the top of my list for a car who does not have its suspension fully done and only gets driven maybe once a week on a good week.But my last pieces are coming in next week so alignment should be done sometime mid april

[S13 Charlie]

I currently have megan coilovers dropping the car to just above the top of the tires with 17x9 +20 235/40/17 rear, and 17x7.5 +32 215/405/17 front on the car.

The S13's stock rear sway bar is a piece of spaghetti, which is bad enough as it is, but with that kind of stagger, you're way out of balance front and rear. You should get some 17 x 9's for the front and if that doesn't help, pick up a hicas rear sway, or a whiteline, as many have suggested. I run 17 x 9 + 20 stretching 215/45's and my car is pretty neutral, with a tendency to understeer if I dive hard into corners. I still have the chintzy stock rear sway though. Anyone have a hicas they want to donate to me?!

anyway, good luck in your quest for sway bar domination.

[Nismo_Freak]

Sway bar thickness depends largely on your spring rate. The higher the spring rate the larger the bar typically.

This is due to the fact that you have reduced suspension travel with the higher spring rate, so the bar will not create sufficient wheel rate change to alter handling. Moving to a thicker bar produces more rate per mm of movement, so the effect is felt even at low travel situations.

Hollow sways do not act the same as solid sways, so compare like thicknesses with build type.

I plan to buy Largus sways due to them being lightweight, large enough to catch things before my oil pan, and a sufficient design overall.

[sleepyRPS13]

^hah...my tanabe front bar is all scraped & scratched up.