st vs rb rear sway bar
04-21-15, 10:50 AM
#1
life's a drag*)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: greenville,sc
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
st vs rb rear sway bar
Ok so I've searched with no luck.
I'm looking at rear sway bars from racing beat, which is slide adjust, and st suspensions, which has 3 bolt holes for soft normal and stiff for adjustment.
Now I like the look of racing beats better and the idea of a little better adjustment. But has anyone used the racing beat one? I'm wanting to know if it will last since its held on by the clamping force if the slide adjustment, or will it start working its way lose over time?
Thank you
I'm looking at rear sway bars from racing beat, which is slide adjust, and st suspensions, which has 3 bolt holes for soft normal and stiff for adjustment.
Now I like the look of racing beats better and the idea of a little better adjustment. But has anyone used the racing beat one? I'm wanting to know if it will last since its held on by the clamping force if the slide adjustment, or will it start working its way lose over time?
Thank you
04-21-15, 06:59 PM
#3
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton
I've used the Racing Beat rear bar for over 20 years now and never had a problem with the mounting bracket coming loose or sliding out of position - including 4 seasons of SCCA SoloII competition in CSP - Competition Street Prepared class. I think the benefit to the RB rear adjustable bar is that it's infinitely adjustable for feel on the road and with your driving style in that you can move the slider mount to any point on the bar. This is important if you ever do corner-weighting by using 4 scales on each corner and then balancing the pressures exerted at each corner for best balance.
For street driving, my rear bar is set with about 1-1/2" of bar extending out front of the mount position - which is considered a 'softer' setting. The closer you move the mount to the rear, the stiffer the bar becomes. This obviously only affects corner leaning, as the bar makes no difference at all during suspension travel up and down. Get the Energy Suspension bushings and they should last nearly forever.
An interesting factoid is that the 84-85 model FB's lowered the mounting position of the rear lower control arms by a centimeter to counteract oversteer found in earlier models. These cars tend to tune a little better than the earlier SA's and FB's prior to 1984, because you're not fighting a natural tendency to oversteer build into the suspension geometry by adjusting the rear bar.
Just wait- about 15 guys will post next saying to remove your rear bar entirely for better handling. I'm not kidding,
For street driving, my rear bar is set with about 1-1/2" of bar extending out front of the mount position - which is considered a 'softer' setting. The closer you move the mount to the rear, the stiffer the bar becomes. This obviously only affects corner leaning, as the bar makes no difference at all during suspension travel up and down. Get the Energy Suspension bushings and they should last nearly forever.
An interesting factoid is that the 84-85 model FB's lowered the mounting position of the rear lower control arms by a centimeter to counteract oversteer found in earlier models. These cars tend to tune a little better than the earlier SA's and FB's prior to 1984, because you're not fighting a natural tendency to oversteer build into the suspension geometry by adjusting the rear bar.
Just wait- about 15 guys will post next saying to remove your rear bar entirely for better handling. I'm not kidding,
04-21-15, 07:10 PM
#4
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,832
Received 2,603 Likes
on
1,847 Posts
we've found on the non-FB race cars that, if you were to take the spring rate, and the sway bar rate together (the spring rate at the wheel), and just plot a line, of spring force vs body roll, the shape of the line makes a huge difference, particularly in the back of a FWD car when it lifts the rear wheel.
Last edited by j9fd3s; 04-21-15 at 07:14 PM.
04-21-15, 07:16 PM
#6
Moderator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,832
Received 2,603 Likes
on
1,847 Posts
04-21-15, 08:19 PM
#7
I've used the Racing Beat rear bar for over 20 years now and never had a problem with the mounting bracket coming loose or sliding out of position - including 4 seasons of SCCA SoloII competition in CSP - Competition Street Prepared class. I think the benefit to the RB rear adjustable bar is that it's infinitely adjustable for feel on the road and with your driving style in that you can move the slider mount to any point on the bar. This is important if you ever do corner-weighting by using 4 scales on each corner and then balancing the pressures exerted at each corner for best balance.
For street driving, my rear bar is set with about 1-1/2" of bar extending out front of the mount position - which is considered a 'softer' setting. The closer you move the mount to the rear, the stiffer the bar becomes. This obviously only affects corner leaning, as the bar makes no difference at all during suspension travel up and down. Get the Energy Suspension bushings and they should last nearly forever.
An interesting factoid is that the 84-85 model FB's lowered the mounting position of the rear lower control arms by a centimeter to counteract oversteer found in earlier models. These cars tend to tune a little better than the earlier SA's and FB's prior to 1984, because you're not fighting a natural tendency to oversteer build into the suspension geometry by adjusting the rear bar.
For street driving, my rear bar is set with about 1-1/2" of bar extending out front of the mount position - which is considered a 'softer' setting. The closer you move the mount to the rear, the stiffer the bar becomes. This obviously only affects corner leaning, as the bar makes no difference at all during suspension travel up and down. Get the Energy Suspension bushings and they should last nearly forever.
An interesting factoid is that the 84-85 model FB's lowered the mounting position of the rear lower control arms by a centimeter to counteract oversteer found in earlier models. These cars tend to tune a little better than the earlier SA's and FB's prior to 1984, because you're not fighting a natural tendency to oversteer build into the suspension geometry by adjusting the rear bar.
Mine's removed for now, I'd consider going to an adjustable bar in the near future though.
Trending Topics
04-22-15, 07:13 AM
#8
life's a drag*)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: greenville,sc
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you longduck that's what I was waiting to hear, I'll order the racing beat bar now.
I have removed the rear sway bar before but on the mountain roads I play on it understeered like a pig, to the point it was scary, right now I have the stock bar back on with energy suspension end links with them as tight as I could get it and it's a lot better, but I wanna be able to fine tune it.
I have removed the rear sway bar before but on the mountain roads I play on it understeered like a pig, to the point it was scary, right now I have the stock bar back on with energy suspension end links with them as tight as I could get it and it's a lot better, but I wanna be able to fine tune it.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
need RX7
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
11
08-19-15 08:27 AM