innertwist

iTrader: (3)

I have much wider than normal tires, 8.1", so inevitably my tires hit the body whenever I hit a large bump or turn hard. However, it only happened in the rear and mostly on the driver's (left) side, reeking havoc on the tire and wheel well, and probably the bearing as well. The first thing I did when I got the car was replace the rear shocks with Tokico blues - didn't do much. Now granted, my rear suspension isn't in the best shape (and I'm planning on replacing those trailing arm bushings soon) but that doesn't explain why it only hits on one side. The watt's links were in good shape, so my attention focused on the rear sway bar and the that strange hump that it has on the passenger side. Now I didn't have the dough for a new one, so I took it to the machine shop and had it straightened. While I was at it, I fabbed up some new swaybar links with polyurethane bushings to the same length as the stock ones. Total cost, $40.

It's been a few months now, and it worked! Under normal driving the tires never rub. If it is going to rub, it does it on both sides - and it takes work to do it now, like plowing a speed bump. I can't comment performance wise since my license has been almost non-existant and I've been being careful, but it can only be better since both sides now respond the same (no more left turn SCRAAAAATCH).

Has anyone else ever tried this? Is there really even supposed to be a bend there? I didn't think so, until I started seeing the same bend on other 7s.

EDIT: Sorry for being a bit verbose

REVHED

The bump is there to provide clearance between the swaybar and watts linkage mount. The reason your tyre doesn't scrub anymore is probably because you now have next to no suspension travel due to the swaybar hitting the watts linkage. When somethings manufactured a certain way it's usually for a reason.

innertwist

iTrader: (3)

You're right. It has about an inch of upward clearance now. It also hasn't broken/deformed anything after a couple thousand miles of use, and it's hell of alot better than chewing my tires to shreads. At the very least, it's a temporary solution, until I can afford a decent suspension.

On the other hand, sans completely straightening the side, would it at least help to have have both ends line up at the same angle? Part of the reason that made me believe that it was deformed was because the angle of the ends, even though the link mounts sat at the same angle. (yeah, I didn't know it was supposed to be like that until after doing it - hence why I wanted to know if anyone else has done the same)

aussiesmg

iTrader: (1)

I simply remove my rear anti-sway bars, I prefer the handling that way anyway, try it out, find a safe location, preferably at an autocross, run the track, then disconnect one end of the rear bar and run again, if you like a oversteer style rather than understeer the difference is marked. I find I'm faster without the rear bar on all tracks.