WhtRocket

Just installed and "tested" the R1 strut bar I bought from A-spec. BTW that deal went exactly as expected - Thanks A-Spec.

Anyway, I tried this out at lunch and it makes considerably more difference than I thought. Turn in is much tighter and right/left transitions are smoother. Really the steering and the whole car feels more controllable. It's difficult to describe exactly. The front end takes set more quickly and maintains a more stable track trough the corner. I found power-on oversteer was more predictable because the front end does not move as much in response to the throttle.

The Stock R1 bar is beefier than, I think, all the after market bars. I don't know if the effect is as pronouced with a Cusco for example.

For the money this was a much bigger improvement than I had expected. I'll admit, though I have not added parts because they look cool, I mostly bought this part because I thought it looked cool. I really did not understand how much the front end flex was effecting the handeling. Add this to the EBC pad and Efini Y-pipe add in the last couple weeks and it's really starting to hook up! :p

Always a nice break from the work day to go up to the hills for a 20 minute hot lap!

maxpesce

I got my R-2 strut Bar ( the later non-adjustable version) from A-spec a while back and felt the same - I was surprized at how noticably thighter the steering & handling feels with the bar , even at freeway speed and around town.

to all you guys w/out a front strut bar - Get ONE!

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Cool.

I've never been able to tell the difference with or without the bar. Even with GAB R shocks, Eibach springs, competition alignment and R-compound tires I can take it off and not notice any difference...

Jeff
93 R1

alwan16

i can't tell a difference between the cusco and stock r1 bar on my car. they are equally good imo. the r1 is prettier though.

user 84205

If you cant tell the difference with and without a strut bar, you need to see a doctor... Something is wrong..

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

I'd love to do a blind test on everyone believing it makes a huge difference.

Bring your car by my house, let me pop the hood and remove bar or leave it, you go for a drive.

Tell me if the bar is still on or not after a "test drive". If your a F1 driver then no deal. No one else will be able to predict if the bar is on there or not repeatably (better stats than just guessing). There is a nice curvy road near my house and some off/on ramps.

Jeff
93 R1

WhtRocket

maxpesce, actually I have the R2 style also. I have never seen the non adjustable until I bought this one. I guessed it was just a cost cutter on the R1. Thanks for the info.

turbojeff, Hey I did think you guys were still letting Californians' into Oregon .

If it makes no difference to you then great! Your car is a few lbs lighter with out it. Maybe your chassy was made on Wednesday and mine was made on Monday.

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

LOL, yeah we let Californians into Oregon, that is the only way this state can keeping the economy from completely falling apart.

Funny you mention Monday vs. Wednesday cars.

I bought a wrecked 93 R1 about 3yrs ago with 19K miles, the car was clean as hell. The front section of the car that is welded on to the firewall and door jamb was separated slightly. There were 5-6 spot welds that weren't connected AT ALL. There was paint underneath the spot welds. Obvisously the welds hadn't gone through and when the body was dipped in primer at the factory the paint had gone underneath the welds. Could have something here.

Later,
Jeff

Quickfini

iTrader: (6)

Sweet, i can't wait to get my strut bar!

It should be here once my payment gets to Black99

djantlive

I've got the Cusco here. It's easy to pop in and makes a difference especially when the road is rough and the front end is being bumped around.

WhtRocket

Yeah definately more stable over bumpy roads. A guy I worked with who races stock cars confrimed he would expect the effects I described. Just makes me want to drive more!

jimlab

Yep. Make 'em take the Pepsi challenge.

It's a nice shiny red placebo, but if you believe you can tell the difference then your butt had better be sensitive enough to detect a change as small as a few horsepower at the rear wheels. Let Jeff install an underdrive pulley kit while he's at it and see if you notice the difference.

This is like people bragging up the '93 R1's stiffer suspension when they couldn't tell the difference between a '93, a '94, and a '95 if you didn't tell them which was which before the test drive. Now, could you tell if it had the stock suspension under it or a set of Konis and Eibachs? I doubt it.

Anyone ever hear the story of the Princess and the Pea???

"Now everyone knew that she was certainly a real princess, since she had felt the little pea through all the twenty mattresses and twenty feather quilts. Only a real princess would be so sensitive!"

user 84205

I could feel it big time on take offs and just street driving, when my intercooler piping was put on I didnt
have one because my current one would fit, then I got
a Cusco and it fit, HUGE DIFFERENCE.... Maybe I can feel it more because of my other mods like Rollcage and stuff but I dont know.. I could feel it....

WhtRocket

Slapped around by Jimlab! Now that's a surprise. Hey, it's my opion and I'm sticking to it. :p

Keep in mind, I'm talking realtive comparision here.
I doubt Mazda was just bolting in some big shinny crap when they put this POS in the R1's and R2's . hey, I admitted I bought it casue it looks cool, I surprised how much better things run. If you think its crap, I'll bet I've created a market for you to sell yours.

As far as bragging, I'm just stating my opionion. It's not like I'm saying California rocks and the only thing to do in Redmond is write software, listen to Led Zep and smoke weed while it drizzles. Did you run out of, huh, Zep again?
Now that would be bragging. And I'm NOT doing that! No sir, not me

Just kidding Jim. I'm surprised you don't think it matters. I'd count you as one of the gurus around here. Hope I didn't bust open too big a can-o-smartass on ya.

jimlab

I didn't say I don't think it matters. I said that I don't believe that people can physically tell the difference.

It's psychological, in my opinion. You believe it will stiffen the chassis, and therefore you feel a difference. I'm certain that there is a small but possibly measurable difference under hard cornering, but it's the sensitivity of some people's "powers of detection" that I find difficult to believe, not the change in chassis rigidity.

I think Jeff's right... if you dropped the car off and we flipped a coin on leaving it on or off, I doubt you could tell from the driver's seat which we'd done. Then again, you'd have a 50/50 chance of guessing right...

user 84205

Jimlab, Im just cutting in here. I can feel it easily, it might be becasue of the 7 poin, but I dont know... I can no ***** feel it like night and day....

jimlab

Maybe you can because of the cage. You don't have the average car, obviously.