rear strut tower bar functionality (does it really make a difference?)

[radareclipse]

I'm sure there is some suspension setups that won't benefit from the Progress bar, but on the other hand, I know many that have benefitted from it including myself. I have Ben's front bar (not sway bar) and I'm not sure the chassis bar is doing much. It looks cool when you lift the car up for oil changes. I also have a J's racing front strut bar, and rear Cusco shock tower bar. In the end, it's all good.

[revd34]

actually it wasn't the oversteer that i didn't like. it was the
distorted feedback through the steering wheel. it felt as if i had
super low offset on the front wheels and super high offset in the
rear. kinda like a wind-up feel when you change lanes and accelerate
or point the car to one direction and accelerate. the car does not
want to return back to center, but wants to wind the car more and
more into the turn. it is a very ikky very unnatural feedback.

i'm not sure what you mean. what do you mean wind-up feel?

i'm not an expert but the rear sway bar makes the car oversteer. i talk to some people who actually like that feeling. i personally wouldn't want it. can't you just upgrade the front sway bar? that way you keep the stiffness in the rear and front and keep a more stiff nuetral steer with less body roll. less body roll isn't that what you want to make the car handle better?

"stiffening up the torsion beam" isn't that a good thing?

also, i tried searching on this forum but i had no luck. does anyone have the cusco rear strut tower bar pic mounted on the fit and send it to me or know where i can find the pic? i saw one but the car was completely gutted out. i want to see how it looks mounted with the back trunk panels and rear seats in.

[mahout]

Actually it is the top of the shock you want to stabilize so using the upper end of the piston rod is preferred. Bolting to the shock tower leaves a lot iof distortion to occur between tower and shock mount.
None of them really has any effect on handling on a Fit.

[kenchan]

Originally Posted by mahout

Actually it is the top of the shock you want to stabilize so using the upper end of the piston rod is preferred. Bolting to the shock tower leaves a lot iof distortion to occur between tower and shock mount.
None of them really has any effect on handling on a Fit.

i suppose if you are running upper pillow mounts, which i think wat
you mean.

[radareclipse]

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This last picture shows it as blue. It comes wrapped with protective wrapping.
[IMG][/img]

I don't have the exact picture you wanted because the interior of my car isn't stock. It doesn't interfere with the seats at all. My sub enclosures go up to it on the backside.

[cojaro]

^^ Cusco knows what they're doing. How much was it, radareclipse?

------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's clear this up.

From autospeed.com

"Front wheel drive cars tend to understeer. This is the case because the front tyres are forced to perform two tasks – transferring torque to the road and also turning the car.
It’s best to fit a thicker anti-roll bar to the rear of these cars, with stiffness increases of 100 per cent over standard being common. This helps hold the car flat, counteracting understeer without causing the same problems as a bigger front sway bar which tends to lift the front inside wheel, worsening the understeer.
But can the rear roll stiffness be too great? Yes, it can. A FWD car with an over-stiff rear will have throttle-off oversteer. This can be a little tricky, especially in wet conditions or with an inexperienced driver. Someone who lifts off sharply when the car starts to understeer might be a little surprised when the back suddenly comes out! Very sporty FWD cars (and those set up for circuit use) frequently lift the inside rear wheel right off the ground because of the very stiff rear roll stiffness.
But in a front-wheel drive that understeers, upping the thickness of the rear sway bar is a great place to start. And, as we keep saying, it’s cheap too."

To my knowledge, a lot of FWD autoX'ers will put on a RSB. Some, if unhappy with the RSB addition, will also take out or swap for a smaller diameter FSB.

[kenchan]

radar- nice picts. yah, that should do the trick on the rear as a stb.
although that base would work better if it was welded at the towers
but then, it won't be a "bolt-on", huh?

your car must be real quiet too from the dynamat.

[George02]

Originally Posted by kenchan

radar- nice picts. yah, that should do the trick on the rear as a stb.
although that base would work better if it was welded at the towers
but then, it won't be a "bolt-on", huh?

I was thinking the same thing, It would be that much better if it bolted to the strut tower aswell

[eldaino]

so basically are we to assume that maybe the PRSB is better for folks on stock suspension or stock struts with aftermarkets springs? it seems that most guys who have already done suspension mods, including springs AND shocks are digressing at the idea of adding one....


i plan on going with the mugen or j's set up...i dunno if i want oversteer, i'm not planning on tracking the car, and i don't like the sounds of this 'unnatural' steering feel. Even the guys who are Pro-PRSB are saying it makes the steering feel different. I'd rather have nuetral steering that leans towards understeer and still keep my steering feel than not have it at all.

[solbrothers]

well, im on stock shocks and skunk2 springs right now. when i get my skunk2 coilovers, ill keep my swaybar on.

IMO, i wish the swaybar was bigger. it doesn't create enough oversteer. im still understeering all over the place.

[cojaro]

To those who say the steering feels different: How does it feel different? Not as responsive? Too responsive? What?

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Originally Posted by solbrothers

well, im on stock shocks and skunk2 springs right now. when i get my skunk2 coilovers, ill keep my swaybar on.

IMO, i wish the swaybar was bigger. it doesn't create enough oversteer. im still understeering all over the place.

You could remove the front sway bar if you want more oversteer. (But I doubt many of us would want to do that, or actually fiddle with it as I've heard it's a b!tch to take out)

[George02]

Originally Posted by cojaro

To those who say the steering feels different: How does it feel different? Not as responsive? Too responsive? What?

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You could remove the front sway bar if you want more oversteer. (But I doubt many of us would want to do that, or actually fiddle with it as I've heard it's a b!tch to take out)

Ive heard its responsive... also yea the front sway bar looks like a bitch to take out, I was looking at it when I installed my underbrace. Im kinda dreding the install when I get mine in

[eldaino]

Originally Posted by solbrothers

well, im on stock shocks and skunk2 springs right now. when i get my skunk2 coilovers, ill keep my swaybar on.

IMO, i wish the swaybar was bigger. it doesn't create enough oversteer. im still understeering all over the place.

sol, can i ask you a question in all seriousness? i promise i'm not questioning motives or being a smartass, but WHY do you want so much oversteer? do you track your car?

the reason i ask is because most of the people who rave about a car that oversteers are car reviewers driving rwd.

[solbrothers]

yeah, i wouldn't remove the front swaybar. but i wish the rear swaybar was bigger. i had a 22mm rear swaybar on my del sol and i could get it to swing out in the back. bigger swaybar in the rear ftw!

[solbrothers]

Originally Posted by eldaino

sol, can i ask you a question in all seriousness? i promise i'm not questioning motives or being a smartass, but WHY do you want so much oversteer? do you track your car?

the reason i ask is because most of the people who rave about a car that oversteers are car reviewers driving rwd.

i had a 22mm rear swaybar on my del sol. the REAR wheels would slip before the front wheels. but that was only in extreme conditions. i don't plan to track my car, because, after all, the fit is an economy car. but i'd like to autox it. from what ive read, autox racers often disconnect their front swaybar and install a rear swaybar. more responsive turning.

[cojaro]

solbrothers wishes the rsb was thinking so it could produce more oversteer to counteract the already existing understeer.

[solbrothers]

i wish the rear swaybar were thicker so it would create MORE OVERSTEER!!!!!. also, i want more camber in the front.

i think a lot of the understeer comes from the front tires being straight up, while the rear tires have some camber, resulting in better cornering grip in the rear.

[eldaino]

Originally Posted by solbrothers

i had a 22mm rear swaybar on my del sol. the REAR wheels would slip before the front wheels. but that was only in extreme conditions. i don't plan to track my car, because, after all, the fit is an economy car. but i'd like to autox it. from what ive read, autox racers often disconnect their front swaybar and install a rear swaybar. more responsive turning.

ah ok. when i meant 'tracking' i mean auto cross. anywho, i have heard of doing the front removal on cars such as that, i'm just antsy about the rear sway in general. we'll see how satisfied i am when i do my shocks and springs. it may be enough to hold me over and not want to keep modding my suspension. besides, i've got a supercharger to save up for.

[solbrothers]

Originally Posted by eldaino

ah ok. when i meant 'tracking' i mean auto cross. anywho, i have heard of doing the front removal on cars such as that, i'm just antsy about the rear sway in general. we'll see how satisfied i am when i do my shocks and springs. it may be enough to hold me over and not want to keep modding my suspension. besides, i've got a supercharger to save up for.

when i heard kraftwerks was coming out with a supercharger i got all amped about getting it. i could buy one right now. but IMO, with a gas saver car like the fit, it's more fun to maintain speed in corners than standing on the gas pedal in the straights. that's why my drivetrain is stock. intake, exhaust, muffler, all stock.

i have a j's racing rear upper strutbar, honestly, it does NOTHING. waste of money if you're trying to get results. i got it because it was cheap, and it's bling bling y0!