Sway bar fitted...not as good as expected?

[T5R92011]

So today I fitted the Elevate 25.4mm rear sway bar with polyurethane bushes and some Hardline racing uprated rear drop links. Worth noting that my car has the L shaped drop links with vertical tabs on the sway bar.

Upon opening the box, I thought the bar looked very thick and perhaps almost overkill, maybe should have gone with 22mm IPD bar instead.

However after test driving for a few hours, the 'night and day' transformation that many people talk about didn't seem to be quite there. I'm finding that the car initially still rolls (albeit not as much) if you turn in at a lower speed, but you really have to throw it into the corner to feel the resistance of the bar, which I don't feel comfortable with doing on public roads.

It's worth noting that my car does have 128,000 miles on the clock, and I'm pretty sure it has original rear shocks on it, however the front has new control arms, new lemforder front drop links and the front shocks look almost brand new, but no paperwork to confirm whether they are. Also has the stock Volvo front strut brace.

I was expecting the car to be really flat in the corners, especially at lower speeds. The Focus ST chaps describe this bar as keeping the ST "ridiculously flat"...

What was your experience of this bar? I'm wondering whether my droplink threads are a bit too narrow in diameter for the holes in the sway bar.. Almost feels like the bar is kicking in too late. Anyone also experienced this?

[domhart10]

as per your other post yeh I did similar to mine and these bars do make a tiny bit of difference, but if you really want to control that body roll etc etc only coilovers will really do that. Ive popped on lowering springs then a similar bar and then coilovers and coilovers are the only things that have made a real difference to the handling.

The uprated bar I dont know if it has but lift off over steer on track seems a bit easier now with a firmer rear


**** Also just noticed you are in Gloucester, should come join some track days and hill climbs!

[Yobbo]

Makes it a bit easier to arrest a wobble should you find yourself in one, but you're correct in thinking that you won't notice it THAT much unless you throw the car.

[Welton]

It may be too thick perhaps, my IPD bar made a huge difference on stock suspension here's my thread back in 2010 about it.

[stevien1]

Is the elevate hollow and the IPD solid? Would make a difference in torsional strength even with the bigger diameter.

[T5R92011]

There's definitely something not quite right because I took my S60 out earlier today and initial turn in feels better in the S60 than the S40 with uprated roll bar.

I think it's my drop links... there's no way an SE Lux S60 should feel flatter in the corners than an S40 T5 Sport at low speed?

I will recheck the installation again tomorrow, but I have a feeling the droplink thread is too narrow in diameter for the elevate bar... perhaps delaying the initial weight transfer.

Originally Posted by stevien1

Is the elevate hollow and the IPD solid? Would make a difference in torsional strength even with the bigger diameter.

The elevate bar is also solid and pretty heavy too.

[Yobbo]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

There's definitely something not quite right because I took my S60 out earlier today and initial turn in feels better in the S60 than the S40 with uprated roll bar.

I think it's my drop links... there's no way an SE Lux S60 should feel flatter in the corners than an S40 T5 Sport at low speed?

I will recheck the installation again tomorrow, but I have a feeling the droplink thread is too narrow in diameter for the elevate bar... perhaps delaying the initial weight transfer.



The elevate bar is also solid and pretty heavy too.

You mentioned in the initial post about the shocks being old, in my experience with totally knackered ones I think that might be the culprit.
I verrrrrry much doubt your drop links are to be of any concern, though you may feel some marginal benefit if your ARB has different mounting adjustment holes to accomodate a stiffer feel.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

So today I fitted the Elevate 25.4mm rear sway bar with polyurethane bushes and some Hardline racing uprated rear drop links. Worth noting that my car has the L shaped drop links with vertical tabs on the sway bar.

Upon opening the box, I thought the bar looked very thick and perhaps almost overkill, maybe should have gone with 22mm IPD bar instead.

However after test driving for a few hours, the 'night and day' transformation that many people talk about didn't seem to be quite there. I'm finding that the car initially still rolls (albeit not as much) if you turn in at a lower speed, but you really have to throw it into the corner to feel the resistance of the bar, which I don't feel comfortable with doing on public roads.

It's worth noting that my car does have 128,000 miles on the clock, and I'm pretty sure it has original rear shocks on it, however the front has new control arms, new lemforder front drop links and the front shocks look almost brand new, but no paperwork to confirm whether they are. Also has the stock Volvo front strut brace.

I was expecting the car to be really flat in the corners, especially at lower speeds. The Focus ST chaps describe this bar as keeping the ST "ridiculously flat"...

What was your experience of this bar? I'm wondering whether my droplink threads are a bit too narrow in diameter for the holes in the sway bar.. Almost feels like the bar is kicking in too late. Anyone also experienced this?

with most of the mass at the front there just isn't enough weight at the back to flex it is there .

[T5R92011]

Slight hindrance as the S40 is away at the bodyshop for repair for the next 8 days and didn't get chance to check the swaybar installation.

Have been back driving the old S60 today and it definitely does not have any of the initial rear-end slop that the S40 has, despite the S40's huge new sway bar.

Now it's worth noting that the S60 has Meyle HD droplinks all round, and before installing those rolled heavily at the rear.

I'm convinced I either havent installed the drop links properly, or they are simply not very compatible with the Elevate bar... worth noting that these Hardline Racing droplinks were technically for the Mazda3, but listed as "also compaitible" for Focus/Volvo P1 etc.

Just feels similar to the unresponsiveness of a slack accelerator cable....the rear starts rolling and then suddenly the bar kicks in.

I'll buy some new links and see if it makes a difference.

[Welton]

I don't think the drop links will make any difference, they're just 'links' there's no flex or 'bushings' in them, if there was play in them you'd hear them knocking which is time to replace them.

In my mind any 'uprated' drop links are purely made a bit better with less chance of dirt getting into the ball/socket and wearing out.