Who here noticed any improvements from the addition of strut bars. I have always dismissed them as "low (suspension) bang for the buck". But have considered a rear bar recently since I am asking a wee bit more of the chassis than stock Shameless wheel lift plug http://forums.wrxatlanta.com/vbgarage.php?do=getimage&id=182 For both pro and con opinions, what are your mods / tires?
i didnt notice any improvement with the front bar... then again im not nearly demanding as much from the chassis as u are... mod list
nice wheel lift my evo was lifting the rear wheel when I last autocrossed it.. not sure how to fix this. -- Brian
Are you talking about the ?V-Brace that goes in the trunk. If so, do what Tom did and get a monster bar welded in. According to what everyone has told me, Porter and SS, there is no need for the front strut bar since the Strut Towers are so close to the firewall. Noone has commented on the Rear Bar.
You can try it out on my car Javid. Try driving around with it. Then drive around without it. It's not a HUGE upgrade like a front sway bar but it's definitely there.
The rear bar is just as noticeable. The V-brace only adds even more stiffness to it. . It doesn't reduce sway but make the car feel and move like it's all together and in one piece. There's a lot less flex in your suspension components. Especially if you're quite as demanding as Javid or have a stiff suspension all the other parts of your chassis start playing a bigger role.
Brian: smaller rear bar maybe? Yeah, Hoppe said he liked the stiffined chassis... any other folks have experiance with a rear strut bar...
I have no experience with them, but from all my research, the rear strut is the one to invest in. Obviously on a wagon is where you see a considerable difference, I just dont know about the sedan. However considering the "S" series (202, 203, 204) all utilize rear strut bars, I think it may be something looking into as well.
ive never seen a wrx lift the front like that. at my last autox on sunday i was told i was getting the rear inside tire about a foot off the ground! this is because the unbalance of my big rear bar to the small stock front bar. the nose for my dives in and the stiff rear bar lifts the back tire off the ground.
Yeah the car was more or less 'thrown together' before that autoX / picture; also, I had never driven on slicks before that event. It was still pretty fast though; only 1 second off of Joels stompy if memory serves. Since then we've made many improvements in the car's handling; however the focus is for road course use and it would likely still lift on a tight autoX course with big slicks on.
i have one on my wagon and i notice a big difference when i have to take it off. i also only have an upgraged rear sway, i want to get the front sway pronto