Sway Bars

[Flyboygsxr]

I am still on the standard Boss sway bars (non LS) and I am looking to upgrade. With my current setup on Eibach Sportlines I think I need to go to a smaller bar. Turn in is amazing but rear grip on corner exit is not. I want to balance the car a little bit more so that I can get on the power sooner. Right now the car is willing to bring the back end out anytime my right foot tells it to. I have already played with tire pressures and shock settings. I know I have too much sway bar under the car for my spring rates. I am looking for recommendations. I was thinking either an adjustable sway bar or possible an 18mm bar. Thanks in advance

Adam

 

[Grant 302]

I went with an 18mm for price and simplicity. I'd make sure that any adjustable bar actually has a soft enough setting. When I was looking, a lot of them start with a pretty high rate and/or only go stiffer than stock.

 

[BMRTech]

Adam, before changing bars out, I suggest testing various LCA positions if you have not already.

Altering roll steer and AS can work well for corner exit improvement. But, it can also hurt it as well.

Many people just guess with their LCA angles. I call it the "that looks good" approach. I suggest testing various positions at your next track outing.

 

[Flyboygsxr]

I'll try that when I pull the lower control arms next time I have the car in the air. I can lower them to the next hole down. I will try to describe this with text though I know a picture would be worth a thousand words. Right now in their current position the lower control arm slopes down slightly less than parallel to the rear mount on the axle. I will drop it down increasing the down angle and see what that feels like. I will take a reading with my digital angle finder both before and after I make the changes.

Does anyone else have experience with the LCA angle? I know this topic has been mentioned but I don't recall seeing any exact angles mentioned.

Adam

 

[DEye]

Have you considered going to a larger front bar or soften the rear shock settings ( or stiffen the front shok settings ) ?

 

[Flyboygsxr]

I went to full soft in the rear and 1.5 turns in the front. The back of the car feels very tight with little body roll. It is fun to drive and turn in is amazing but I want a little bit more balance.

I am on Koni Yellows and Sportlines. I would be curious to know the spring rates of the Sportlines as they feel significantly stiffer than stock. I did find this article but I'm not sure how accurate the spring rates are.

http://eibach.com/america/en/eibach-news/mustang-boss-2012-sportline

 

[Grant 302]

I'll try that when I pull the lower control arms next time I have the car in the air. I can lower them to the next hole down. I will try to describe this with text though I know a picture would be worth a thousand words. Right now in their current position the lower control arm slopes down slightly less than parallel to the rear mount on the axle. I will drop it down increasing the down angle and see what that feels like. I will take a reading with my digital angle finder both before and after I make the changes.

Does anyone else have experience with the LCA angle? I know this topic has been mentioned but I don't recall seeing any exact angles mentioned.

Adam

Which LCA brackets do you have and what position are you currently using?

I'd try one lower position like Kelly suggests, if you're just lower than parallel at the axle.

 

[Flyboygsxr]

I'm using BMR relocation brackets and I'm currently using the middle hole.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/bmr-lca-relocationbracket-0512.html

 

[Grant 302]

I'm using BMR relocation brackets and I'm currently using the middle hole.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/bmr-lca-relocationbracket-0512.html

If the Sportlines dropped the back at least 1.5", then I'd try the lowest hole on the brackets. Less drop than that, and I'd leave it in that middle hole and go to a lighter sway bar next.

 

[2012-Boss]

If the Sportlines dropped the back at least 1.5", then I'd try the lowest hole on the brackets. Less drop than that, and I'd leave it in that middle hole and go to a lighter sway bar next.

If this doesn't get you were you want to be, go back to the middle LCA setting and get an adjustable Front bar. Set the new bar to full stiff and the fine tune with rear LCA position.

Your car is really softly sprung. Going to a softer rear bar is not the best approach. A stiffer front bar will give you balance while improving turn in as well as entry and mid corner speed.

 

[Grant 302]

If this doesn't get you were you want to be, go back to the middle LCA setting and get an adjustable Front bar. Set the new bar to full stiff and the fine tune with rear LCA position.

Your car is really softly sprung. Going to a softer rear bar is not the best approach. A stiffer front bar will give you balance while improving turn in as well as entry and mid corner speed.

I vaguely recall somebody taking that approach and even with the front bar at full stiff, the car was still loose with a square tire setup. Can't remember who or the rest of the car specifics.

 

[2012-Boss]

I vaguely recall somebody taking that approach and even with the front bar at full stiff, the car was still loose with a square tire setup. Can't remember who or the rest of the car specifics.

Further an I have both taken this approach. Having said that, I think we were both on the Steeda Boss specific springs which are 225 lbs/in front and 195 lbs/in rear. I believe we both used the Strano front bar. It definitely works well with that spring combination and the stock rear bar.

The Eibach catalog for the 4.12535 Sportline springs list the rates as 183F/103-217R. I suspect the rear rate is probably linear in the spring's working range and is probably 200+ lbs/in. If these rates are true, I would still go with an adjustable front on full stiff. If there was still too much oversteer, I would then add a rear bar.

I will admit that I do not like an overly soft rear. A lot of this is driver's preference and the OP or other members may prefer a different setup.