Do I need Front and Rear Sway Bars??

[Bill Elliott]

Before I hit the place order button, need recommendations/opinions on sway bars. My plans for track use would be maybe if opportunity arises. I would be hitting a drag strip before a course though.

[GTBradley]

Here’s my standard response to that question: maybe.

What I did was order the back ASB brackets and installed them during the build - it makes it easier to instal the bar later (thanks edwardb). Then I drove it for a while without ASBs, even at autocross. I finally, determined that for autocross I needed just the front bar to help manage the oversteer. The ride is the same under normal driving conditions, but when the back kicks out I find it much more manageable now.

[Bill Elliott]

Here’s my standard response to that question: maybe.

What I did was order the back ASB brackets and installed them during the build - it makes it easier to instal the bar latter (thanks edwardb). Then I drove it for a while without ASBs, even at autocross. I finally, determined that for autocross I needed just the front bar to help manage the oversteer. The ride is the same under normal driving conditions, but when the back kicks out I find it much more manageable now.

Thanks Bradley, I was leaning towards just front

[Ducky2009]

Front - Yes. Rear - Depends. Are you running a sloid axle or IRS? Track & IRS - Yes. Mostly street driving will be a little stiff with sway bars.

[nucjd19]

I know this is a controversial topic as some of the guys who do a lot of autocross and some of which are instructors say no if it is set up correctly so this is just my experience. I drove mine for about 500 miles with no sway bar and noticed the rear was just itching to come around and meet the front of the roadster in corners with oversteer. when pushed hard. I tracked Porsche 911s and I am very familiar with that feeling. I installed the forte front sway bar and that balanced out MY rig. Just my experience and if i have the roadster corner balanced officially I might change my tune but right now I am glad I installed one on my front adding some understeer makes me feel better as most people understand driving a car with understeer more so than oversteer. That being said it really just balanced it taking out a some of the oversteer and planting the rear end.

[Gordon Levy]

Much depends on your setup and driving ability. While a front bar can be helpful in many situations it all depends. If you are at the drag strip then no. BTW if you run under a 12 flat they will probably kick you out and that can be done pretty easily with 400hp. Sways bars are parts of setup matching spring and shock setups. The rear bar is purely a tuning tool. They may be track you need it and tracks you will not. The one this you have to remember it is if you are running an IRS and add a sway bar it turns into a semi independent system. Feel free to give me a call sometime I would be happy to talk to you about setups.

[2112]

Hey Gordon ...I'm filling out my order form for a Coupe, had wondered about getting the sway bars or not, eventually looking for a stiffer and tunable performance ride, is it better to just get the front and rear for now or wait?

[Presdough]

I ran a 10:39 @ 133MPH at Sonoma. I'm banned for life.

[Gordon Levy]

front is a definite, rear is a maybe. I tend not to run rear bars, car comes off the corners better.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

You need bars it you have issues with handling, understeer or over steer. Its a good plan to get the FFR bar attachment parts for the type of driveline you have & the type of use the car will have. I have 10+ years on the car with no bars. Car has a 3 link rear. Mostly street, some AutoX, an occasional track day & rare drag strip (car not NHRA safety equipped for time).

[2112]

Thanks guys ...I will order both, it's an extra $350 to add the rear and I can always delete from the build if I decide it's too stiff later ...Simon

[J R Jones]

Simon, Stiff is not much of an issue, I doubt you will feel a difference. The only time it is stiffer is when one rear tire hits a bump and the other rear does not. No effect on topaes (speed bumps).
A rear bar is likely to cause oversteer accelerating out of corners because the bar unloads the inside tire.
jim