Adjustable sway bar setting for daily driver?

[JProberts]

I will be ordering some adjustable sway bars but since I have no mechanical skills and won't have the ability to make sway bar adjustments myself what is the best adjustable sway bar setting to start with for a daily driver?

My thinking is start with the medium setting and ride that way until I need to take the car in for some other type of service and adjust to a different setting then.

I saw in a thread where one of the Pedders guru's suggested trying each setting for a few days and then decide which is best for you. Although this sounds like the best way to get the best feel for each setting it's not really practical for me.

I would have to take it to a shop and have this done each time and I really don't have the time or patience to do this. This is why I plan to have them adjusted to different settings when I bring it in for services which hopefully is far and few in between. Also if/when I make adjustment to my sway bars how does that affect my alignment? Would I need to do an alignment everytime I adjusted my sway bars?

So what is the best set it and forget it setting for sway bars for a daily driver that won't see any track time, just aggressive street driving, not menace to society street driving but spirited street driving indeed.

So give me your opinions about the adjustable sway bar settings from the professional stand point and from your experiences with your own sway bar settings and choices.

Thanks

[JusticePete]

The ZETA II chasis rides so well I can't imagine an enthisiast feeling the ride would be in any way objectionable with the bars maxed out to full hard. If you are going to set it once and forget it -- full hard and be done with it.

[RedJewel2SS]

well what are your other suspension mods and what brand are you going with?

[JProberts]

Originally Posted by RedJewel2SS

well what are your other suspension mods and what brand are you going with?

Haven't made purchase yet but just going with lowering springs and sway bars. Looking at BMR, Hotchkis, Pedders and pfadt.

[JProberts]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

The ZETA II chasis rides so well I can't imagine an enthisiast feeling the ride would be in any way objectionable with the bars maxed out to full hard. If you are going to set it once and forget it -- full hard and be done with it.

What about the alignment issue. Do you have to do an alignment with each sway bar adjustment or is the alignment mainly for when you do the lowering springs and initial sway bar install?

[Rob@WretchedMS]

Just be sure that you are getting sway bar links with your sway bars, as the stock ones may not hold up.

Pedders sway bars are sold with end links for this reason.

[JProberts]

Originally Posted by Rob@WretchedMS

Just be sure that you are getting sway bar links with your sway bars, as the stock ones may not hold up.

Pedders sway bars are sold with end links for this reason.

Ok thats good to know....but do you have any answers or opinions that relate to my questions?

[v6sonoma]

I don't think you need to adjust the alignment and the change from medium just requires a few wrenches and about 5 mins. You could do it in your drive way. I would set it full hard and forget it.

[RichJ.]

No you do not need to change your alignment if you change your sway bar setting

[Rob@WretchedMS]

Originally Posted by JProberts

Ok thats good to know....but do you have any answers or opinions that relate to my questions?

lol, sorry,

I agree with what Pete said, if you want to set them once and forget it, just set them to full stiff. You won't be stiff enough to feel uncomfortable, and it will give you the biggest bang for the labor buck.

That said, it takes literally 2 minutes per bar to change it, so if you talk to the service station that does the install for you, ask them if you wanted to make a change how much they would charge. I'd guess they would say no charge if you wanted to re-adjust it and if they did charge i'd say $20 would be fair.

[JProberts]

Originally Posted by v6sonoma

I don't think you need to adjust the alignment and the change from medium just requires a few wrenches and about 5 mins. You could do it in your drive way. I would set it full hard and forget it.

Originally Posted by RichJ.

No you do not need to change your alignment if you change your sway bar setting

Thanks guys

[JProberts]

Originally Posted by Rob@WretchedMS

lol, sorry,

I agree with what Pete said, if you want to set them once and forget it, just set them to full stiff. You won't be stiff enough to feel uncomfortable, and it will give you the biggest bang for the labor buck.

That said, it takes literally 2 minutes per bar to change it, so if you talk to the service station that does the install for you, ask them if you wanted to make a change how much they would charge. I'd guess they would say no charge if you wanted to re-adjust it and if they did charge i'd say $20 would be fair.

Thanks Rob

[IPS Brandon]

Originally Posted by JProberts

I will be ordering some adjustable sway bars but since I have no mechanical skills and won't have the ability to make sway bar adjustments myself what is the best adjustable sway bar setting to start with for a daily driver?

My thinking is start with the medium setting and ride that way until I need to take the car in for some other type of service and adjust to a different setting then.

I saw in a thread where one of the Pedders guru's suggested trying each setting for a few days and then decide which is best for you. Although this sounds like the best way to get the best feel for each setting it's not really practical for me.

I would have to take it to a shop and have this done each time and I really don't have the time or patience to do this. This is why I plan to have them adjusted to different settings when I bring it in for services which hopefully is far and few in between. Also if/when I make adjustment to my sway bars how does that affect my alignment? Would I need to do an alignment everytime I adjusted my sway bars?

So what is the best set it and forget it setting for sway bars for a daily driver that won't see any track time, just aggressive street driving, not menace to society street driving but spirited street driving indeed.

So give me your opinions about the adjustable sway bar settings from the professional stand point and from your experiences with your own sway bar settings and choices.

Thanks

Here is my .02 and it may only be worth just that.

I say if you have no intention of adjusting your sway bars, have you thought about say Pfadt's balance bar? This is a great solution for those users whom as you described have no ability or desire to adjust the suspension, yet still gain a great level of performance.



Or if you are set on adjustable sways (which that is no issue) I would consider placing the rear end links in the middle holes here is a nice chart of Pfadt sway bar anti roll levels which may help you understand how to better set your sways bars, this may be similar for other vendors however I can not confirm.




Hope this may help, good luck and if you have any questions on products or pricing please let me know.

Regards

[RedJewel2SS]

i have the Pfadt sport suspension kit, and i couldn't be happier with how it handles and looks now.

if your looking for best bang for the buck, BMR is the way to go. if your looking for an all out race proven high quality suspension, Pedder's is the way to go. I believe Pfadt is that happy medium that is very high quality, but is budget friendly.

those are the only 3 i would buy suspension from, but it is up to you to decide which is right for you.