Total disconnect rear sway bar ?

[Zombie killer]

Anybody had any success with disconnecting the rear sway bar on these 5th gens during a autoX course that has small tight turns and found it helps rear bite any? I am thinking of trying it this weekend at a small course and was wondering what others have done and the results encountered. I am on stock struts but with stiffer sway bars and lowering springs so my spring rate is not stock.

[kyle@ridetech.com]

I would think it'd be detrimental. Without a rear bar, the car's going to push real bad.

[ddunerider]

Only works for Mustangs

[Zombie killer]

Originally Posted by 130R

I've seen that you've done pretty well at some events. JOOC, what is your thought process behind thinking about removing the rear bar on a tight course?

I have been at some events where yes, the Mustangs do totally disconnect the rear sway bar, but I also see some of the BMW 3 series cars do the same (disconnect the rear sway bar) and they say it helps. Now I know the 5th gens are pushing more weight but I was curious to try it and see maybe. It doesn't seem to make sense but it might work. I have pretty good front grip on street tires with -3.5 camber and 285s up front but I suffer with the rear and I refuse to give up front grip for a balanced car. Was thinking of setting up a 3 cone slalom and a small skid pad and see for myself this week...It either will work or won't. I will let yall know.

[Dropspeed]

Originally Posted by Zombie killer

I have been at some events where yes, the Mustangs do totally disconnect the rear sway bar, but I also see some of the BMW 3 series cars do the same (disconnect the rear sway bar) and they say it helps. Now I know the 5th gens are pushing more weight but I was curious to try it and see maybe. It doesn't seem to make sense but it might work. I have pretty good front grip on street tires with -3.5 camber and 285s up front but I suffer with the rear and I refuse to give up front grip for a balanced car. Was thinking of setting up a 3 cone slalom and a small skid pad and see for myself this week...It either will work or won't. I will let yall know.

You didn't say what springs/rates you have, but while you are at it.....see what happens if you leave the rear bar connected and then disconnect the front

[BMR Sales]

Originally Posted by Zombie killer

I have been at some events where yes, the Mustangs do totally disconnect the rear sway bar, but I also see some of the BMW 3 series cars do the same (disconnect the rear sway bar) and they say it helps. Now I know the 5th gens are pushing more weight but I was curious to try it and see maybe. It doesn't seem to make sense but it might work. I have pretty good front grip on street tires with -3.5 camber and 285s up front but I suffer with the rear and I refuse to give up front grip for a balanced car. Was thinking of setting up a 3 cone slalom and a small skid pad and see for myself this week...It either will work or won't. I will let yall know.

Mike, On my Porsche Race Car, I took the Rear Bar out completely, but obviously the weight is in the car differently.

I would think that dis-connecting you bigger Rear Bar in you car could give you some strange results. Make sure that you have your Tools so you can connect it back up if that happens so you don't kill your day

[JDP Motorsports]

That is a big negative ghostrider... The car will push like a dump truck. The 5th Gens need a lot of rear bar to rotate. If you're trying to get the car to turn in better add some front toe-out, set the rear bar full stiff and the front bar full soft... I've been experimenting with a few different spring combos that are working very well but they all require rear bar.

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

[Zombie killer]

Originally Posted by JDP Motorsports

That is a big negative ghostrider... The car will push like a dump truck. The 5th Gens need a lot of rear bar to rotate. If you're trying to get the car to turn in better add some front toe-out, set the rear bar full stiff and the front bar full soft... I've been experimenting with a few different spring combos that are working very well but they all require rear bar.

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

... It seems like the best way to address my issue would be to go ahead and upgrade to a coil over setup with better shocks that offer some adjustment.

[Zombie killer]

Originally Posted by 130R

I like the fact you're willing to think outside the box and do some testing; I say do the experiment anyway... I'm willing to bet you'll learn something, either about the car, or your driving, or both.

I've disconnected the rear bar while working on the front of the car. I was surprised how well the car drove without the rear bar, but, unless you have something fundamentally wrong, it's not going to help the car turn.

I will say, -3.5 degrees of camber sounds like a lot for autocross. How did you arrive at that number?

Where are you suffering with the rear? Do you have any videos? If not, try and have someone videotape the car at your next event, preferably at a troublesome point on the course.

I have disconnected the front bar completely before , but that was when I was trying to get front lift at the drag strip before I started running any autoX stuff. Never have done way with the rear bar totally and was just curious.

As for the -3.5 camber, it is pretty aggressive but at one of the autoX places I race on is a concrete runway and it doesn't have any exposed aggregate so it is super grippy and seems to feel better with more negative camber. Some of the other asphalt locations it doesn't seem to make as much a difference that I can tell between -3.5 and -2.0 Camber. I ran all last year at -1.5 degrees and it plowed a lot but I was also running the OEM factory stagger (245/275). I am still learning and still messing with stuff just to see what happens.

As for the rear., I want to get the rear to help "plant itself" better AND EARLY so that I don't have baby the throttle and tail brake to get the rear end come around. I so want to plant the throttle harder and quicker but can't do it without getting the rear to far out of shape. Maybe it's just the MPSS tires not getting sticky enough cause I can't be putting that much torque to the pavement with an A6 car. Maybe one day I will get try some RE71s and see if they handle better, as most of the cars I see are all running the new RE compound.

I am going to run a small SCCA event in the morning, so I will see if I can someone to video my run if I can. maybe it will shed some insight.

[Assassinx1]

Jack the car up you only need to remove one side. And it will zip tie out of the way. Need an Allen wrench and a 15mm whench.