Suspension Issues

FTO99R · Post by **FTO99R** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:35 am

After a recent trip to Pedders to get my coil-overs setup properly (they were all over the place), I've come out with a quote for $885 for other stuff that needs doing. Usually I would be sus but the guy was genuine and what he says matches up with some of my suspicions anyway. So to cut it short I've got the following questions.

Does anyone know if/where I can source urethane D Bushes for the sway bars or what size the bushes are in a 99 model (I'm thinking 18.5mm but not sure)?
Is it worth upgrading the sway bars (e.g. whiteline) and whats a rough cost?
Can anyone source the DS rack ends for cheaper than genuine?

Any help / opinions you guys have would be great cause I want to upgrade performance but only if its worth it (plus my bank manager disagrees)

SG · Post by SG » Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:26 pm

not sure why you need the bushes they just adda bit more response and feel, and NVH

stock rear ARB is 18mm if you want to upgrade and your car is already feels balanced get a 18mm front and a 20mm rear dont get a 22mm rear or it'll just snap oversteer ask Richard H. he is on ftowa.com and does spritns/motorkhana

if you lower the car at the back more becuase you have coilovers you are taking weight off the front which will cause understeer but if you fit the 22mm rear ARB then it will counter that and you might end up with more grip than if you just have a 20mm bar and a balanced coilover setup. but that it just a theory......

but as i was talking to a guy at a suspension shop the bigger ARB you fit the more the inside wheel will lift when you stretch the car around a corner. and if you do that you will have 3 wheel contact patches instead of 4. but you will have more grip than a soft set up, its just when your at the limit it'll snap faster.

i was talking to him also about stiffer s[rings at the back instead of a stiffer ARB so the inside wheel doesnt lift, and ditch the ARB but its looking costly so far

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:52 pm

I found out about the stiffer sway wheel lifting the hard way. With it lifting & spinning on certain corners on the track, Im now looking for an LSD to compensate for it. I've already had to drop my tyre pressures to help get traction on the inner wheel.

Im currently running the 18mm adjustable front (Whiteline - and on its loosest setting) and the 20mm rear (also Whiteline). With the coilovers, you can really adjust the damping up & down to suit the sway & to suit the road or track you're on. My last track outing started with the car feeling mega sloppy all over, so I tightened up the damper on all the shocks & it got much better. But then it started 'snapping back' a little as SG mentions, the ass trys to beat you round the corner when you back off & then on the gas. So I had to loosen off the rear damper & drop the front tyre pressures down a little to compensate. I also changed the front sway to its looser setting to stop the inner wheel spin. At the end of the day I was turning out some reasonable times.

The swaybars are not that expensive, I think for around $450 you'll get both (with all the bushes & brackets required.

The standard sways are 16mm front, 18mm rear. Yes you can source the poly versions. Call Fulcrum in QLD:
SPF1344 - 16k for front sway bar bushes
SPF2004 - 18k for rear sway bar bushes

Alternatively, if you want to stay with rubber:
Gen Mitsi fronts: MR197005
Gen Mitsi rears: MR197002

FTO99R · Post by **FTO99R** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:57 pm

Thanks for your help SB.

I need the D bushes because they are worn due to the stiffer setup (and the fact it probably got flogged to death in Japan). So I figure if I'm going to bother replacing them might as well go urethane, the guys at pedders just need the sway bar sizes.

Also need to replace the lower bushes in the front (so I might as well go urethane again) and the DS tie rod ends which i'l prob end up getting genuine.

So I guess the real question is whether to bother going with aftermarket sway bars. The truth is I dont drive it that hard and rarely get the chance to hit the track. So from what you've said Its prob not worth the money, just figured if I was gonna do it now would be the time whilst everything is being done. Anyone felt some genuine gains from upgrading?

FTO99R · Post by **FTO99R** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:04 pm

Thanks Ben I'l need those part no.'s

At $450 for the lot reckon it may be worth it. However theres still the issue of whether i'l ever get to actually play around with the sway bar settings on a track.

SG · Post by SG » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:05 pm

LSD makes the biggest difference but unless its a quaife it is anoying as to drive (comparing to my cusco) because the inside will spin at 5km/h and the quaife is a torque sensing(?) and it wont. and its actually faster around a track apparently

i still have standard sway bars and im doing some good times.... depends hwo you drive it

and that you can hold your foot flat with a lsd all the way around the corner

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:26 pm

SG wrote:and that you can hold your foot flat with a lsd all the way around the corner

Thats what I want

FTO99R · Post by **FTO99R** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:41 pm

SG wrote:LSD makes the biggest difference but unless its a quaife it is anoying as to drive (comparing to my cusco) because the inside will spin at 5km/h and the quaife is a torque sensing(?) and it wont. and its actually faster around a track apparently

i still have standard sway bars and im doing some good times.... depends hwo you drive it and that you can hold your foot flat with a lsd all the way around the corner

The joys of having a Version R, already got that covered.

SG · Post by SG » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:54 pm

ahaha oh yeah forgot about that

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:57 pm

Yeah, I drove manofwoods' vR last Tuesday... so much better. If one of you vR owners writes your car off soon, I got dibbs on the box!

FTO99R · Post by **FTO99R** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:21 pm

If I write my Version R off anytime soon I'm blaming it on you. Haha.

On another note just found out I got a 2nd interview this Friday for a job which will pretty much double my salary. Hopefully I'l be a pneumatic salesman / systems designer soon. Which means I can buy as many sway bars as I like (although 2 should cover it).

Good way to hijack my own thread

manofwood · Post by **manofwood** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:07 pm

Bennoz wrote:Yeah, I drove manofwoods' vR last Tuesday... so much better. If one of you vR owners writes your car off soon, I got dibbs on the box!

dont laugh

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:28 pm

manofwood wrote:
Bennoz wrote:Yeah, I drove manofwoods' vR last Tuesday... so much better. If one of you vR owners writes your car off soon, I got dibbs on the box!
dont laugh

What did you do....?

manofwood · Post by **manofwood** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:43 pm

wrote it off. check parts for sale for details.