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Topic Closed19MM or 22 MM Sway Bar

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Wildfamily View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: 19MM or 22 MM Sway Bar
    Posted: March/11/07 at 9:14am

I'm sure everybody has an opinion on this and I'll go back and consult my back issues of MC2, but wanted to hear from some of my fellow club members. I'm considering upgrading from the factory rear anti-sway bar. Question is do I upgrade to a 19MM or a 22MM. I would prefer a "neutral' handling car and from what I've heard getting into the 22MM for everyday use might be a bit much and really get you on the ragged edge and tendency to oversteer very easily with the big bar. Thoughts? It'll be going on my everyday driver but would like to track it occasionally and love going fast through the twisties on the weekends. I'm thinking a 19MM is fine and can always adjust it to the stiffest setting, but didn't want to overlook the 22MM. Would love to hear your feedback and experiences with either or both.

 

Thanks.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/07 at 11:53am
I have an H-Sport 27mm tubular bar on mine (the equivalent of a 22mm bar) and I have it set on the middle of three positions.  (I started out setting it on the softest position, and it was good!; but tried it later on the middle position and it was even BETTER!).  I think it is perfect; neutral, period!  My wife's soon-to-be "just-a-Mini", has no sport suspension and I'm thinking a 19mm bar might be a good fit.

With the adjustability, it is an easy matter to set the bar to suit.  Just get something "beefy" enough to give you the range needed.  Look, too, for two or three holes of adjustability.  That really simplifies the selection and pretty much guarantees you can't go wrong (IMHO).
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/11/07 at 12:02pm
Thanks for the info Ken. Definitely want something adjustable. I'm considering the Alta models. They are offering 15% off and free install at AMVIV so was looking at that as a possibility.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/07 at 8:40am

I put the 22mm Alta bar on mine and while it certainly stiffened things up quite a bit, when I pushed it hard in the rain there was more oversteer that I liked.  I ended up selling my 22mm bar and going with a 19mm Alta bar.  There is certainly nothing wrong with the 22mm bar if it meets your driving style and desires, but for me I liked how the 19mm bar behaved better.

Shane

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/07 at 8:45am
Thanks Fingershooter. I talked to the guys at Alta today and the recommended the 22MM. I'm still trying to make up my mind. The good thing is they are adjustable which is nice. Good to hear from someone who's driven with both setups. Thanks for the feedback
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/07 at 11:24am
Originally posted by fingershooter fingershooter wrote:

I put the 22mm Alta bar on mine and while it certainly stiffened things up quite a bit, when I pushed it hard in the rain there was more oversteer that I liked.  I ended up selling my 22mm bar and going with a 19mm Alta bar.  There is certainly nothing wrong with the 22mm bar if it meets your driving style and desires, but for me I liked how the 19mm bar behaved better.



Interesting...  What settings did you try on the 22mm bar and where is your 19mm bar set?  The bar on my car has only made the Mini more neutral, going first to the bigger bar on soft and finally up to the middle setting.  No hint of oversteer.  (see http://www.altaminiperformance.com/products/show/301/Sway-Ba r-Rear-22MM for percentage differences.)
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/07 at 11:41am

As the happy owner of fingershooter's old 22mm, let's just say I like it.  I still have it on the softest setting.  Haven't felt like tweaking with it yet.  IMHO, I think it makes the car as neutral as it needs to fit my driving style (read: 'spirited').

If you want 'tuner level' adjustability, look at the offerings from Ireland Engineering or Way MotorSports.  Both offer bars that don't adjust, but the endlinks slide along the bar to change the stiffness.

The only thing I don't like about my ALTA 22mm is that it's RED, and I've been sticking with BLUE.

One food for thought, however.  Almost every post I've seen on the ALTA 19mm/22mm bars (as well as a few others, I'm not singling out ALTA) is that without coil-overs, the third (stiffest) setting is rarely useable (clearance issues).  That being said, I'm not concerned, since I've been happy with the 22mm on softest setting...

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/12/07 at 8:44pm
Originally posted by kenru kenru wrote:

Originally posted by fingershooter fingershooter wrote:

I put the 22mm Alta bar on mine and while it certainly stiffened things up quite a bit, when I pushed it hard in the rain there was more oversteer that I liked.  I ended up selling my 22mm bar and going with a 19mm Alta bar.  There is certainly nothing wrong with the 22mm bar if it meets your driving style and desires, but for me I liked how the 19mm bar behaved better.



Interesting...  What settings did you try on the 22mm bar and where is your 19mm bar set?  The bar on my car has only made the Mini more neutral, going first to the bigger bar on soft and finally up to the middle setting.  No hint of oversteer.  (see http://www.altaminiperformance.com/products/show/301/Sway-Ba r-Rear-22MM for percentage differences.)

I tried the softest and the middle settings and while each provided a good feeling during spirited driving my concern had to do with getting into a unexpected situation during hard cornering.  On a track you are not likely to have a person, dog, etc... come out in front of you, but out on the road it is a possibility.  My feeling, and I preface this with no scientific basis, was that a car setup closer to oversteer as opposed to understeer could oversteer in such an unexpected situation making it more difficult to recover.

If I didn't have that nagging thought in my mind then I certainly would have stayed with the 22mm bar.  I  have found the 19mm to handle more that adequately for my type of driving at this time.  That is certainly not to say that I won't change my mind sometime in future a go back to a 22mm.

Shane

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/14/07 at 1:55pm
Is this an easy install?
Does it affect toe in or any rear end geometry or is it pretty much plug and play?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/14/07 at 8:47pm
I installed mine in about an hour and half by myself.  And no it does not affect rear geometry at all.
Shane

06 MCS CR/W - 15% pulley, Dinan CAI, JCW 380cc, RMW tune (206whp/183wtq), Milltek exhaust, 19mm Alta RSB, M7 OCC, M7 strut plates
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/15/07 at 3:27am
Well, I talked to the guys at Alta and I'm scheduled for install of the Swaybar (22MM) and a 15% pulley. Can't wait! Can't beat 15% off and free installation on the swaybar. It will be nice to watch them work on it while it's on a lift and get to check out the underside of the car a bit more!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/15/07 at 3:38am
Sweet!  You're going to LOVE the ride home. Drool
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/15/07 at 7:03pm
FYI, the Sway bars for a 04 MCS and 06 GP got swapped out in about three hours, and that included Latte breaks and road testing!
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