Will swaybars help me??

[Zishan]

Hello everyone, I have a few questions regarding swaybars that I couldn't find the answers to using search.
So, I have a set of Dali swaybars that I bought a few months ago and haven't installed them yet. I have a really bad habit of buying things, setting them to the side, and then forgetting about them. I've decided to make the effort to start installing all the goodies I have sitting around. Ok, back to the swaybars. So, a few questions please:
1st - Will swaybars help me with my rubbing problem? I have 18/19 inch wheels and the fronts tend to rub when I corner really hard. The rub is very light, but if I install swaybars and this levels the car out during corners, this should eliminate the rub correct? Or no?
2nd - How hard are swaybars to install? I would like to do the install myself. Any pointers? Any instructions online? I checked the FAQ and also DanO's DIY page. Oh, I should check the Dali site too huh?
3rd - Do I really need swaybars? I do not track the car at all, but I do like to have a spirited cruise now and then. I would also like to track the car one day, just to get a feel of what the NSX was designed for.
4th - Will swaybars have any effect of my camber issue? I read that they don't effect ride quality, but when I did the search, I came across a thread where they were talking about sway bars putting more weight on the inside/outside of the tires. Just curious.
Thanks
Z

 

[nsxtasy]

Will swaybars help me with my rubbing problem? I have 18/19 inch wheels and the fronts tend to rub when I corner really hard.

Sway bars should be used if you want to change the handling of your car, not to compensate for tires in the wrong sizes.

Do I really need swaybars?

Do you really want to change the handling of your car? (IOW - it's a matter of personal preference, depending on how YOU answer this question.)

 

[Paul]

How is this for a short answer:

1) NO, your car is so low (HR springs) and your wheels are so big.

2) Easy. I'll help you, just call.

3) Sure you do, everyone needs a set

4) No, they just minimize body roll.

Paul

 

[KGP]

2nd - How hard are swaybars to install? I would like to do the install myself. Any instructions online? Oh, I should check the Dali site too huh?

That would be a good bet! The pdf is here .

 

[Zishan]

Sway bars should be used if you want to change the handling of your car, not to compensate for tires in the wrong sizes.

Do you really want to change the handling of your car? (IOW - it's a matter of personal preference, depending on how YOU answer this question.)

Thanks Ken. But I have to say respectfully that you are wrong. My 16/17 inch wheels would rub also(with OEM tire sizes) during heavy cornering. It's acutually the lowering springs that are the culprit, not the tire sizes.

How is this for a short answer:

1) NO, your car is so low (HR springs) and your wheels are so big.

2) Easy. I'll help you, just call.

3) Sure you do, everyone needs a set

4) No, they just minimize body roll.

Paul

Paul, thanks for the answers! Just what I needed to hear! I forgot you have swaybars, I should have asked you in the first place!
Regards
Z

 

[Zishan]

Re: Re: Will swaybars help me??

That would be a good bet! The pdf is here .

Thanks KGP, on my way there now!

 

[Eric5273]

1st - Will swaybars help me with my rubbing problem? I have 18/19 inch wheels and the fronts tend to rub when I corner really hard. The rub is very light, but if I install swaybars and this levels the car out during corners, this should eliminate the rub correct? Or no?

They may eliminate the rubbing, however that is not their purpose. It's hard to say what the result will be. It depends on how extreme the rubbing is and how much stiffer the sway bars are than the stock ones.

Originally posted by NSX FoYoAss
2nd - How hard are swaybars to install? I would like to do the install myself. Any pointers? Any instructions online? I checked the FAQ and also DanO's DIY page. Oh, I should check the Dali site too huh?

Depends on how handy you are. If you have never done it before, maybe it would be best to pay the dealer to do the install. It shouldn't be more than an hour install time.

Originally posted by NSX FoYoAss
3rd - Do I really need swaybars? I do not track the car at all, but I do like to have a spirited cruise now and then. I would also like to track the car one day, just to get a feel of what the NSX was designed for.

No.....you don't need them. The sway bars will make the car stay more level around corners, but will also hurt the ride quality somewhat. My stock NSX stays pretty level around corners, so I can't imagine the need for aftermarket sway bars if you don't track the car.

Originally posted by NSX FoYoAss
4th - Will swaybars have any effect of my camber issue? I read that they don't effect ride quality, but when I did the search, I came across a thread where they were talking about sway bars putting more weight on the inside/outside of the tires. Just curious.

I'm not sure about this one, but they definately do effect ride quality. I have installed aftermarket sway bars on 2 previous cars (MR2 Spyder & Z3) and they definately make the ride quality more harsh. Perhaps not as extreme of a difference as lowering springs, but there is definately a difference.

 

[nsxtasy]

Thanks Ken. But I have to say respectfully that you are wrong. My 16/17 inch wheels would rub also(with OEM tire sizes) during heavy cornering. It's acutually the lowering springs that are the culprit, not the tire sizes.

In that case, sway bars should be used if you want to change the handling of your car, not to compensate for lowering springs.

 

[nsxmofo]

Re: Re: Will swaybars help me??

No.....you don't need them. The sway bars will make the car stay more level around corners, but will also hurt the ride quality somewhat. My stock NSX stays pretty level around corners, so I can't imagine the need for aftermarket sway bars if you don't track the car.

i would argue the contrary - no ride quality impact whatsoever when i installed the dali street/race on my 03 recently. the stock set up is flat yet there is still lean in the car. i have video mpegs that shows the car before the bars were installed - major leaning on hard cornering.

i LOVE the dali street/race adjustable bars - 1 of the best bang for the buck mods (besides carbon kevlar brake pads). right now i have them set at 2nd hole (of 3) in the front and 2nd hole (of 4) on the rear. car is freaking flat. i'll try to increase the settings by 1 notch each and do some test and tune to my taste of cornering.

cornering instills even more confidence than before and speeds are higher on the turns. as they are set now, the car is quite neutral with less off throttle oversteer than before.

install is very easy, just follow the instructions and some common sense. you do NOT need to remove the whole battery tray nor remove the battery. just have to remove the front 2 bolts of the tray and lower the front part. some wiggling of the front bar will get it in and out - no problems.

NOTE: the dali bars on 03 models do make some noises on the front. reason being the battery tray is redesigned for 02/03 (possibly even different than 97-01). the front bar makes contact with the tray and causes the squeaking on quick, sharp, high bumps. in addition i have the front nsx-r chassis bars installed. the lower front chassis bar does rub with the length of the front dali racing bar, causing some "wrenching" noise upon acceleration as the sway "twists". other than the noises, which i do plan to fix with teflon tape and some bending of the tray - i love them!

 

[Eric5273]

If sway bars had no effect on ride quality, then there would be no need to have adjustable sway bars since you would naturally always want to keep them on the tightest setting. I can't think of anyone that actually prefers their NSX to lean around turns. The reason they are adjustable is so that you can best tune the balance between ride quality and handling.

If thicker sway bars improved handling and did not have any effect on ride quality, then Acura and every other manufacturer would make them OEM equipment and there would be no aftermarket sway bars. The OEM would be as thick as could fit on the car.

Thicker sway bars mean worse ride quality.

 

[1BADNSX]

4) No, they just minimize body roll.

This is not true. Anti-sway bars will both affect the dynamic camber changes and the weight transfer. One is a good change, one is bad. 1) As the NSX suspension absorbs bumps or rebounds, the camber changes on the tire. This change can be a bad thing and adding sway bars will reduce this dynamic change and reduce the outside tire wear during track use. Combining this with less body roll gives the driver more confidence and is considered a good change. 2) But adding sway bars actually increases the weight transfer to the outside tire during a turn which is bad for overall tire grip.

Yes, they will also slightly increase road harshness.

Taking both the pros and cons, I agree with the assessment above that anti-say bars are the single best bang for the buck mod you can make to an otherwise stock NSX suspension.

Bob

 

[Zishan]

Thanks for the information guys! I'm going to try installing them this weekend or next. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't a useless mod more suited for track NSX's!
Thanks
Z

 

[BladesNSX]

Hello everyone, I have a few questions regarding swaybars that I couldn't find the answers to using search. Do I really need swaybars? Thanks
Z

Absolutely!!!!! Positively!!!!!! NOT!!!!!!

IT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF YOUR MONEY!!!!!.

So................ahem........why don't you just ship those bad boys on over to yours truly and I will gladly take those troublesome upgrades off your hands

 

[whiteNSXs]

Re: Re: Re: Will swaybars help me??

i would argue the contrary - no ride quality impact whatsoever when i installed the dali street/race on my 03 recently. the stock set up is flat yet there is still lean in the car. i have video mpegs that shows the car before the bars were installed - major leaning on hard cornering.

Of course they do affect the ride quality. I had RM sway bars on my old coupe. The first thing my wife noticed was the harsh ride and I did not even tell her about the then new mod.
Steve