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Thread: Sway bar benefits.....?

  1. #21
    Chassis Designer
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    When I was looking at sway bars, I calculated the force required to rotate the bar some angle. Using that approach, the FM bar was 70% (I'll have to find my Spreadsheet) stiffer in material properties alone. The next size hollow bar was 100% stiffer. Then when the bar came, I laid the stock bar on top of the FM bar and found that the FM bar had one mounting hole outboard (softer) and one inboard (stiffer), than the stock bar. I did not measure the distance or attempt to quantify the geometry deltas.
    I run my bar on the softest setting. I started with it on the stiffest and if you have a course that has allot of slow corners it pushes too much for me.

  2. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by JRW
    When I was looking at sway bars, I calculated the force required to rotate the bar some...
    Damn engineers*. What he means is "I likey big bar on soft setting". :P

    ****************************
    * This from Kestrel who wishes he hadn't played so much ping-pong and gone to so many Frat parties during his one year of Engineering School (yes, it usually takes at least 4 years to complete Engineering Shool)

  3. #23
    Obnoxious at any speed altiain's Avatar
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    Hey Mick, have you seen this thread on the pointy board? Looks like there is a '99 front bar out there for the taking, if you're willing to pay shipping.

    Iain
    Iain

    "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by altiain
    Hey Mick, have you seen this thread on the pointy board? Looks like there is a '99 front bar out there for the taking, if you're willing to pay shipping.

    Iain
    What size is a '99 sport bar??

    And would it work on a early Miata...

  5. #25

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    I swear... one of the days, I'm going to get a set of sport springs and a sport rear swaybar, install them, and then wait for someone to protest me. My argument will be that I did a complete LP to Sport package conversion, and then added back a few "comfort and convenience" items -- like power windows, power lock, cruise control, and leather seating. If you had seen the car before I added those comfort and convenience items, it would have looked just like a Twilight Blue Mica Sport...
    "That which does not kill us, just makes us madder"
    Cletus Nietzsche (Friedrich's half-brother on his sister's side)

  6. #26

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    Umm... in '99, you could get the sport package from the factory with leather... Springs and Bilstein's, bigger sways...

    In '01, adding the factory sport package required the 6 speed box, though...

  7. #27
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    I found this: http://www.miata.net/garage/compatibility.html on the 'pointy' board. "Front Sway Bar - Mounts are turned 90 degrees. Will work if you use adjustable end links.

  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by tailchaser
    Umm... in '99, you could get the sport package from the factory with leather... Springs and Bilstein's, bigger sways...

    In '01, adding the factory sport package required the 6 speed box, though...
    Umm... no. That started in 2000.

    But I take it that means that you won't be protesting my conversion when it happens.
    "That which does not kill us, just makes us madder"
    Cletus Nietzsche (Friedrich's half-brother on his sister's side)

  9. #29

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    Ahhh... I see that now. Silly Miata factory options. Remember, I'm the chicken who isn't going to stick on a bigger front sway bar until I can also stick on strong enough brackets to hold it in place...

    I certainly won't protest it. By December, my '02 will probably have all kinds of goodies installed, but then again, my intention for '05 barring a drastic change to STS2 is to run as best I can in TCSP. Unless work is really good to me and I run TSM2.

  10. #30
    Obnoxious at any speed altiain's Avatar
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    Mick, the '99 Sport uses the same front bar as the other '99+ Miatas. It was only the rear bar that was larger from the factory. I honestly don't know if they're any larger than the standard front bar on earlier Miatas.

    Quote Originally Posted by tailchaser
    Umm... in '99, you could get the sport package from the factory with leather... Springs and Bilstein's, bigger sways...

    In '01, adding the factory sport package required the 6 speed box, though...
    Nope. The only way you could get a Sport Package in '99 was to buy a car like mine (which had cloth seats, manual windows, locks, mirrors, antenna, no cruise), or a 10AE, which came standard with everything except ABS. You could not get the Sport Package in conjunction with any other Package in '99 unless you bought the 10AE, which also came with a few other things (unique paint, interior bits, 6-speed 'box, availability of ABS in conjunction with the Sport Package) that were particular to only the 10AE.

    For what it's worth, the Sport Package in 1999 officially added the following to the car:

    Torsen limited-slip differential
    15"x6" alloy wheels
    Bilstein high-pressure gas-charged shock absorbers
    Stiffer springs (front & rear)
    Stiffer rear swaybar
    Preload adjustable shock tower brace
    Front airdam
    Rear spoiler

    The Torsen and the wheels were also standard on the LS. The tupperware could be added at the dealer. But the springs, shocks, swaybar, and shock tower brace were particular to the Sports in '99.

    Iain
    Iain

    "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw

  11. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by sammm
    I found this: http://www.miata.net/garage/compatibility.html on the 'pointy' board. "Front Sway Bar - Mounts are turned 90 degrees. Will work if you use adjustable end links.
    Below is a 1992 Set-up

    Below is from one of those new fangled Miatas


    They look a bit different.

  12. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by POS Racing
    Quote Originally Posted by sammm
    I found this: http://www.miata.net/garage/compatibility.html on the 'pointy' board. "Front Sway Bar - Mounts are turned 90 degrees. Will work if you use adjustable end links.
    They look a bit different.
    Agreed. Looks like us Cheap Bastages are SOL on the freebie!

  13. #33

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    I deleted my hijacking (sorry). Go here for a discussion on '99 LP to '99 Sport conversion...

  14. #34

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    But, why? With the sport springs, aren't you rather limited in aftermarket/adjustable shock choices? Apart from the strut tower brace, I don't see anything that would be of benefit to the "sport conversion" you describe. The stiffer rear bar would allow you to set the front bar to a stiffer setting without adding push, but it might also contribute to an early separation of the swaybar mounts...

  15. #35

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    Moved... (I hate being "yelled" at )

  16. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kestrel
    Comments? Thoughts?

    Kestrel
    Here is a thought! Quit trying to hijack my sway bar post! :P

  17. #37

  18. #38
    Obnoxious at any speed altiain's Avatar
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    Edit - I moved my response to Kestrel to his other thread so I can yell at him there. :P

    Iain
    Iain

    "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw

  19. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by POS Racing
    Quote Originally Posted by Kestrel
    Comments? Thoughts?

    Kestrel
    Here is a thought! Quit trying to hijack my sway bar post! :P
    Hijack what?

  20. #40

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    Quote Originally Posted by POS Racing
    Quote Originally Posted by tailchaser
    Which bar are you using, Iain? I notice that FM now sells the "front bar only - for you SCCA types"... And $99, even...
    You talkin' about this deal?
    Attn: Cheap Bastards! (You know who you are ) Looks like this is the best deal on a front bar, do you agree?

    BTW. Why is this : Isn't the OEM Bar the same on a 90-97? "The bars have two holes for adjusting. The 1990-93 bars are 7/8" and 1994-04 bars are 1"." Why the diference on the '90-'93 vs. the '94+???

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