Here are some pictures from my Daewoo's rear stabilizer setup. I'm going to get a custom made bar made soon (surprisingly the aftermarket doesn't have much for Nubiras) and, while I'm not worried about tearing the stock mounts, the links do look seriously weird. Does anyone think this will bind? Should I cut the upper link mounts off and move them so the link is vertical?
Thanks.
Looks stupidly simple to me.
The longer links actually reduce the chance of binding.
Replace the tie-rod style ends with metal rod ends and make the end of the bat adjustable while you're at it.
In reply to turboswede:
Is the top picture working in your computer? I ask because it shows the link running from the swaybar to the chassis mounted at about a 30 degree angle. I've never seen one mounted that way before.
IIRC the Mazda Protege rear links are similar. It's been a while since I saw the rear suspension of one of those, and it was only once. It looks like it was designed to provide next to no anti roll resistance at ride height, but gains effectiveness as the vehicle rolls and the link rotate to become more perpendicular to the bar.
Here's a tip for you. Cut those swaybar arms off so that the link is vertical, and figure out a way to reattach it, and you will get a stiffer bar for no money.
DILYSI Dave wrote:Here's a tip for you. Cut those swaybar arms off so that the link is vertical, and figure out a way to reattach it, and you will get a stiffer bar for no money.
This.
yes... cutting it down shorter will make it stiffer. All you would need to fab up would be a "collar" that can bolt around the bar with a connection of the link
Thanks guys. It looks to me like the angle increases with compression, and therefore if I lower the car the swaybar will get effectively softer. Since I need a custom sway bar anyway (the stocker is thinner than my pinky) I'll just remount the top links to be vertical and drill the new bar for adjustability. Driving the car around and looking under the front has me convinced the Nubira could take a vastly stiffer stabilizer in the rear.
at least it doesn't have plastic end links like a lot of Ford products have. before getting a different sway bar made, i'd try shortening the arms on the bar up a bit to see if you can get up to the stiffness you need with the stocker.
here is a thought.. remove the front bar (or the links) and try it that way. My old excel was an understeering pig until the front bar went byebye.. and while it still had a LOT of bodyroll, it became instantly neutral
Actually the Nubira has very little body roll and the turn in is very good for a FWD econo box. The problems start mid corner, where it really gets to ploughing. I'll eventually experiment with no front bar, but I'd like to keep the flat cornering attitude. Maybe if I spec the coilovers correctly it won't need a front bar anymore.
So it sounds like you need a softer bar, not a stiffer one. Put some extensions onto the ends of the current one? ;)
Not really. I haven't measured, but I would put the front bar at damn near 2 inches in diameter. The rear is more like 3/8ths.
I was thinking about the geometry on the back and it occurred to me that the bar would be stiffest at full ride height and then get softer as the car rolled. Do you guys think I could use that to my advantage?
