Sway Bar recommendation

[bigjae46]

I run a stock bar with no rear bar. I am at 52/48 weight distribution, no rear bar helps with putting the power down. With a ZF 4 clutch LSD the rear end is far more controllable. I do want to put in a Hotchkis bar but that would be for weight savings.

I use the Bimmerworld end links. I found the BW hardware to be problematic...possibly a user issue. I've since installed some ends from McMaster Carr which have been trouble free and are much cheaper.

[liam821]

Ground control tore out of mine

GroundControl bar tore mine out too. It's now reinforced and we're back to happy life.

[Twitch702]

mrgizmo04
I'm looking at a re-valve to the dedicated track kit. So going from
F. 400lb - 700lb
R. 630lb - 900lb

[Twitch702]

bigjae46
Your LSD is that a drexler?
I'm looking at getting the OS Giken LSD.
So far the rear end feels pretty good.

[mrgizmo04]

mrgizmo04
I'm looking at a re-valve to the dedicated track kit. So going from
F. 400lb - 700lb
R. 630lb - 900lb

Is 900 married or divorced?

What's the reason you are going that high all around? You will be giving up a lot of grip. Are you going full aero? Sounds like you are prob not using slicks, given you are playing with brass bushings.

Need more details on the car to attempt to give a reasonable answer. Ride height, weight, etc. At those rates you might not need a new bar and can remove rear bar like Jae and fine tune over/under behavior via dampers and tire pressures. Once you get mechanical dialed in you can play with aoa on aero if going that direction (although again, doubt given brass bushing "upgrade" with stock brakes).

You'd need a beefy front bar if you were going more flat ride or keeping front rate very low, to balance out roll couple and over bias to get it back to neutral.

Sent from my SM-S911U1 using Tapatalk

[bigjae46]

bigjae46
Your LSD is that a drexler?
I'm looking at getting the OS Giken LSD.
So far the rear end feels pretty good.

ZF with a 4 clutch conversion.

[E46m3zcp]

I have Hotchkis kit, but one of the rear end links gave up after 2k miles (sure, abusive miles here on MI roads).

Reading yall makes me worried, what's this "tearing" about? Should I be worried?

[Twitch702]

mrgizmo04

No aero yet, trying to see how fast I can before I have to start worrying about trailering the car.

I'm looking to swap to an AP Racing BBK by the end of this year if funds permit. (Other projects)


That's the spring rate that comes on the dedicated track kit. https://3dmmotorsport.com/collection...suspension-kit
Ohlins have a short travel. Im lowered half inch.

Weights
LF: 827
LR: 840
RF: 886
RR: 834

Total 3387lb

Cross Weight: 1726. 50.95%

Left: 1667 49.21%

Right: 1720 50.78%

Front: 1713 50.57%

Raer: 1674 49.42%


Alignment:
FL. -2.7
FR. -2.6
LR. -2.1
RR. -2.1

This is current setup, but on stock interior with full tank on stock 19's with subs ( I drive 4+ hours to racetracks so music is staying for now lol)

Car now has 4 point roll bar, removed rear interior, front seats replaced with OMP WRC XL's and sits on 18x10 +25. 275/35/18 Kuhmo Ecsta V730

[old///MFanatic]

Reading yall makes me worried, what's this "tearing" about? Should I be worried?

Aftermarket larger bars/brackets can tear out the front mounting point of the front swaybar bushing. It has two studs in small platform that hold each bushing bracket.

Strange timing on topic as after 14 yrs my H&R front swaybar broke the factory left bushing bracket last month. Somewhat nice thing about factory (non-CSL) bracket is it will often break a mounting ear before the whole mounting point. Most heavy duty aftermarket not so much.

[9kracing]

Reading yall makes me worried, what's this "tearing" about? Should I be worried?

From the link on the 1st page of this thread -

MSW’s Take: We’ve been reinforcing the front anti-roll bar mounts on E46s for a long time, ever since our first race car had a catastrophic mount failure at the track. We decided to offer the same type of reinforcement to everyone in an easy to install plate kit.

The front sway bar mount on the E46 chassis is very weak, and the chances of failure become exponentially greater when you combine stiff anti-roll bars and rough racing conditions. The factory 8mm studs will rip from the frame horns if they are not reinforced properly. The reinforcements included with some bars (such as Hotchkis) do not do a proper job of actually reinforcing this critical area.

This sway bar reinforcement plate kit is precision cut from 1/8″ carbon steel using a water jet. Holes for water drainage were placed in the plate in the same location as BMW designed.

Requires welding, professional installation recommended.

Designed and produced by MSW.

Includes two plates for both mounting locations.

Applications: All E46 and E85/86 Z4 models