First Whiteline Front Sway Bar Install - Gen 2 (UPDATE Pg 2)

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Well that blows!!!

[PXLpainter]

Tell me about it!!!

[gnegroni]

Damnit... I was just scrolling back to see what blows, found the group buy message, then the final update.... bummer!

[PXLpainter]

^^ Yeah, I should prolly repost the info in the first thread so nobody gets too excited, eh?

Man - I'm SOOOO not looking forward to putting that old OEM sway bar back in this ride!!

[dude]

sorry to hear this story....
how does it handle at high speed or maybe not such good idea if it does not fit properly. i would think more roll stiffness on front end would create some understeer or push, which is why the rsb is so nice because it helps reduce understeer. this is most notable in rain on fast sweepers. manafactures delibertly engineer push or understeer because if you get the car to rotate, ie by getting on the brakes in a fast sweeper, you can have the rear end come out which can be more difficult to correct or scary for novice drivers. i also wonder how the steering feels at speeds 120km+ over undulating surfaces in terms of kickback, turn-in, twitchyness, on centre feel, etc. because the solara is a heavy and wide fwd'r i find the suspension and tires influence how the steering wheel pulls back and forth as the car goes thru side to side up/down roll which is most notable at high straightline speeds. so...on long high speed drives it leads to more driver fatique due to constant corrections....

[PXLpainter]

It is really smooth overall but very tight. Torque steer is an issue however, as are ruts in the road - you do feel everything.

But the combo of being lowered with the front sway bar makes it feel like a go-cart. Incredible.

Fitment issues are in the mounts to the frame and the length of the linkages. I actually though about getting adjustable linkages to see if shortening them about an inch might help, but the real issue is the distorted bushings at the mount points.

Gonna be a while before I can get the OEM on it again - just keeping an eye on everything until I can - but I'm gonna miss the handling it currently has. It's so close to being perfect!

[philosophicaljt]

This really shouldn't be that hard to fabricate actually. The bar wouldn't need any flex, right? I could make it increidibly torsionally ridgid, and it should be fine, right?

I think If I take the oem bar into my machine class at school, I could easily create a piece that would fit as well as oem, and be bigger and stronger. Thats the point of it, right?

[Down2TheC]

uh... there is no OEM bar. That's the point.

[PXLpainter]

^^ Actually you're wrong Mike.

There is an OEM front sway bar already installed and it's a real PITA to get out - which is why I haven't re-installed one yet. You have to totally disconnect the sub-frame and drop it about 4" to work it in there.

Simply making a "beefier" one isn't the answer either - it has to be redesigned to eliminate some of the "coil" in both ends. The Whiteline bar has no coil whatsoever - just little stubby arms - which is what makes it more rigid. FWIW, the OEM bar is beefier than the Whiteline bar in thickness and weight.

[philosophicaljt]

^^thanks, thats good to know.

[vuuuuu]

Wait a minute....

You're preludejststyle! lol.. tis me, vooboo13.

[PXLpainter]

^^ read closer bud - the sway bar DIDN'T work out.

[Down2TheC]

Never knew that was there. (Really doesn't feel like there's one either)

Thanks for the lesson.

[PXLpainter]

Well gang - 'tis come to an end.

We yanked the Whiteline bar out and now she's back to stock and handling not as well of course. But... it rides smoother for the most part.

It was a great idea that failed - and a total bitch to install/replace afterwards as well. I wouldn't recommend trying anything like this on a FWD car ever again!

Time to close this bitch and say adios!