Which Sways would you recommend?
Yes. On a very tight technical track, the car was still under steering at the limit so I firmed up the rear bar one notch and it was good the rest of the day.
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You probably won't adjust them more than once in the entire lifetime of the car but in my opinion it's good to have some adjustability. I have the eibachs and front was always at softest setting. Rears I tried the middle and the hardest setting and finally settled for the mid.
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From: Houston, TX
Originally Posted by Presto
You probably won't adjust them more than once in the entire lifetime of the car but in my opinion it's good to have some adjustability. I have the eibachs and front was always at softest setting. Rears I tried the middle and the hardest setting and finally settled for the mid.
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Joined: Dec 2014
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From: Calgary
I have had upgraded sways on several different cars, including Progress Bars on my SC Maxima. After 1 year of use, I still love my Hotchkis bars. No squeak, no problems, very dramatic handling upgrade.
As for the "rate", think about what a sway bar does - if one side of the suspension is compressed and the other isn't, the sway bar forces the opposing spring on the same axle to compress, minus the flex in the sway bar. If the sway bar has no flex, you end up with an effective doubling of the suspension spring rate. You can't end up with a tripling or quadrupling... If both sides of the suspension are compressed (as on a speed bump) the sway does nothing. Just rotates in the bushings.
Without knowing the exact geometry of all parts of the suspension, the flex rate of the bar tells you nothing about what your actual experience will be; and even then it will depend on your spring rate.
I would always advise doing a the sway bar upgrade first, before any other suspension mods. You may find that, with an upgraded sway, you don't want stiffer springs.
As for end links, if your Infinissan end links have not failed yet, they soon will. They are a very light duty metal ball in 'permanently lubricated" plastic socket design. When they fail, you get very weird handling and loud clunks. Best to change them out when replacing the sways.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Moog Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
As for the "rate", think about what a sway bar does - if one side of the suspension is compressed and the other isn't, the sway bar forces the opposing spring on the same axle to compress, minus the flex in the sway bar. If the sway bar has no flex, you end up with an effective doubling of the suspension spring rate. You can't end up with a tripling or quadrupling... If both sides of the suspension are compressed (as on a speed bump) the sway does nothing. Just rotates in the bushings.
Without knowing the exact geometry of all parts of the suspension, the flex rate of the bar tells you nothing about what your actual experience will be; and even then it will depend on your spring rate.
I would always advise doing a the sway bar upgrade first, before any other suspension mods. You may find that, with an upgraded sway, you don't want stiffer springs.
As for end links, if your Infinissan end links have not failed yet, they soon will. They are a very light duty metal ball in 'permanently lubricated" plastic socket design. When they fail, you get very weird handling and loud clunks. Best to change them out when replacing the sways.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Moog Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
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From: Houston, TX
Originally Posted by mhadford
I have had upgraded sways on several different cars, including Progress Bars on my SC Maxima. After 1 year of use, I still love my Hotchkis bars. No squeak, no problems, very dramatic handling upgrade.
As for the "rate", think about what a sway bar does - if one side of the suspension is compressed and the other isn't, the sway bar forces the opposing spring on the same axle to compress, minus the flex in the sway bar. If the sway bar has no flex, you end up with an effective doubling of the suspension spring rate. You can't end up with a tripling or quadrupling... If both sides of the suspension are compressed (as on a speed bump) the sway does nothing. Just rotates in the bushings.
Without knowing the exact geometry of all parts of the suspension, the flex rate of the bar tells you nothing about what your actual experience will be; and even then it will depend on your spring rate.
I would always advise doing a the sway bar upgrade first, before any other suspension mods. You may find that, with an upgraded sway, you don't want stiffer springs.
As for end links, if your Infinissan end links have not failed yet, they soon will. They are a very light duty metal ball in 'permanently lubricated" plastic socket design. When they fail, you get very weird handling and loud clunks. Best to change them out when replacing the sways.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Wagner Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
As for the "rate", think about what a sway bar does - if one side of the suspension is compressed and the other isn't, the sway bar forces the opposing spring on the same axle to compress, minus the flex in the sway bar. If the sway bar has no flex, you end up with an effective doubling of the suspension spring rate. You can't end up with a tripling or quadrupling... If both sides of the suspension are compressed (as on a speed bump) the sway does nothing. Just rotates in the bushings.
Without knowing the exact geometry of all parts of the suspension, the flex rate of the bar tells you nothing about what your actual experience will be; and even then it will depend on your spring rate.
I would always advise doing a the sway bar upgrade first, before any other suspension mods. You may find that, with an upgraded sway, you don't want stiffer springs.
As for end links, if your Infinissan end links have not failed yet, they soon will. They are a very light duty metal ball in 'permanently lubricated" plastic socket design. When they fail, you get very weird handling and loud clunks. Best to change them out when replacing the sways.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Wagner Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
I have had upgraded sways on several different cars, including Progress Bars on my SC Maxima. After 1 year of use, I still love my Hotchkis bars. No squeak, no problems, very dramatic handling upgrade.
As for the "rate", think about what a sway bar does - if one side of the suspension is compressed and the other isn't, the sway bar forces the opposing spring on the same axle to compress, minus the flex in the sway bar. If the sway bar has no flex, you end up with an effective doubling of the suspension spring rate. You can't end up with a tripling or quadrupling... If both sides of the suspension are compressed (as on a speed bump) the sway does nothing. Just rotates in the bushings.
Without knowing the exact geometry of all parts of the suspension, the flex rate of the bar tells you nothing about what your actual experience will be; and even then it will depend on your spring rate.
I would always advise doing a the sway bar upgrade first, before any other suspension mods. You may find that, with an upgraded sway, you don't want stiffer springs.
As for end links, if your Infinissan end links have not failed yet, they soon will. They are a very light duty metal ball in 'permanently lubricated" plastic socket design. When they fail, you get very weird handling and loud clunks. Best to change them out when replacing the sways.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Moog Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
As for the "rate", think about what a sway bar does - if one side of the suspension is compressed and the other isn't, the sway bar forces the opposing spring on the same axle to compress, minus the flex in the sway bar. If the sway bar has no flex, you end up with an effective doubling of the suspension spring rate. You can't end up with a tripling or quadrupling... If both sides of the suspension are compressed (as on a speed bump) the sway does nothing. Just rotates in the bushings.
Without knowing the exact geometry of all parts of the suspension, the flex rate of the bar tells you nothing about what your actual experience will be; and even then it will depend on your spring rate.
I would always advise doing a the sway bar upgrade first, before any other suspension mods. You may find that, with an upgraded sway, you don't want stiffer springs.
As for end links, if your Infinissan end links have not failed yet, they soon will. They are a very light duty metal ball in 'permanently lubricated" plastic socket design. When they fail, you get very weird handling and loud clunks. Best to change them out when replacing the sways.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Moog Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Sways bars, as you stated before, transmit forces from one side to the other, resulting in a flatter ride and the slight performance increases resulting from it. But it can't change how the suspension compresses and rebounds to the extent that a good set of coilovers can.
Anyways, one step at a time, right? I think (anti)sway bars will likely be my next mod.
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 26
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From: Calgary
It depends what you want to accomplish - if you want to maximise grip, then a set of adjustable suspension would likely be something you'd want to get first. Steady state cornering as well as transitional would improve depending on how you set it up as well as being able to more greatly fine tune how your car drives.
Sways bars, as you stated before, transmit forces from one side to the other, resulting in a flatter ride and the slight performance increases resulting from it. But it can't change how the suspension compresses and rebounds to the extent that a good set of coilovers can.
Anyways, one step at a time, right? I think (anti)sway bars will likely be my next mod.
Sways bars, as you stated before, transmit forces from one side to the other, resulting in a flatter ride and the slight performance increases resulting from it. But it can't change how the suspension compresses and rebounds to the extent that a good set of coilovers can.
Anyways, one step at a time, right? I think (anti)sway bars will likely be my next mod.
My point was, an upgraded sway bar has the effect of stiffening the suspension without any other mods. If a person puts coilovers with stiffer springs THEN upgrades the sways, they may end up hating the ride, and have to shell out for another, softer set of springs.
I personally prefer the "European" style suspension set up of a moderate drop, softish springs, stiff sways and stiff dampers.
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 26
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From: Calgary
I've had Eibach sways on my sedan four years now, with the original OEM end-links, and I'm lowered. The car is at my mechanic's shop at least twice a year for various mod installs, and he goes over everything in detail each time. The end-links are still good, as of my last visit.
My recommendation is to stick with your OEM end-links until it becomes a problem, and deal with it then.
As for the sways... I bought them here on the forum from a friend who was parting out his mods. But after five years of hanging out here, it sure does seem like Hotchkis is the preferred swaybar, with Eibach just behind it.
I've been eyballing SPL and SPC end-links for years, and have finally come to the opinion that they're overkill. Moog end-links are absolutely fine. I had them on my 5.5 gen Maxima (along with Moog tie-rod ends and ball-joints). That car was tight. 
Me too, LOL. Means absolutely nothing.
Great post, btw, mhadford.
My recommendation is to stick with your OEM end-links until it becomes a problem, and deal with it then.
As for the sways... I bought them here on the forum from a friend who was parting out his mods. But after five years of hanging out here, it sure does seem like Hotchkis is the preferred swaybar, with Eibach just behind it.
No need to buy expensive adjustable aircraft grade super duper end links. The Moog Problem Solver end links from Rockauto work fine.
Me too, LOL. Means absolutely nothing.
Great post, btw, mhadford.