Official F-sport Sway Bar Thread!
02-22-11, 12:13 AM
#531
Ummm...Okay. Hopefully it will still be okay for your year.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/4403687-post6.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/4403687-post6.html
Last edited by Micaiah; 02-22-11 at 12:18 AM.
02-22-11, 11:09 AM
#532
Let me know or PM me if you get something like this set up or find a shop. What I'm really looking for is a customization/modification shop familiar with installation of bolt-on aftermarket parts, they'd probably be more likely to give a reasonable install quote.
02-22-11, 12:05 PM
#534
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: OH
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To start off, thanks to everyone for building this thread up! Sway bar sounds like a must have mod and I'm eager to get one for my '09 350. I do have one question that I think anyone here can answer...what is the likely hood that I will need an additional bracket or bolt during my install?
I ask this because Sewell offers the rear sway bar at two prices for CL members. You can find it under the IS 350 F-sport accessories for $170 or under the IS F exterior accessories for $152. The only difference is the extra bracket and bolt. What are your thoughts? I will be doing the install myself.
I ask this because Sewell offers the rear sway bar at two prices for CL members. You can find it under the IS 350 F-sport accessories for $170 or under the IS F exterior accessories for $152. The only difference is the extra bracket and bolt. What are your thoughts? I will be doing the install myself.
02-22-11, 02:31 PM
#536
So for a 250AWD, the only bar that is worth getting is the front? Since the rear is already upgraded? I read through this thread before and couldnt find anyone give a specific comparison for the 250AWD, except one person that said they noticed a difference by getting both.
EDIT: Judging by Micaiah's post, that word doc notes that there's still a good increase in stiffness for the AWD F-Sport sways.
EDIT: Judging by Micaiah's post, that word doc notes that there's still a good increase in stiffness for the AWD F-Sport sways.
Last edited by OPTiK; 02-22-11 at 02:41 PM.
02-22-11, 05:12 PM
#537
Mann there's so much different info saying different things. Around the first 15 pages theres someone saying that the rear sway for the awd is a huge difference. I don't kno where u read that only the front is worth it cause everywhere I read said it's the rear that makes the most difference. Not the front.
02-22-11, 06:50 PM
#538
Lead Lap
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: MD
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've done my research on the forums, and it looks like someone knowledgeable with a lift (like, say, a Lexus service tech...) could install the rear F-sport sway in 30 minutes. To complete my research, I called every dealer within about 60 miles of me to see if any had a better deal, and I was amazed at both how varied their quotes were and how exorbitant the prices were:
LEXUS DEALER / PARTS (price for set) / LABOR (price and hours)
Towson / $650 / $345 (2-3 hrs)
Len Stoler / $495 / $173 (1.5 hrs)
Sheehy / $495 / $238 (2 hrs)
Silver Spring / $725 / Didn't quote
Rockville / $744 / $257 (2 hrs)
Chantilly / $495 / $340 (3 hrs)
Alexandria / $700 / Didn't quote
Just thought I'd share how varied these quotes were. I figured because they're all Lexus authorized dealers buying the parts from the same place (Lexus), they'd be about the same. Unfortunately, given I just spent the cash on the car, I don't have ~$700-1000 to spend on getting one sway bar purchased and installed. From what I read on the forums, I was hoping to do it for more around $300 ($200 for the bar and $100 for install).
Anyone know of a place in the Baltimore, Maryland (or greater Maryland/DC) area that would install the bar for me if I bought it from Sewell? (And I know that this would then not be covered by my CPO warranty, but I've accepted that given the prices above). I'd be hugely grateful!
LEXUS DEALER / PARTS (price for set) / LABOR (price and hours)
Towson / $650 / $345 (2-3 hrs)
Len Stoler / $495 / $173 (1.5 hrs)
Sheehy / $495 / $238 (2 hrs)
Silver Spring / $725 / Didn't quote
Rockville / $744 / $257 (2 hrs)
Chantilly / $495 / $340 (3 hrs)
Alexandria / $700 / Didn't quote
Just thought I'd share how varied these quotes were. I figured because they're all Lexus authorized dealers buying the parts from the same place (Lexus), they'd be about the same. Unfortunately, given I just spent the cash on the car, I don't have ~$700-1000 to spend on getting one sway bar purchased and installed. From what I read on the forums, I was hoping to do it for more around $300 ($200 for the bar and $100 for install).
Anyone know of a place in the Baltimore, Maryland (or greater Maryland/DC) area that would install the bar for me if I bought it from Sewell? (And I know that this would then not be covered by my CPO warranty, but I've accepted that given the prices above). I'd be hugely grateful!
I thought that if I Couldn't do the install myself I'd have them or someone else do it. I'm heading on vacation for a couple weeks this Thursday. I'm thinking of scheduling the install now (I believe they're usually backed up) and when I come back, trying it again, and canceling the appt if I can pull it off.
I haven't put my engine under covers back on since I pulled them off on Friday. I hope I don't damage anything. I just have one more day of driving tomorrow and then the car's parked for 2 weeks
Last edited by Shahryar; 02-22-11 at 06:54 PM.
02-22-11, 08:46 PM
#539
Here is my update. After driving around on the rear F Sport sway bar for the last two weeks (look for post #522 for that info), I finally had my front F Sport sway bar put on yesterday. After driving for the last two days, and hitting Ortega Highway (which for those of you who don't know, is a very twisty mountain/canyon two lane road here in So Cal), I can say that the front bar is well worth the money! For the first time I am now hitting the limits of my tires adhesion to the road, and carving thru high speed twisting mountain roads is now quite entertaining, especially with the level of control that BOTH sway bars provide.
With just the rear F Sport sway bar, the car handled better, and cornering was definitely improved, but the front felt like it was not dialed in, and it was apparent almost immediately that the front was way too loose and sloppy IMHO. With the front F Sport bar on, my car now feels very connected to the road, and the overall agility in cornering has improved significantly. My IS now feels like a sports sedan for the first time.
If you're undecided about getting the front F Sport bar, don't be. It is a very noticable improvement, and worth every penny!
With just the rear F Sport sway bar, the car handled better, and cornering was definitely improved, but the front felt like it was not dialed in, and it was apparent almost immediately that the front was way too loose and sloppy IMHO. With the front F Sport bar on, my car now feels very connected to the road, and the overall agility in cornering has improved significantly. My IS now feels like a sports sedan for the first time.
If you're undecided about getting the front F Sport bar, don't be. It is a very noticable improvement, and worth every penny!
02-23-11, 09:51 AM
#540
Thanks for this info. This past Friday when it was 70+ degrees, I thought it would be the perfect day to put both the front and rear sway bars in my '08 IS 350. I attempted but I couldn't even get the bolts off. The next day I had my alignment scheduled at IAG Performance in Westminster and I also asked them to give me a quote on the sway bar install. They said it would be $240 - $80 an hour for the mechanic, 1.5 hours for each bar.
I thought that if I Couldn't do the install myself I'd have them or someone else do it. I'm heading on vacation for a couple weeks this Thursday. I'm thinking of scheduling the install now (I believe they're usually backed up) and when I come back, trying it again, and canceling the appt if I can pull it off.
I haven't put my engine under covers back on since I pulled them off on Friday. I hope I don't damage anything. I just have one more day of driving tomorrow and then the car's parked for 2 weeks
I thought that if I Couldn't do the install myself I'd have them or someone else do it. I'm heading on vacation for a couple weeks this Thursday. I'm thinking of scheduling the install now (I believe they're usually backed up) and when I come back, trying it again, and canceling the appt if I can pull it off.
I haven't put my engine under covers back on since I pulled them off on Friday. I hope I don't damage anything. I just have one more day of driving tomorrow and then the car's parked for 2 weeks