F-Sport Sway Bars - Got Them - Here's My Opinion
#62
Seems to be some misinformation here. The purpose of anti-roll bar is to reduce the body roll of the vehicle, ie the lean of the body during turns. The bar act as counter force to the shift in weight. It should not affect the ride quality like some had concern over.
I am not sure the effect of stiffening just the rear bar. The result may be increased oversteer which to some are more fun and exciting but I would do both and front at the same time. Also beware that due to less body roll the there's less warning on the limitation of the vehicle. The effect may be drastic when the traction breaks just prepare to catch it when it happens.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question432.htm
I am not sure the effect of stiffening just the rear bar. The result may be increased oversteer which to some are more fun and exciting but I would do both and front at the same time. Also beware that due to less body roll the there's less warning on the limitation of the vehicle. The effect may be drastic when the traction breaks just prepare to catch it when it happens.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question432.htm
Last edited by bobbo1978; 11-14-09 at 07:21 PM.
#63
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A few days ago I installed just the rear F-Sport bar. After a few miles on a variety of roads the consensus is that the handling is perceptibly better, but that bumps are now felt more strongly in the seat bottom. The steering seemed neutral to me, but the car wasn't driven to the limit.
Today I installed the front bar and the ride definitely seems stiffer. Aside from a moment of surprise when a beeper sounded during some hard turns (apparently the low fuel warning) the handling remains very good. On a local road where I used to exercise my Porsche, with many challenging 35 to 55 mph turns, the car was rock solid. After years of having front wheel drive cars it is a pleasure to be in rear drive with fairly neutral handling. These bars seem worth it.
So why does the ride feel stiffer. My guess is that on the '09s at least some of it comes from the change in the bushings. The stock rear bushings on the '09 are glued into aluminum brackets and have a slick fibrous bearing surface around the bar. The F-Sport looks conventional. The other factor is the side to side impact transfer on uneven bumps is more noticeable.
Of course it could be just that we have to feel something when we add something new. Perhaps someone can paint the ends of stock bars blue and report on the improvements.
Last edited by fbarbarosa; 11-17-09 at 09:11 AM.
#64
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^^^^No, IMHO, you're right. I put the rear bar only on my F, and it did slightly stiffen up the ride. I left the front bar alone, because, on the F, the front bar is the same size as the ISX50 RWD F-Sport front bar. BTW, I sold my stock rear bar to an IS350 RWD owner, and he report back that it did improve his handling.
Lou
Lou
#66
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however, since the car already under steers BADLY from the factory a stiffer rear is exactly what it needs.
As to ride quality the simple explaination is any sway bar makes the independent suspension less independent. Stiffer the bar the more that is true.
As Wiki explains it:
Because an anti-roll bar connects wheels on the opposite sides of the vehicle together, the bar will transmit the force of one-wheel bumps to the opposite wheel. On rough or broken pavement, anti-roll bars can produce jarring, side-to-side body motions (a "waddling" sensation), which increase in severity with the diameter and stiffness of the sway bars.
#68
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For anyone thinking about f-sport sway bars -- do it
I installed front and rear f-sport sway bars along with the rear brace on my 08 IS 350. Imagine tying a rope to the top of the car and then slinging it around. The only thing I noticed......curves.... you feel more of the road in the seat of your pants.
#70
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This is undesireable for a 350, since it'll cause more understeer than the pure F-sport setup (which on a 350 is either slight understeer, or neutral) but it might work for your IS-F.
#71
Lexus Fanatic
Uhh, wow, not sure what to think.
#72
Trying to find and purchase just the front FSPORT sway bar. I can only find either the rear or the set.
Any ideas?
Lexus said they wanted 495.00 USD for the front..... Can this be true?
Lazar
Any ideas?
Lexus said they wanted 495.00 USD for the front..... Can this be true?
Lazar
#75
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I'm not sure what you read, but I don't think you read it correctly.
A 250 should get both bars.
A 350 can get away with just the rear bar. (though running both remains ideal, a 350 will get most of the benefit with just a rear)
I can't think of any circumstance where it'd make sense to get just the front bar.