dipstick

I have read many posts saying that stiffer sways makes the ride notably rougher. The way I understand sway bars is that it is a freely rotating bar with a lever arm connected to each wheel, intended to replicate displacement of one wheel in the opposite wheel. For example in a turn, as the moment about the outer wheel contact patch rotates the car body down toward the outer wheel and up away from the inner wheel, the sway bar twist provides resistance to the torsional forces on the body, reducing the difference in spring displacement between the wheels, and reducing body roll. Especially when cornering, there will be added resistance to deflection over bumps (rough ride) because the sway bar is in torsion. Also, there will be some added stiffness when one wheel hits a big bump or pothole and the other doesn't. But I don't see how it will have any significant effect on ride going straight ahead or turning moderately on a decent road surface, or even over speed bumps, driveways, bridges, etc. since both wheels rise and fall together, imparting no forces through the sway bar. I have been wondering about this for some time. Not arguing with anyone that the ride is rougher, just trying to understand a little better. Thanks for input.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

well actually i believe you are right. i don't have sways on the gs4 yet, but i do have them on my acura tl type s. compared to the stock one, i didn't even notice anything when the car is in normal driving condition. in high speed connering / lane changes, yes i noticed a huge difference, and also when i hit some very uneven surface, etc.... i feel the stiffness. but if i drive normally i don't really see any difference at all (at least the springs and shocks are much more noticeable). i guess when people saying it's affected is coz' for those of us in cali, roads / freeways are well made at all, so you ride on bad roads sometimes.....?

mooretorque

dipstick: well stated and accurate. It is on rougher pavement where the wheel movements will not be equal that the stiffer bars will make themselves felt. Otherwise, little noticeable effect.

Point being, for most of us, less than perfect asphalt is a fact of life, maybe less so here in the south than up north (two seasons: Winter and Road Repair).