Discussion: OEM vs. aftermarket sways

[yudalicious]

I have the opportunity to purchase a set of OEM SE sways for an S14. I'm trying to compare these between the suspension tech sways. Some ppl onNICO recommends OEM sways over aftermarket sways, point being that they overwhel street tires. What's your take on this?

[Mr. Spool]

I would go for the rear one but leave your stock front one on. The rear aftermarkets a quite a bit bigger but the fronts are comparable.

[yudalicious]

sorry in my haste I failed to mention myother set up: RSR race springs and KYB AGX, with some grippy all season tires.

[AceInHole]

Originally Posted by Mr. Spool

I would go for the rear one but leave your stock front one on. The rear aftermarkets a quite a bit bigger but the fronts are comparable.

it's more than size. aftermarket bars aren't hollow like the OEM front.

FWIW: i like my whiteline bars, even with the bushing style endlinks they came with. can't wait to get the tie rod endlinks in and make a solid endlinks.

[Mr. Spool]

you know I was thinking about that, but when I weighed my front white lines against my front stock, they are roughly the same. Then again that was on an s13 as well.

[AceInHole]

really... i felt my whiteline bar was noticeably heavier.....

[Var]

me too. the whiteline front bar is a hog

[Mr. Spool]

On mine the rear was quite a bit bigger, there was apsolutly no comparison. but I really didn't feel like the front was a good replacement for the money, Keep in mind that this was also on an s13, I have only glanced at the one on my s14 and it appears to be about the same as the one on my s13, Then again I do not have a clue what the previouse owner had upgraded.

[Ghettokracker71]

I am waiting for the Works Yamaguchi sways to come out....

[[email protected]]

A solid bar is only about 5% stiffer than a hollow bar of the same diameter... a properly sized hollow bar can be as stiff as a solid bar and alot lighter. Most aftermarket bars are not hollow though, I only know of the arc pipe stablizers from Japan, and those cost $$$

We are developing lower cost solid endlinks for the Z32, they should work with adjustable (spade-end type) sway bars for the 240SX...

Originally Posted by AceInHole

it's more than size. aftermarket bars aren't hollow like the OEM front.

FWIW: i like my whiteline bars, even with the bushing style endlinks they came with. can't wait to get the tie rod endlinks in and make a solid endlinks.

[yudalicious]

thanks guys, it's always good to learn somn new. But can some1 gimme more info on my question? Thanks.

[Var]

go with a beefier rear sway bar whatever the brand. I got whiteline adjustable. I heard the ST rears dont fit right. Can anyone confirm? anyways that's one answer to your question. anything more specific you want to know?

[s0ldats]

Originally Posted by Ghettokracker71

I am waiting for the Works Yamaguchi sways to come out....

yeah

[yudalicious]

The only aftermarket sways in my price range are the whitelines and suspension techniques. I'm leaning towards more to the STs because of the price. Of course there's always the option of OEM sways, since I have the opportunity now to buy a set for nearly 1/2 the price of the STs.

[yudalicious]

I think I'm going to stick w/ the OEM SE sways and see how I like them. I might upgrade later on according to what I see fits my style and needs better.

[Thunderchicken]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

A solid bar is only about 5% stiffer than a hollow bar of the same diameter... a properly sized hollow bar can be as stiff as a solid bar and alot lighter. Most aftermarket bars are not hollow though, I only know of the arc pipe stablizers from Japan, and those cost $$$

We are developing lower cost solid endlinks for the Z32, they should work with adjustable (spade-end type) sway bars for the 240SX...

That may be true when the bars are in bending (axial). But for torsional loads a solid bar is better.

[KiDyNomiTe]

If you wanna be cheap buy a JDM rear bar, go for well under $100 shipped. Or go to a junker and hope to find an S13 with HICAS.

For S14 owners, not sure if the JDM HICAS rear bar is any bigger.

[[email protected]]

In torsion, the center of the bar contributes little to the torque, as it has no leverage (radius from axis of rotation). That is why a solid bar is only a little better than a hollow bar of the same diameter, for torsion. For bending, actually I believe a hollow bar is much easier to bend than a solid bar...

Link to some info on the subject:

http://www.hotchkis.net/pdf_files/HollowSwayTech-D.pdf

Originally Posted by Thunderchicken

That may be true when the bars are in bending (axial). But for torsional loads a solid bar is better.

[Replicant_S14]

Originally Posted by yudalicious

I think I'm going to stick w/ the OEM SE sways and see how I like them. I might upgrade later on according to what I see fits my style and needs better.

Great idea. What kind of diff do you have? I have whitelines f&r and the rear is about as stiff as I'd want for VLSD. Open diff? I wouldn't go any stiffer than OE bars or maybe even no bar.

[yudalicious]

I'm on open diff right now, but I do plan to upgrade before the end of this year. Probably the NISMO 2 way that I've been seeing online. Replicant, can you explain a lil more why too stiff wouldn't do good. Thanks.

[Replicant_S14]

It's just that it's already hard enough to get an open diff to hook up. Swaybars, by their nature lift the inside wheel so, if you're doing the "one wheel peel" now, it'll only get worse with a stiffer bar. I had my whitelines on for a week or so before I put the vlsd on. I'm sure a lot of people do that but I though it was terrible. Sure the car cornered flatter but you feel like you can get anywhere when you get back on the gas.

[Var]

i got whiteline rears on full stiff, stripped interior with an open diff. I have 205-50-15 azenis and i have a hard time burning out. Good tires will fix that problem.

More importantly, unless your are drag racing for et's or pinkslips, or auto-x for some ppl, it's kinda pointless to associate any negative affects anything will have on your launch. I think the handling characteristics of a stiff rear sway bar far outweigh the traction problems that i didnt even notice. as far as powering out of turns, maybe you'll spin a crappy tire, but the azenis you'll only spin in 1st gear. Plus it's ok if the inside tire spins a little, at least you're not understeering as much.

[Replicant_S14]

Originally Posted by westboroughpimp

Good tires will fix that problem.

I have the same tires, vlsd, stock clutch and full interior. Even with both tires pushing, I have to manage the throttle in hard auto-x starts in order to not kill too much time from wheel spin. Still tho, the loss of traction I'm talking about is when you're exiting corners. Not arguing, just sharing my experience. For me the gain in balance was cancelled out by the reduction in forward propulsion and on cold surface temps I was actually slower on the same tire (it was a little quicker with r-comps).

[yudalicious]

thanks for all the great replies. I'm hoping that once I put my AGX/RSR on the body roll would be reduced by alot. Replicant you are in ATL? Me too. I've seen your car on the 240s over atlanta site before.

Anyway I've searched all over but I cannot find the stock S14 sway bar sizes both SE and standardn. I think I saw a thread about this recently but I just can't see to find it.

[Thunderchicken]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

In torsion, the center of the bar contributes little to the torque, as it has no leverage (radius from axis of rotation). That is why a solid bar is only a little better than a hollow bar of the same diameter, for torsion. For bending, actually I believe a hollow bar is much easier to bend than a solid bar...

Link to some info on the subject:

http://www.hotchkis.net/pdf_files/HollowSwayTech-D.pdf

That is a very informative link. The solid bar would probably bend first. And from that link it says that the slightly larger dia. hollow bar is stiffer, weighs less, and sees the same amount of stress.

For the average street car the difference between hollow and solid bars designed by reputable shops would be unnoticeable.