Aftermarket Front Sway Bar - R32gtr

[Ronin 09]

I'm looking at some aftermarket front bars for an R32GTR

does anyone know the standard size hollow bar diameter?

what is the increase in rate for the whiteline bar?

[Ronin 09]

anyone?

also, what front sway bar are you guys running?

[Beer Baron]

I have been using the whiteline bars, but I'm thinking about either switching back to standard ones, or possibly some cusco ones. the whiteline ones are pretty heavy and I wasn't quite 100% keen on the fitment. not sure on the size of the stockies, someone out there must know!

[Sydneykid]

Standard GTR bars are hollow, so outside diameter is a meaningless comparison without allowing for the wall thickness. We run 24 mm solid front swaybars on R32GTR's with 5 settings of adjustment per arm in combination with a 24 mm rear swaybar with 3 setting of adjustment on the rear. I would always recommend using the standard front drop links on a road car. For a track car we use an adjustable length spherical link kit as it enables us to corner weight the car without preloading the swaybars. As always spherical bearings are a serviceable item, even the dust boot covered ones need greasing regularly and change the sphericals usually once per seqason of racing.

Link to the R32GTR Group Buy including swaybars;

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...showtopic=87521

Cheers

Gary

[Ronin 09]

Standard GTR bars are hollow, so outside diameter is a meaningless comparison without allowing for the wall thickness.

yes but I am still interested in what the standard diameter is...

We run 24 mm solid front swaybars on R32GTR's with 5 settings of adjustment per arm in combination with a 24 mm rear swaybar with 3 setting of adjustment on the rear.

That's fine, but you would still have to know the relative stiffness increase over the standard bar. any logical person would say, ok here i have a standard swaybar (be it hollow or solid) - what is my zero setting - ie the factory n/mm rate? Then from there, you can say a solid bar of Xmm will have a n/mm rate, which is XYZ % increase over the factory rate. You wouldn't just throw the stock one in the bin and "suck it and see" by throwing on different size sold bars until you get it right. That's not logical.

I would always recommend using the standard front drop links on a road car. For a track car we use an adjustable length spherical link kit as it enables us to corner weight the car without preloading the swaybars. As always spherical bearings are a serviceable item, even the dust boot covered ones need greasing regularly and change the sphericals usually once per seqason of racing.

Standard drop links may be fine, but my issue is that my "Group Buy" bar is contacting my front drive shafts, and I've been told by the suspension shop that I need longer links. I haven't seen where this is contacting, but as the suspension shop installed it all, i am inclined to believe that it's been done properly. Now seeing that it's unlikely that the bar has been installed incorrectly, the two scenarios are

1. the bar is faulty in design/manufacture or both

2. the factory drop links are not appropriate for this bar, and the bar should come with appropriate links

Has anyone else had this same issue?

[Roy]

Hillbilly! You should have rang me... Odds are it will be the links and where they have set the bar to. My issue with sump damage seems to have been link related. I used the std ones which were too short. Even with longer ones i dont think i can practically use the softest settings are the resulting angle is a little too extreme. I need to grab some longer ones and that should fix my headache. Maybe we grab 4 or so.

Who is doing the work, Centreline, Techsport? Should not be that difficult to test the difference in swaybars, they may even have soem std ones laying around

[Ronin 09]

neither - trutrack

[Roy]

And they are hitting the driveshafts? Do you know how many holes they have and which adjustement is being used? Sorry, i bet this is the last time you will listen to my advice re mods

[Ronin 09]

your brake mods are good

i don't know what setting they were one - I will find out

[Ronin 09]

ok my bar has 3 adjustments, and it's hitting on all 3... currently it's set on medium (centre hole)

[Roy]

I doubt there is any other way then ordering the Cusco ones and testing them.

[Sydneykid]

The standard R32GTR hollow swaybar is equivalent to a 20.5mm sold bar, so a 22 mm bar is an effective rate increase of 30%, a 24 mm bar is 85%. That's not allowing for the vertical blading of the arms on the adjustable bars which adds further to the rate as it reduces the flex in the arms. On the anti roll rate comparitor the 24 mm adjustable bar gives around 90%, 96% and 103% increases over the standard bar. Keeping in mind that the standard anti roll rate on the front of an R32GTR is not too bad, however the rear anti roll rate is grossly underdone, hence why the increases there are more than double the front.

Obviously with an adjustable (bladed) bar of larger than standard diameter the extra material has to go somewhere, in one or more of the 4 directions (up/down /and/or forward/backward). We choose the direction least likely to cause interference. You are the first person I know of to have an issues on an R32GTR with driveshaft contact. We make over 300 R32 front swaybars a year, so it is obvioulsy a pretty rare occurance. Looking at the possible issues, my guesses would be more front end geometry (caster/camber) than the average and/or the ride height is perhaps lower.

Whatever modifications the swaybar needs we can do, just get Ralph (Trutrack) to give me a call and we will work through the solution.

Cheers

Gary

[Ronin 09]

thanks Gary

the car is not too low - think around 355 front and 350 rear.

camber ~2 deg neg, caster 5 deg.

i'll get ralph to give you a buzz.

cheers

[djr81]

I had this information all written down but unfortunately it is not to hand. I will try & dig it up.

From memory the Cusco sway bar I bought for the rear of my R32 R was 20% stiffer than the equivalent Whiteline bar. For the front the disparity was greater.

When you look at the lever arm component the Cusco pickup point is matched to the inner of the two Whiteline drilled holes (Or the middle one if you have the extra drill hole). The Cusco bar is also quite a bit lighter. The Cusco pickup point (for the lever arm) is the same as the stock item. Also the bar geometry ie bends etc are very similar.

I didn't buy a front Cusco bar because my Whiteline on is still set on soft, whereas the rear was on hard (Although I could have drilled more holes).

If you have inner & outer diameters you can compare bar stiffnesses by raising the diameter to the 4th power.

So eg a 22mm bar compared to a 20.5.

20 raised to the 4th power divided by 20.5 raised tot he fourth power = 234256/176610 = 130%

ie 30% stiffer.

If the bar is hollow you subtract the inner diameter to the fourth before you do the division.

Interestingly (Or not ) the Cusco items have a welded on end connection (The bars are hollow). So I am unsure as to what they are made from. I haven't had sufficient enthusiasm to remove the bar & bring it to work to find out. The % carbon in the steel is the tell tale - higher carbon in this application would indicate spring steel.

Edited July 10, 2008 by djr81

[MrStabby]

Standard drop links may be fine, but my issue is that my "Group Buy" bar is contacting my front drive shafts,

Has anyone else had this same issue?

Yes, my group buy/whiteline front bar touched the driveshafts (just, it fit but rubbed). After a tickle with the grinder all was good.

[Ronin 09]

thanks djr, mrkotter

might sort out some longer links and see how it goes.

cheers

[Roy]

Ok, have semi sorted some new bars...but regarding the ARC ones. From looking at the diameters i suspect they are solid, not hollow? Does anyone know what the std GTST and GTR swaybar diameters? I am thinking that the non adjustable bars are hollow, just looking at the fabrication, and the adjustable bars are solid? Does anyone know for sure....have any old Hyper mags detailing them ?