4kq upgraded sway bar bushes

[Larry C Leung]

IF you car rolls significantly (if you have a stock 4KQ, it does), the
front tires cannot do their job (the tops are leaned too far into the
turn, hence they aren't perpendicular to the road). This causes the front
to lose grip early. A little better positioning (hence better contact
patch) afforded by a stiffer front (up to the point that the roll induced
understeer remains essentially under control) bar or bushings will
actually REDUCE understeer. After that, even less roll can be achieved
and under/oversteer tuned by use of a rear bar or stiffer rear springs.
I've done this in my SCCA Stock class GTi, which I campaigned
successfully for 14 yrs before nature took her out with a fallen tree.
Stock class rules do NOT allow for changing the rear sway bars on cars,
but front bars are open. Managed to reduce understeer of the car quite
well, without a rear bar. You can also help remedy the situation with
adding negative camber to the alignment, or a front stress bar (not
allowed in SCCA Stock Solo Events rules).

LL - NY

On Tue, 11 Dec 2001 12:04:22 EST Jpinkowish at aol.com writes:
>In a message dated 12/3/01 12:12:53 PM EST, FJ40Jim at aol.com writes:
>
>> The toughest part was figuring out
>>  how to upgrade the rottten sway bar bushings.
>
>Hi Jim,
>My feelings exactly about the bushings.  I too thought that changing
>these to
>delrin or polyU would make the sway bar do its job and reduce body
>roll.
>
>However, I recently spoke with Alex Aristoy, who has autocrossed 4kqs
>and he
>said that stiffening the front sway bar will increase understeer,
>something
>already present in the 4kqs.  Instead, Alex recommended installing a
>rear
>sway bar.  He did this on his a-x 4kq and said the car cornered flat
>and more
>predictably.  I drove a 4kq that had Alex's rear subframe/sway bar
>installed,
>and can agree wholeheartedly.  I also have pics/details of this
>installation.
>
>Now that you've stiffened the front bar bushes, what say you?
>
>Look forward to your comments.
>
>Jan Pinkowish
>'85 4ksq
>Bristol, CT