Hope you will report how it works.
To me ultimate dry cornering is not important. How the car feels at more
normal speeds combined with a reasonable assurance that it won't try to
swap ends in slippery conditions is important.
From what others report the handling is greatly improved and they only
wished they did the mod sooner.
Wilkins this is my understanding. A stock VW Golf, Jetta has in good condition*
has about as good handling, better than most non sports cars. However they
are designed for safety and comfort, with out being too harsh.
(* Good conditions at 6 years and 90 miles my shocks and struts were worn
out. I replaced them with upgraded Bilsteins. I did the rear first and just
installing struts yesterday and today. Yet to drive it yet with struts. Just
the rear shocks made a big difference. So instead of sway bar consider
better dampers, especially if your shocks are over 5 years. However new
shocks and struts if you pay to have them installed with parts will be well
over $1200 or more. A $200 DIY install sway bar is a cheaper fix, however
if your shocks and struts are shot, then sway bar is not what you need first.)
This thread has turned into the concern for screwing up (safe) handling.
UNDER STEER - CAR TURNS LESS THAN DESIRED.
That means you start pushing the car too fast the front end skids and you
swing wider than you want, and go to outside of the turn. The automatic
response is to back off the throttle slightly (not jam on brakes). This tends
to correct it self. The over steer on a front wheel drive font weight biased
car tends to be fairly predictable and beign. However that does not mean
you will not go skidding off the road on the outside of the turn, just that
the average driver will be more likely be able to recognize loss of traction
and slow down, while not losing total control.
OVER STEER, CAR TURNS MORE THAN DESIRED.
You start pushing car into turn fast, back end comes out. This isn't an uncontrollable
condition, but it can be way more dramatic and happen FAST. It requires a deft touch
on throttle and steering inputs. We all learned "STEER INTO THE SKID".
OVER STEER tends to just happen faster, under steer slower. However with a front
engine, front wheel drive you are not going to get a dramatic of over steer, no
matter how stiff your rear sway bar is in dry conditions. With that said you can
screw up ride comfort and make the car less pleasant to drive where you reached
diminishing returns on reducing body roll and reducing under steer. Balance of
under steer and over steer is part preference and part inherent in the car.
BALANCE - If the rear bar is too stiff it will make the independent suspension less
compliant over uneven rough roads, and it can make cars rock (waddle) and be harsh.
Under steer is NOT good, nor over steer. A sporty car has neutral or balanced grip.
Sport cars try for near 50/50 weight distribution. Where the center of mass is
between the tires. Of course many great handling sport cars have been wrapped
around a tree. However when you loose grip you will skid all four wheels in theory.
Skidding can be controlled and fun, if you use the throttle and steering. Ever hear
"When in doubt gas it out". Sometimes keeping your foot into the gas will be better
then letting off which can make the car unstable. Power can have stabilizing effect...
People treat the throttle like a toggle switch, all or nothing. Also brakes can make it
worse as well. As a motorcycle rider you know if you enter a turn too fast... you
did screwed yourself. Same with a car, know your limits, know the turns, conditions.
No car or bike is a drive-o-matic (well that is changing with technology). Even our
cars have traction control. The fancy (expensive) sport/Lux performance cars have
computers to keep the driver out of trouble. Fancy cars also have active suspension,
where they vary suspension stiffness & dampening dynamically. You can select
"Track Mode", where that would be bone rattling on the street it is perfect for track.
Of course a shock might cost $1000 or more. With labor $2000?
WET or SNOW conditions? Well if you have good tires and drive like a normal
person a sway bar is not going to hurt you. If you have snow tires (studded or not)
you are going to be fine. If there is no traction the sway bar is not your problem.
ICE? I use to snow ski. I use to get passed by 4x4. I would see them latter in the
ditch. I had a '82 Subaru with cables on front tires. Perfect for driving snow.
Nothing helps in ICE... save for some serious studded tires.
If you don't care about dry weather handing (high speed turns) then a 22mm or
23mm on soft or even firm setting will be a nice boost with NO downside, because
VW dialed in too much into the under steer side. A modestly stiffer roll bar will
maintain under steer, just less of it, aloing with the pleasing LOWER BODY ROLL.
Again VW makes cars handle well but errors on the side of average drivers.
Slight under steer is what they aim for because under steer tends not to be
DRAMATIC.... when you loose traction. If you want off the self OEM
balanced handling you have to buy a sports car or tune your VW.
For me with my JSW 66 Cu Ft cargo full it handles poorly. A sway bar will
make it safer. I mean the car rolls way too much even at normal speeds.
The JSW will benefit from any sway bar upgrade (within reason).
For folks that want slightly less body roll, 22mm is perfect. For those who
want more, 24mm is right, and with the 3 adjustments you can start at
soft (which is slightly stiffer than the 22mm at full firm) to very stiff.
Of course good tires and driving NOT like a nut in wet and slippery
conditions is key here. The sway bar benefits are for dry conditions.
Sway bar is not for slippery conditions, but people report no advise
effect. There is no need to fear the Mod.
IF YOU HAVE LOW TRACTION ROAD CONDITIONS, BIG SWAY BAR OR NOT,
YOU HAVE LOW TRACTION.... SLOW DOWN.
