Sway bar adjustment

BandWagon · 01-10-2022, 10:03 PM

I have been searching around and I haven't found too much on this Topic.

I believe when you have adjustable endlinks for your sway bars, we want just a few lbs of preload on the bar when the car is sitting on its own weight at normal ride height.

I would love some input on this or maybe better terms to google so I might find the answer.

I am using ESC tuning sway bars with tuner endlinks.

Thanks for the help!

gjm120 · 01-11-2022, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BandWagon

I have been searching around and I haven't found too much on this Topic.

I believe when you have adjustable endlinks for your sway bars, we want just a few lbs of preload on the bar when the car is sitting on its own weight at normal ride height.

I would love some input on this or maybe better terms to google so I might find the answer.

I am using ESC tuning sway bars with tuner endlinks.

Thanks for the help!

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1523944

Good explanation of the theory. The process outlined in post #1 works well.

BandWagon · 01-11-2022, 11:12 AM

Thank you for the quick replay!

Looks like my mind was in the right direction but, I do believe there is a reason to preload your sway bar. That post didn’t talk about preloads.

I feel that with no preload on the sway bar there is the possibility of slop in the endlinks.

I also know that you can add spring rate to the suspension by preloading the sway bars. an example of this would be the sway bars that come with 3 adjustment holes on the ends of the bar.

I will look into this more and report back.

BandWagon · 01-11-2022, 11:26 AM

So it seems I was wrong and right.
Preloading changes the spring rate of the sway bar it self.

After reading this:
https://www.joesracing.com/setting-the-bar/

This is a more race track perspective so a neutral adjustment might be better on the street.

Preloading by about 0.5% (I think they mean lbs of spring rate on bar) seems to help with controlled corner entry where having a neutral adjustment can have a more lose entry.

Once I am up and running I will take mine to the track and give here a few runs to try and feel a difference.

01-10-2022, 10:03 PM	#1
BandWagon Enlisted Member 31 Rep 30 Posts Drives: 2016 340i, 2008 328xi touring Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Sway bar adjustment I have been searching around and I haven't found too much on this Topic. I believe when you have adjustable endlinks for your sway bars, we want just a few lbs of preload on the bar when the car is sitting on its own weight at normal ride height. I would love some input on this or maybe better terms to google so I might find the answer. I am using ESC tuning sway bars with tuner endlinks. Thanks for the help!
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01-11-2022, 11:12 AM	#3
BandWagon Enlisted Member 31 Rep 30 Posts Drives: 2016 340i, 2008 328xi touring Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Thank you for the quick replay! Looks like my mind was in the right direction but, I do believe there is a reason to preload your sway bar. That post didn’t talk about preloads. I feel that with no preload on the sway bar there is the possibility of slop in the endlinks. I also know that you can add spring rate to the suspension by preloading the sway bars. an example of this would be the sway bars that come with 3 adjustment holes on the ends of the bar. I will look into this more and report back.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-11-2022, 11:26 AM	#4
BandWagon Enlisted Member 31 Rep 30 Posts Drives: 2016 340i, 2008 328xi touring Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	So it seems I was wrong and right. Preloading changes the spring rate of the sway bar it self. After reading this: https://www.joesracing.com/setting-the-bar/ This is a more race track perspective so a neutral adjustment might be better on the street. Preloading by about 0.5% (I think they mean lbs of spring rate on bar) seems to help with controlled corner entry where having a neutral adjustment can have a more lose entry. Once I am up and running I will take mine to the track and give here a few runs to try and feel a difference.
	Appreciate 0 Quote