[iqraceworks]

Maybe I'm just used to driving my Mini Cooper with the aftermarket rear sway bar, but my 07' 335i seems to really lean over in the corners. It's not horrible, but it could definitely be improved. From what I've read, on the 335i's if you run a stiffer front bar, you really need to also run a stiffer rear bar or the car is going to be unbalanced in the corners and have a lot more understeer vs. the OEM bar setup.

Has anyone messed around with upgrading the sway bars on their 335i? Any recommendations as far as brand/size goes? For a street car that only sees twisty roads on occasion and no track time...is it worth the time/money?

Any info would be great!! Thanks!!

[haaken675]

Are you still on stock suspension? I found that with a refresh the car didn't float in the corners. I have yet to try a sway bar for reference.

[iqraceworks]

Originally Posted by haaken675

Are you still on stock suspension? I found that with a refresh the car didn't float in the corners. I have yet to try a sway bar for reference.

No, not stock suspension. I'm running the Bilstein B12 ProKit with the Eibach sport springs.

[neilvan]

I've got M3 bars(1 has sedan/coupe and 1 has the larger convertible) on both my 335's (both have LSDs in the rear).

big rear bars arn't recommended without an LSD so ours 328 has the bigger oem 15mm car (E93 M-sport or x-drive cars) and will likely pair with an E90/E92 M3 front bar

[Tyc0]

I don't have any experience with aftermarket sways on e chassis but I have ridden in my friends mini which has a fair bit of work done to it (no idea what exactly) and I don't think it's fair to compare. Those cars are actual go karts, they handle like they are on rails and get a large excess of traction for how small they are. I doubt you would ever get to that level of stability without spending A LOT of money.

[BSM n54iS]

Many here feel the m3 strut tower brace adds the best feeling to the car, along with m3 control arms ofc. I would start with the Eibach sway bar to match though if you don't have that and ya it'll tighten it up a bit in extreme turns.

But even m3 owners tracking their car could feel no difference in rear sway bars, and the Cusco rear mount bar is a complete waste.

Also, suspension section?

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Maybe I'm just used to driving my Mini Cooper with the aftermarket rear sway bar, but my 07' 335i seems to really lean over in the corners. It's not horrible, but it could definitely be improved. From what I've read, on the 335i's if you run a stiffer front bar, you really need to also run a stiffer rear bar or the car is going to be unbalanced in the corners and have a lot more understeer vs. the OEM bar setup.

Has anyone messed around with upgrading the sway bars on their 335i? Any recommendations as far as brand/size goes? For a street car that only sees twisty roads on occasion and no track time...is it worth the time/money?

Any info would be great!! Thanks!!

I would search, which you probably have, but the general consensus is run a big stiff bar up front and stock rear. Granted you want to have the 'right' or close spring rates etc.


More reading:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1801678

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1701330


It is worth your time and money? It is relatively inexpensive compared to other things. You can do it on your back in your driveway. I would say a larger front bar is worth it. Your call.

[iqraceworks]

Originally Posted by Torgus

I would search, which you probably have, but the general consensus is run a big stiff bar up front and stock rear. Granted you want to have the 'right' or close spring rates etc.


More reading:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1801678

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1701330


It is worth your time and money? It is relatively inexpensive compared to other things. You can do it on your back in your driveway. I would say a larger front bar is worth it. Your call.

Yeah, I've read through those threads and a lot more. Most (not all) people seem to say that a stiffer front bar with the stock rear bar really makes the car understeer more and feel really unbalanced.....that's what I'm wanting to avoid. This all comes from the guys that really push their cars on the track or on twisty roads. The guys who says "I have a stiffer front bar and a stock rear bar and the car handles awesome!!"... probably never do anything more agressive than take an offramp at a fast pace.....so they probably aren't really pushing the car/tires/suspension to the limit.

[thormessiah]

I have both eibach front and rear sway bars on my car.

[335i54n]

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Yeah, I've read through those threads and a lot more. Most (not all) people seem to say that a stiffer front bar with the stock rear bar really makes the car understeer more and feel really unbalanced.....that's what I'm wanting to avoid. This all comes from the guys that really push their cars on the track or on twisty roads. The guys who says "I have a stiffer front bar and a stock rear bar and the car handles awesome!!"... probably never do anything more agressive than take an offramp at a fast pace.....so they probably aren't really pushing the car/tires/suspension to the limit.

you need to add traction to the front to prevent understeer with front bar alone, otherwise it understeer more than stock. front bar alone, with 255 in front is what you want

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Yeah, I've read through those threads and a lot more. Most (not all) people seem to say that a stiffer front bar with the stock rear bar really makes the car understeer more and feel really unbalanced.....that's what I'm wanting to avoid. This all comes from the guys that really push their cars on the track or on twisty roads. The guys who says "I have a stiffer front bar and a stock rear bar and the car handles awesome!!"... probably never do anything more agressive than take an offramp at a fast pace.....so they probably aren't really pushing the car/tires/suspension to the limit.

I am certainly no suspension expert but the guy who set up my entire suspension raced E90s in Grand Am. He's also responsible for BMW suspension development with Ohlins USA and has a shock dyno he owns and access to a suspension shaker rig: https://3dmmotorsport.com/ https://3dmmotorsport.com/blogs/coil...r-buyers-guide. Guy has probably forgotten more about suspensions than I will ever know.

Matt@ObsessedGarage has a very similar suspension set up to mine. I didn't want a race only suspension I wanted something I can use on the street which is 90% of my driving and at most 10% on the track. I have a 3 way adjustable big stiff bar up front and stock bar made 3 way adjustable in the rear. IIRC this is the 'basically' the same set up most E36/46 used that were both street/track and were 'successful'. Granted you need to have the correctly rated springs/dampeners. I'm at 400 front and 700 but it's for the street/track use track only E9X can run much higher like 700/1000 for instance. You obviously want your dampeners valved correctly to your spring rates you don't buy OTS dampeners and throw on stiff springs they are not rated for.

It's not like there is 1 correct answer but with a front engine rwd chassis I believe the most common set up is a significantly stiffer front bar is paired with a less stiff rear bar, street or track. F&R sway bars are cheap as far as mods go. I don't think anyone can answer if it is worth the time and $$$ for you...I vote start with the front and then add the rear later. The rear you need to lower the subframe, front is easier to install. If you dislike them they are also easy enough to remove and resell.

I would suggest asking suspension questions in the suspension part of the forum: https://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=38 not in the engine modification section. I would even go as far to say that section is semi worthless and you should just read and post in the m3 suspension section as they track their cars MUCH more often: https://www.m3post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=126 I know you are not looking for the track but I still prefer the m3 section.

Or email Barry: barry@3dmmotorsport.com I am sure he call tell you more about sway bars than anyone else on this forum can.

What spring rates are your Bilsteins?


Edit: If you go with an aftermarket sway bar and you are lowered you should get quality adjustable end links or so they say: https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1404774 Another good person to talk to about sway bars & suspensions etc would be Harold@hpashop.com

[zomski101]

Got the whiteline front sway bar from fcp and stock rear. The car doesn't feel like it's on rails but reduces the body roll while still being able to feel the amount of traction you still got left. On stock tire size the front understeers easily but running 245 and -2 camber up front and 275 -1 camber at the rear the car rotates pretty good, car is still a pig tho.

[ab987]

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Maybe I'm just used to driving my Mini Cooper with the aftermarket rear sway bar, but my 07' 335i seems to really lean over in the corners. It's not horrible, but it could definitely be improved. From what I've read, on the 335i's if you run a stiffer front bar, you really need to also run a stiffer rear bar or the car is going to be unbalanced in the corners and have a lot more understeer vs. the OEM bar setup.

Has anyone messed around with upgrading the sway bars on their 335i? Any recommendations as far as brand/size goes? For a street car that only sees twisty roads on occasion and no track time...is it worth the time/money?

Any info would be great!! Thanks!!

LOL, had this thought today driving my '16 Mini Cooper. It truly annoys me how planted that thing is, it makes my 335 feel like a van around corners. I do love the balance with m3 arms though so if you were to change the front sway bar I'd say rear definitely needs it too.

[iqraceworks]

Originally Posted by ab987

LOL, had this thought today driving my '16 Mini Cooper. It truly annoys me how planted that thing is, it makes my 335 feel like a van around corners. I do love the balance with m3 arms though so if you were to change the front sway bar I'd say rear definitely needs it too.

Yeah....my little Mini might not be crazy fast, but it does handle like a gokart. The supercharger whine is fun to hear, even if it's only putting out around 225hp....it sounds like it's fast

[Bimmer_Bro]

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Yeah....my little Mini might not be crazy fast, but it does handle like a gokart. The supercharger whine is fun to hear, even if it's only putting out around 225hp....it sounds like it's fast

I use to work for bmw and loved ripping those little mini's around. The floor in our detail basement was so slick.... great for shenanigans lol

[_N54]

I have the B12 pro kit and agree that the car needs upgraded sways to help with some cornering.

[Ozzie335i]

I've got the B12 kit with the Eibach bars front and rear. The other day I comfortably went 90 around a sweeping and bumpy curve on the Bush Tollway in DFW, where before the bars were installed going 75 or 80 I was working it. Wish I had them done when I got the B12 kit done. All e90 opinions aside they were designed to work together. There are videos on you tube showing how the bars flatten out the car in the corners.

[lightmanek]

I've got HR kit for 335i 27mm front and 20mm rear. After having only Bilstein + Eibach kit installed first, car handling improved a lot but in certain situations it was quite bouncy and not precise enough.
Second stage of my suspension modding was adding HR bars and Polyurethane bushings to both front and read subframes and all main suspension arms. This step made my car so much quicker round the corners and much more predictable to drift in controlled slides.

This setup is not great, but usable on a bumpy road, fantastic on smoother surfaces and perfectly usable for daily driving (coming from a car with 220000 miles on the clock of which 150000 miles are done since 2014 and 30000+ miles on fully modded suspension).

Bumpy and damaged surface - video of careful and slow driving with 650+ HP and TC OFF

[Paul375]

I have the ECS Tuning Sway Bars, with Ohlin's Coil Overs, Works great.