IG you haven't put lowering systems on your car like prokit or coilovers, I wouldn't do the front yet. Doing the front, on top of being a pain, can also create snap oversteer in hard corners and that's when the results get expensive.
Installed Whiteline BHR93 Rear Sway Bar/review
I picked up a Whiteline BHR93 Rear sway bar, which is for 3/2011 and newer Cruzes and installed it on my 2012 2LT this weekend. I hadn't seen any threads about this sway bar yet, only the version for older Cruzes that mounts in the traditional way with links and bushings and is adjustable.
The BHR93 is not adjustable and mounts to the bottom of the axle where the spring locator is. The spring locator is removed and replaced with a machined aluminum locator that is threaded for the bolts to bolt the bar across the rear end. The directions specified to unbolt the bottom of the rear shock to drop the suspension, remove the springs, replace the locators, then reinstall everything.
I was able to do it simply by lifting the rear end, punching out the old locators, pulling the new ones in through the rubber pad with the bolts, then mounting up the bar. It was a piece of cake and took around 45 minutes only because we were taking our time. No suspension removal required.
The bar itself was painted silver and looked like it was good quality. The flat parts on the ends that were mounted had some rough machining marks, but I doubt it will mean anything to the performance of the bar. It's a very trick piece that runs right along the torsion beam to increase the rear suspension rigidity.
Unfortunately it out-stabilizes the front by a small amount, and now I feel like I need to install the BHF93 27mm front sway bar to fix it. It's not urgent, however, as I have not had any traction issues on hard corners despite the rain. I just want it to feel a bit more balanced and planted in the front. It's just too bad the front sway bar requires dropping the subframe to remove and replace.
Performance of the rear is definitely awesome now. It's very firm and planted and all the body roll/chassis twisting that bothered me is now gone. I haven't installed the rear tower brace or anything else yet, and I'm not sure I need to.
Pics to come later.
The BHR93 is not adjustable and mounts to the bottom of the axle where the spring locator is. The spring locator is removed and replaced with a machined aluminum locator that is threaded for the bolts to bolt the bar across the rear end. The directions specified to unbolt the bottom of the rear shock to drop the suspension, remove the springs, replace the locators, then reinstall everything.
I was able to do it simply by lifting the rear end, punching out the old locators, pulling the new ones in through the rubber pad with the bolts, then mounting up the bar. It was a piece of cake and took around 45 minutes only because we were taking our time. No suspension removal required.
The bar itself was painted silver and looked like it was good quality. The flat parts on the ends that were mounted had some rough machining marks, but I doubt it will mean anything to the performance of the bar. It's a very trick piece that runs right along the torsion beam to increase the rear suspension rigidity.
Unfortunately it out-stabilizes the front by a small amount, and now I feel like I need to install the BHF93 27mm front sway bar to fix it. It's not urgent, however, as I have not had any traction issues on hard corners despite the rain. I just want it to feel a bit more balanced and planted in the front. It's just too bad the front sway bar requires dropping the subframe to remove and replace.
Performance of the rear is definitely awesome now. It's very firm and planted and all the body roll/chassis twisting that bothered me is now gone. I haven't installed the rear tower brace or anything else yet, and I'm not sure I need to.
Pics to come later.
1 - 7 of 42 Posts
I'm not sure of the physics of it, but 1) I believe any lowering kit will still be stiffer than your sport suspension. 2) I have seen several guys install front bars after rear and end up having their cars whipped off the road because their understeer bit in and turned to oversteer in a split second.
The last one was a maxda3 but I've heard of various cars having similar results. You can handle it but gotta find the limit to know.
You're not going to see this on regular driving, but spirited twisties were enough for the dude I knew with the Mazda.
And to correct a statement earlier, the effects of a sway bar are not to increase spring rate as much as equalize the forces between sides in turns and will in some situations alter loading that can make it seem like chassis squat on launches are slightly reduced.
In effect what your feeling with the front being looser is actually springs that are softer than they should be for the added roll stiffening that the sway bar provides. That's why a slightly stiffer kit like the prokit will make tons of difference in what your feeling.
On that note I've been battling with my car trying to decide where to start with suspension. Its firmly planted but has soooo much body roll and looses footing in evasive maneuvers. Know I need tires, but want to wait a while. Know a sway bar will help, but want to run coil over so I don't want to grab the bar and decide I don't like it with the coils. Then I realize I'm broke! Hahaha.
And to correct a statement earlier, the effects of a sway bar are not to increase spring rate as much as equalize the forces between sides in turns and will in some situations alter loading that can make it seem like chassis squat on launches are slightly reduced.
In effect what your feeling with the front being looser is actually springs that are softer than they should be for the added roll stiffening that the sway bar provides. That's why a slightly stiffer kit like the prokit will make tons of difference in what your feeling.
On that note I've been battling with my car trying to decide where to start with suspension. Its firmly planted but has soooo much body roll and looses footing in evasive maneuvers. Know I need tires, but want to wait a while. Know a sway bar will help, but want to run coil over so I don't want to grab the bar and decide I don't like it with the coils. Then I realize I'm broke! Hahaha.
Is hard to believe that tower bars are snake oil when so many people comment on how much they help stiffen the chassis and so many race teams trying to save weight still use them.
If you have the z-link rear suspension, the sway bar is less necessary, but will still give you a flatter cornering ability.
On the topic of just using performance struts and shocks, that's up to you in what you desire in the curves.
If you have the z-link rear suspension, the sway bar is less necessary, but will still give you a flatter cornering ability.
On the topic of just using performance struts and shocks, that's up to you in what you desire in the curves.
Man wish I would have been in it for the whole conversation.
I'm not so worried about daily driving characteristics. I drive it daily, but I make concession to my fun times. I'm all over bilstein shocks just short of kW brand. I will say that the only real experience I have with coilover suspension is on my buddy's car where we went from springs and struts to a balanced coil system with chassis stiffening and rear roll bar all over, and honestly the car rode much better than just the springs.
Being a Mazda, I find it hard to believe that its less stiff than the cruze and it definitely handled better stock than this does. At its current point, it definitely needs some high end tires to match the ability of the rest of the car.
I'm not so worried about daily driving characteristics. I drive it daily, but I make concession to my fun times. I'm all over bilstein shocks just short of kW brand. I will say that the only real experience I have with coilover suspension is on my buddy's car where we went from springs and struts to a balanced coil system with chassis stiffening and rear roll bar all over, and honestly the car rode much better than just the springs.
Being a Mazda, I find it hard to believe that its less stiff than the cruze and it definitely handled better stock than this does. At its current point, it definitely needs some high end tires to match the ability of the rest of the car.
Also!! I'm more than willing to accept facts and knowledge, that's how I've gotten this far to begin with, but all I have is prior knowledge and personal experience at this point. Haha
1 - 7 of 42 Posts
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