Well, I got my Suspension Techniques Sway bar kit today. And first of all, the catalogs say that you can't put the rear one on a vehicle that's not currently equiped with a bar with out using their adaptor kit.... wrong!!!

The rear bar bolted right on to my '91 Std with out using a single part from the adaptor kit. I haven't installed the front bar yet, It needs a couple of factory brackets (my std doesn't have a factory front bar either) $5.00 at the honda dealer is fixing that snag. It looks like it should go right on from there.

Anyway, I got the rear bar on and decided to take it to "dead man's curve", a local 20 mph s-curve with a graveyard on each side. Slid through it beautifully at 40 without even straining, then, after I exited the last turn... Pop, Pop, SNAP!! the left rear of the car dropped about 2". I pulled over and took a look to see the shock had snapped in two!!! Just above where the forks that mount to the lower arm come together. These aren't some old, rusty shocks either, they're less than a year old Monroes with a lifetime waranty. So I got the car towed to Les Schwabs and they're going to replace the shock, but I need to figure out If I did anything wrong in the sway bar install that could've caused this. When I got everything all in it looked just like the drawings in the instructions, and it was all nice and straight and level once the car was on the ground. Anyone have any ideas? I'm going to race in my first Autocross on the 19th, and I don't want this happening to me in the middle of my first race.

Once I get that problem all straightened out, I need to know how some of you autocrossers have your sway bars set up. I noticed in the directions that if you move the endlinks to one set of holes, you get more understeer, and if you move it the other way, more oversteer. so which do I want for auto-x? or should I leave it in the middle.

Also, I've been told to leave the front bar off, but I'd like to install it for the street, and then maybe just disconect the end links on race day. Any thoughts?

 

Well Monroes are pretty crappy shocks so I don't doubt they wouldn't break off.

Also the adapter bracket is for the '88 models with the different style LCAs, 89-91 will bolt up without that kit.

To adjust the bar making it stiff (using the hole farthest to the back of the car, you will know its tight because its a bitch to get it to reach and attach) will give it the most oversteer (like a RWD car) and will help the rear rotate better.

 

Most everyone I've seen has the bar set in the middle. This is also where I have mine set. The stiffest setting just makes the car too loose in the rear. The softest setting doesn't give enough rotation, and you'll find yourself trail-braking quite a bit to bring the ***-end around. I'd suggest putting it in the middle to get a feel for it at the auto-x. Then, if you feel you need more rotation, set it up like that; and if you want less, set it up that way. It's all personal feel, especially for auto-x.

You should run a front bar unless you have high enough spring rates (500lb+); this is when a front bar is not really aiding you at all, as the springs are stiff enough to handle the body roll. Most people opt to run a small front bar (stock Honda ones, 15-17mm I believe) with a large rear bar (22mm). This keeps the car streetable, as running 500lb springs on the street isn't very comfortable. Running w/o a front bar with soft springs will only hurt your times, as the body roll is way too much for auto-x.

 

Thanks for the advice guys...

I got the car back today, they warrantied everything including the towing charges. I told them to check out my sway bar install and they said everything was set up just fine and it was just a bad shock. Kinda makes me wonder about racing with these shocks though.

I also got the front bar on today and drove around a little (no seriously hard cornering yet though) and I'm glad I got them on a week and a half before the race. It's driving like a totally different car! I'm going to have to get used to it. Instead of leaning through the turns, it feels like the back end is shifting to one side. Almost makes me afraid to push it because it feels like it's about to let loose. Although before I was afraid to push it too hard because it felt like it was gonna roll over, so I guess this is better.

I'm going to try my first few races with things set up the way they are and work on my skills, not the car's.