Non-ST Fiesta Front Sway Bar onto FiST?

[praecurvo]

Been reading up quite a bit on finding the best for me suspension set up for my FiST. I discovered that the non-ST Fiesta's FSB is 21mm hollow compared to the ST's 19mm bar. Has anyone thought of or tried this solution and has an opinion? It seems like compared to the Eibach or Cobb FSB's are at a massive 25mm which seems like it should potentially be overkill on a faster track.

 

[D1JL]

This is exactly what I have on my FiST.
I tried the Eibach front and found it to be too much.
I do also have the Eibach rear bar.



Dave

 

[praecurvo]

This is exactly what I have on my FiST.
I tried the Eibach front and found it to be too much.
I do also have the Eibach rear bar.



Dave

For some reason, I figured that is what you've been referring to. And you seem to like it as well.

Did you use another bushing set or just the ones that came with the non-ST bar? Direct bolt up/easy install?

 

[RAAMaudio]

I am in the less is more on front sway bars on this car but I might end up with a bit bigger bar to test once I get to that point, I would probably go no bigger than the none ST bar as well.


This is my 3rd FWD street/track car build, right now I am running the stock front bar, Steeda adjustable end links to take out any preload and urethane bushings. No rear bar and on track the car is very fast and stable without much body roll due to the BC race version coilover springs. I have modded Ground Control 5 way adjustable rear sway bar to fit this car but have not tested it yet, I will the end of April and report what I find.

First car was a turbo Matrix(1st 1zz turbo matrix in the world), very similar layout as the FiST, moderate front and rear bars worked well but I forgot who made them, it was 2002 when I built the car, if was a very fast autocross car, shocked a lot of "faster" car owners with it.

Second Scion TC, far more modded, no front bar, Huge custom rear bar, rear independent suspension can make for a very different setup but I had a big splitter, undertray, and wing. I was hitting 105 MPH out of Witchcraft at MMP but needed to slow down a bit as difficult to line up for the entry into the attitudes, probably best speed would of been 102 or so. Later watching a Trans Am race video I noticed the front runners were coming out of that turn at around 99 MPH.

So far with the FiST I have been up to around 95 MPH out of that turn on much narrower tires and just a small splitter undertray and the first time out on track with it.

Though I kept forgetting to turn off the nannies, LSD helps, I only felt them on the slowest corners and a couple of times when I over drove a few mid speed turns. So far my lap times are only a few seconds slower than the Scion tc, it was fast enough to take second in a national TT race against pure race cars but would of won the next day if not for 5 holes in the block from a bad tune.

------------------

All that said, sway bars are dependent on car setup, driver style, and the last thing to dial in, the faster you make the car without sway bars the better. At least the race setup books I have studied for years all say that

The FiST is by far the better car out of the box over those two that I made very competitive and in fact more power was what I needed the most on track so far, which is happening right now, parts nearly ready and on the way.

 

[D1JL]

I am using PowerFlex bushings.
The install is not bad but you need to get it in the air.
This should not be done on jack stands.


Dave

 

[RAAMaudio]

That is what I have as well, I did the whole car in PF bushings, the rear axle was quite the task, to say the least, sway bars are not that easy but pretty simple compared to it. In the air would be much better than on jack stands for certain.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Dave,
Did you have to drop the sub frame or at least lower it go get the bar out?

I had to on the Scion TC and it was a pain in the butt as had to align the subframe with the chassis and then redo the whole very well done race alignment. When I finally decided to not run a front bar I was going to cut it out instead of the many hours of work to pull it and realign it all again.

 

[D1JL]

Yes, remove the two rear "K" member bolts and loosen the front ones.



Dave

 

[RAAMaudio]

Thanks

I forgot a trick I taught myself but sure it was done by others before me on my Vettes, mark them really well first the put back where they were located, the vette ones were designed to move quite a bit.

I would mark the FiST ones then make sure they go back into place, some cars have no adjustment built in.

Another trick, if material to work with or not a huge effort to do custom work, lower the car but trimming the top of the cross member mounts, great thing about this, maintaining proper geometry while going lower than you could do before, mostly needed on race cars though.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Best place to buy a none ST front sway bar?

Thanks
Rick

 

[Dustys318]

Best place to buy a none ST front sway bar?

Thanks
Rick

I paid $30 at a junk yard for my non-ST Fiesta sway bar...

 

[InsTwin]

Not sure if this is the part, but I think it is:

http://www.tascaparts.com/oe-ford/be8z5482a

Pretty good price too.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Thanks

I found another site with the same price and I would rather pay a bit more for a brand new one than one that may of been damaged though I have to say I have bought many parts off wrecked cars that were just fine. Tasca is a good place to buy from according to what I have seen posted so likely to get one from them, not many junk, wrecking, auto salvage, etc, yards where I now live.

Ouch, just checked shipping is a bit costly at $45+ from Tasca, I will see what the other place has to offer where I found it for the same price, $58+ and maybe just check the pick and pull locally as they have a big yard and night have a good bar for cheap and 10 minutes from here

 

[InsTwin]

Let me know how it goes as this is what I was considering for mine as well.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I'm sure you know but want others that read this not to forget you will need the bushing and bracket as well.

 

[D1JL]

The bushing brackets are the same so there is no need to replace them.
Anyway they cost $50.00 each.


Dave

 

[CanadianGuy]

The bushing brackets are the same so there is no need to replace them.
Anyway they cost $50.00 each.


Dave

Oh good to know.

 

[RAAMaudio]

I will probably have to order new PF bushings when I do the swap unless I can carefully dremel them out to fit.

Way back in the day I used to have to do things like shim the brackets to make them tighter as only had rubber bushings available, grease them up, shim them, check for binding, etc.....

 

[Nightcrew13]

This is exactly what I have on my FiST.
I tried the Eibach front and found it to be too much.
I do also have the Eibach rear bar.



Dave

I know this is a old thread to resurrect, but when you say the eibach front is too much can you be more specific?
Understeer? Overall stiffness?

 

[Solort]

I will probably have to order new PF bushings when I do the swap unless I can carefully dremel them out to fit.

Way back in the day I used to have to do things like shim the brackets to make them tighter as only had rubber bushings available, grease them up, shim them, check for binding, etc.....

I bought some 22mm Energy Suspension bushings and bracket from AutoZone for around 18 bucks. They will special order them and they will be in store in a few days. Can also get ones with grease fittings. Hope to install 22mm bar soon.

Some people like the Eibach 24mm bar but car will not rotate as well as with smaller bar.