AWR 21.5mm rear sway on stock susp

F

fdsa

Member

• May 29, 2006

• #1

Hey,

I was reading on the AWR site some jibbajabba about needing aftermarket shocks for the AWR 21.5mm rear sway if you have certain models of Protege. They didn't say if the Prot5 needs or does not need the different shocks.

Have any of you ordered the AWR 21.5mm rear sway kit with the adjustable endlinks included? Did you have to mod or change anything else to get it in there on an otherwise stock rear end?

Thnx
Matt

 

X

xelderx

Zoom Zoom Boom X 3

• May 29, 2006

• #2

It doesn't have anything to do with the fitment of the bar. The stock shocks on the Proteges (excluding MP3/MSP) have a very weak tab where the swaybar endlink mounts. The 21.5mm bar is stiff enough to break this tab off the struts. It's happened a few times. The 21.5mm bar is a great mod and really livens up the handling, but I would suggest upgrading the shocks first or in the least make a bracket to stiffen the mounting tab.

 

F

fdsa

Member

• May 30, 2006

• #3

thanks

I'll have to throw it on the hoist or jackstands and have a look at the where the endlink connects. I'm assuming the 21.5mm bar's endlinks will connect in the same place, if i'm wrong, let me know. I will see about just snapping it off and refabbing a thicker mount, or just adding some weld to it to beef it up.

My budget, and my autocross/solosprint classing don't really agree with me upgrading the shocks at present. That's for next year.

 

X

xelderx

Zoom Zoom Boom X 3

• May 30, 2006

• #4

Hmm...just be carefull welding on the strut. I would assume that if you can't replace the strut for the class that you are in you aren't allowed to modify it either. Just a thought.

 

C

cheapmiata1600

Member

:

03 P5

• May 30, 2006

• #5

What class allows a rear bar but not upgraded struts?

 

K

Katya4me

Autox Junkie

:

Laser Blue '03 P5

• May 30, 2006

• #6

If you are talking classing in SCCA Solo, you can't replace the rear swaybar in stock class anyway. I swapped to MSP struts before I put on the 19mm AWR bar.

 

X

xelderx

Zoom Zoom Boom X 3

• May 30, 2006

• #7

cheapmiata1600 said:

What class allows a rear bar but not upgraded struts?

Click to expand...

Might not be SCCA classing.

 

F

fdsa

Member

• May 31, 2006

• #8

Everyone seems to have skimmed over the word "budget". Point is, i'm not upgrading my shocks this summer.

CASC Stock class autocross allows 2 points. Next year, my two points will be sway bar and R compounds. I'm focused more on improving my driving than improving my car. Fast cars don't make fast drivers, but fast drivers can make fast cars. Learning is cheaper than upgrading, anyway.

Also, i think the rules in CASC allow for non-performance enhancing mods that keep your car from breaking. Stiffening a strut tab can't be considered a performance mod.

 

M

moxnix

Owned by AutoX

:

90 Miata (AutoX Toy), 03 Spicy MSP

• May 31, 2006

• #9

if the canada solo rules are like the US SCCA rules the end link attachment method is open so any way you want to attach the end link would be fine.

you can try welding the tab to make it stronger or whatever but you might want to keep in mind and budget that the tab may break off and the strut might need to be replaced sometime during the season.

 

F

fdsa

Member

• Jun 1, 2006

• #10

This has been a rather helpful thread, but I was just thinking... Do I really need the 21.5mm? Or is the 19mm better suited to my application? My car is otherwise stock.

Also, i'm not the type to rely on equipment where learning skills could get the job done. So if this is a super stiff bar designed for race prepped prot5's, then I'd rather get the more mild upgrade.

Opinions? Solo2 is my main focus, at least this year. Solo1 next year.

Thanks!

 

X

xelderx

Zoom Zoom Boom X 3

• Jun 1, 2006

• #11

The 19mm bar has 2 adjustments where the 21.5mm bar is on a slider so it has more adjustment possibilities. It's a tough call. The 19mm bar will be a vast improvement over the stock setup. I like my autoX setup to be very loose so the 21.5mm bar was the easy answer, but I've already broke my upgraded shocks twice because of the stiff position I run the bar in. Now I have to get new shocks and add some extra support around the endlink tab so I don't have to worry about it again.

 

F

fdsa

Member

• Jun 2, 2006

• #12

xelderx said:

The 19mm bar has 2 adjustments where the 21.5mm bar is on a slider so it has more adjustment possibilities. It's a tough call. The 19mm bar will be a vast improvement over the stock setup. I like my autoX setup to be very loose so the 21.5mm bar was the easy answer, but I've already broke my upgraded shocks twice because of the stiff position I run the bar in. Now I have to get new shocks and add some extra support around the endlink tab so I don't have to worry about it again.

Click to expand...

Well i've found that with a little bit of newly found skills and some tire pressure bias i can do a pretty decent job of rotating. If you think i'm going to find a vast improvement with the 19mm over stock, i think i'll stick to that. Last thing i need is broken shocks.

Thanks a million for a advice. Probably saved me a lot of loot.

What levels of tension are those two adjustments? slightly more stifferthan stock and much stiffer than stock?

 

X

xelderx

Zoom Zoom Boom X 3

• Jun 3, 2006

• #13

fdsa said:

What levels of tension are those two adjustments? slightly more stifferthan stock and much stiffer than stock?

Click to expand...

Pretty much. If you have the funds I would recomend the AWR adjustable endlinks as well. That way you will have another way of adjusting tension.