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      10-29-2008, 01:05 AM   #1
kwanzto
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Remaining D-Stock - To Sway Or Not To Sway?

I've been autocrossing the 135i for a couple of months now in bone stock form, and I must say that the car handles very well (not to mention it's just a BLAST to drive). I've decided that, at least for now, I'm going to keep the car in D-Stock trim and see how well I can do within the class. You could say I've learned my lesson from previous cars; my 350z for example, where I did whichever mod I felt like doing, and found myself severely out-classed in BSP.

One easy upgrade allowable within the stock class is a sway bar, BUT the class only allows for a FRONT sway bar. The rear bar must remain stock. I'm thinking that I'd like to beef up the front sway bar to help control body roll, but I am afraid that I may induce unwanted understeer.

The 135i isn't too bad with the understeer. The place I feel it most is in slaloms. But otherwise it turns in reasonably well However, it does not seem to rotate as well as my Z did mid-corner, and there is certainly room for improvement all around. I feel it may be possible to improve responsiveness by stiffening things up, but I'm wonderng if any of you have any experience running only the front sway bar. Will I just end up trading masive understeer for quicker transitions?

Are there other tricks to stiffen the rear to balance things out? I know that Stock rules allow for upgrades to the shocks. Might 'stiffer shocks in the rear combine with stock shocks and a sway bar in the front to make a neutral car?

Thanks
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      10-29-2008, 11:21 AM   #2
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There is a lot of good information in this thread.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16287

Just scroll through it and you can see what people at the national level have done to the car.
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      10-29-2008, 09:17 PM   #3
mattm
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Yeah, what he said (about that thread). :wink:

You may want to try some Hoosier Racing Tires, too.

It just so happens I have two Hoosier A6 275-35/18 and two 245-35/18 that are slightly used. I am asking $225 each plus shipping (new from Tirerack they are $290 and $282 respectively). I have about 12-15 runs on them. The smaller size in the front prevents rubbing on the various front wheel parts. :wink:
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      11-30-2008, 01:30 PM   #4
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After talking to the Strelnieks, I bought and installed a Hotchkis front bar (from the 335 kit). That plus two sets of Kumho take offs I got from some local drivers (total expense for a set of 285 and a set of 245, eight used tires total, less than $200), one set of Breyton Race GTS wheels, and I'm all set for now. I'm not running for points, just for fun, and the above fits my budget while delivering a very high grin to dollars ratio.

I'm all for a heavy front bar only, it helps a lot and doesn't detract significantly from street manners.
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      12-01-2008, 07:28 AM   #5
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Damn nice bar! And Your welcome :biggrin: ....... I was the first one to try the e92 Hotchkiss FSB ...... and told Eric about it.

After some in depth research I was 95% sure that bar would bolt up- I called and emailed Hotchkis for weeks trying to get some dimensional info on their e92 setup and find out if they had the e82 in work (as rumor had it) ..... to no avail, finally I got fed up with them one day and called - said I had a 335i and just need FSB (they still had a f and r kit at that time) ..... well I fond out it fit perfect.......
- Was I was all set to post a DIY as I took pics and measurments, etc, but I called Hotchkiss after I installed (looking for a little $$ incentive) ...... and their PR rep was a huge A-hole, pretty much laughing at me and unless I could guarantee 1mil in sales, he didn't want to hear from me...... I was so annoyed at Hotckis I didn't post because I didn't want to help their sales AT ALL .... I did pass the fitiment info onto Eric S via SCCA forum though....and I told all others I had an ACME sway....

Anyway, now that the cat is out ...... it fits! it's a very easy install. And can be ordered separately from rear now (online even) .... I was just on their site over the weekend.......

just don't expect any kind of customer support
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      12-01-2008, 12:04 PM   #6
BimmerMeUp
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Yeah, I agree, Hotchkis is kind of a pain. I went through a left hand right hand experience when one of them took my order, and went on vacation. In subsequent emails I was told I couldn't buy just the front bar. I pointed out that a commitment had already been made, and was eventually satisfied, but still ended up having to source some nylocs for the link ends. I'm still not sure if the ones I used were as expected, I had to jack the car up at least three extra times to re-tighten the nuts.

Yes, on the plus side, it looks like they now have SKUs for just front or rear bar sets.

Thanks for your efforts. I think I read a second hand report of Eric thinking of going to an even heavier bar - do you know about that?
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      12-02-2008, 07:18 AM   #7
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he mentioned that to me as well - there is nothing out there that I am aware of.


I have had to retighten my endlinks 3 or 4 times as well......I finally gooped some locktite on and haven't had an issue since.
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      12-02-2008, 07:36 AM   #8
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BTW - Hotckis stuff is on-sale online.....plus a just got a card in the mail for another 25% discount ..... previous customer I guess ..... it stacks I found out so I have the e92 RSB arriving tomorrow - (I am jumping to STU :biggrin
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      12-02-2008, 10:01 PM   #9
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STU already?

Regarding the bigger front bar. I think Sammy can have Addco make one up for us. If that doesn't work I'll go to Ken Taggart and see if I can get him to make me a custom bar.
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      12-03-2008, 06:15 AM   #10
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Yes - single turbo restriction was rescinded in the Oct 08 FasTrack...
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