Rotmilky

I'm running stock class in my 2005 997. If I understand the allowances correctly, I can monkey with either the front sway or the rear sway, but I can't change both. As it stands, my car really likes to understeer, so I'd like to address that. As to tire choice, I'm running 18" Oz with Durezza ZRIIs. Outside of going to R tires, I think my only hope of addressing the understeer is with a swaybar change.

After lots of reading and research, I've come to the conclusion that either bar may give me what I want (but for different reasons). So, wondering if someone can add in their experience on the subject.

Initially, it seemed the swaybar should be on the rear. That would add some stiffness back there and make the rear want to break free before the front. After a lot more reading, I came to the conclusion that the bar should be on the front. This is to help keep the body from rolling too much and undermining the rather limited negative camber of -1.0 on the stock 997.

Here's a photo of the car at the last autocross caught during the slalom. You can see the body roll I'm talking about.


Any comments from the crowd on a front bar vs rear bar for my 997?

burglar

Anecdotal, but standard practice for camber challenged rwd cars is big front bar. The idea being that the gains from helping stay out of the really bad parts of the camber curve plus the increased front end transitional response trumps any mid/late corner push that might be added from the increased front rate.

Not a lot of 997 data to draw from, but 996 GT3s have been very successful in SS in years past. The Googles aren't finding me a knowledge pool thread anywhere, but perhaps you have better search-fu.

sjfehr

For SCCA stock class, you'll want to get an adjustable GT3 front swaybar. It's counter-intuitive, but you're so camber challenged in the front that going a little stiffer in the front will decrease dynamic camber-loss under cornering and decrease understeer. Go too stiff, and it will start to push again. Fortunately, the GT3 bar allows you to make adjustments to balance the car for your tastes. You're not going to be able to get rid of the understeer completely without camber plates. (Camber plates were proposed to be allowed for 2014 but removed from the proposal two weeks ago- if you want them, write a letter! http://www.sebscca.com/).

If you put the stiff swaybar on the rear, you'd definitely get rid of the understeer, but you'd replace it with wheelspin issues.

<--- running a 996GT3 front swaybar w/tarrett droplinks on my 986S. Was a click too stiff when this shot was taken, but sure looked cool

Rotmilky

Thanks for the comments, guys. I've been looking at the GT3 front swaybar with Tarret links. But before I dropped $600, I wanted to make sure the front was really the way to go.

I saw the camber plate changes come and go. I think there was also initially a proposal to allow both front and rear sway changes. So I decided to wait for things to settle out. After the camber plate allowances were removed and the changes reverted back to one sway bar change (am I crazy...did I not see allowances for both sway bars in stock?) I decided to try to just upgrade one of sways and see what shakes out in the next couple of years.

I guess the cheaper alternative to all of this would be to learn to drive the car a little less aggressively so I'm not plowing through corners. That's free.

--Von

sjfehr

No, you're not crazy, the Street V1 proposal was for both swaybars but reason prevailed there and it went back to the present front OR rear rule. The camber rule in Street V2 was considerably more evenly split and though it was removed in V3, could still potentially swing back the other way if SEB gets enough feedback.

knfeparty

I have some feedback on this. I ran a GMG front swaybar on the front with stock rear for awhile and now have switched to stock front and GMG rear due to the front one knocking around due to tight clearance. The turn-in feels really good on the next-to-stiffest setting. I am doing a track day Saturday and will offer some more feedback afterwards.

idlook2

I'm wondering what the long term consensus was, stiffer front or rear bar?

mopar bob

I tried a rear bar last year it was on for 1 day of driving school. The car was sidesways a lot and spun it a few times. I just installed a Tarett GT front bar and I love it. The cars turns better and I no longer dragging the front spoiler on the ground. That is the first thing you want to do short of better tires.

Mussl Kar

Maybe he learned how to drive an *** engine car at autocross. I plow a lot with my GT3RS. Only when cold though. Turn the wheel well before even the "turn early" part and apply power. Car goes straight for about 20 feet before starting to rotate. Gets some heat in the fronts.

knfeparty

I've enjoyed the stiffer rear, but as my tires have aged I find the car feeling looser and looser. I started out on full stiff rear and have backed up a couple settings. I love the turn in, but admit that a better solution might be real damper tuning (MCS $$$) plus a front swaybar. I feel like I need an LSD rebuild because for the first time I am now getting inside wheelspin on corner exit. This was never a problem before.

I think it depends. For a gt3 with adjustable everything stock, I'm not sure I would mod any of it.

idlook2

I'm still getting some mixed signals on whether to do the front or rear bar, here is a picture from an autox last weekend, lots of body roll and understeer. Right now, I am leaning towards a GT3 front sway bar... is that the right decision?

mopar bob

Yes look at your front spoiler I have dragged mine a few times with stock sway bars. The bigger front bar made the front stiffer and the nose doesn't drop as much. The car turns in better and I like it better on the street.