Just breaking in my new RX-8 here on chilly Long Island (800 miles so far, 1200 to go) and plan to autocross in B stock come the Spring.

What are the trade-offs vs. the advantages of an aftermarket swaybar? If one is used, which swaybar is preferred, and what settings are Konis usually set at front and rear for neutral handling? Are the heavy duty endlinks generally used in conjunction with aftermarket bar?

On the other hand, I have heard that many use the stock bar with the Konis to great success. Am I correct in assuming that most are running full hard front and rear?

I'm accustomed to a 99 Miata that's very neutral and tossable. Originally ran it in stock for 5 seasons, but for the past 2 seasons in CSP.

Thanks for the advice!
Steve

 

well i heard pretty much stock bars with an additional hole drilled in the front sway. With the Koni's as I have read use full stiff, except on bumpy surfaces go down 20% or so. So at Nassau Coliseum you need to go down on the stiffness since that surface sucks.

 

depends who you talk to, but IMO none of the aftermarket bars are the proper rate for BS; either too soft (OE or MS even with the extra hole, again IMO) or too stiff (RB, etc.)

I'm working on a new TeamRX8 V2 speedway type bar, uses an advanced splined bar that allows much finer rate selection tuning than the traditional splined bars did


.

 

Gendron/Small Fortune Racing also makes one, not sure on the rates but it's adjustable and if it's not stiff enough I think you can just replace the center section.

 

Does anyone know whether there is tire interference (assuming stock-legal wheels and tires no wider than 285) with the SFR bar?

I am considering the whiteline bar and endlinks and then fiddling with the front koni settings and rear camber some (probably going to try extremely negative). I am purposely putting this thought out there because I want to know why it is wrong.

 

Thanks for all this input, but are any competitive B Stock guys/girls (Participants?) running with the stock swaybar? What about Koni settings front vs. rear?

 

From my discussions with different people, Isley runs the Mazdaspeed bar and 245 Kumhos. Last season, Braun/Wood ran the stock bar (with extra hole) and 245 Kumhos at the Pro Finale, and a bigger bar (not sure which one) and 285 Hoosiers at Solo Nats.

I'm going to start off the season running 245 Kumhos and the stock bar (no modification). I'll eventually drill the extra hole per side, and see if I like it any more.

 

Actually, we ran the stock bar (stiffest, with extra hole each side) with the Kumhos in the Pro, the Whiteline solid, adjustable (softest or medium setting, I can't remember) and 285 Hoosiers day one of Nationals, and the stock bar (again, stiffest) with 285 Hoosiers day two...and, the car was fast enough every time, except day two, when our best time was only third quickest. I'm just not sure what the deal is, but my RX8 seems to go equally quick on small tires, big tires, small bar, big bar, low pressures, high pressures...

If I was the OP, I'd just run the stock bar with 245 Kumhos and save my money and time

 

What would you set the Konis at? Full hard front and rear?

 

Put the rears at full stiff and then you can tweak the fronts around to find out what works best.

 

Thanks!

 

That's where I have mine. Based on guidance from ULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOSE, when I installed the shocks I set them full stiff and have never changed them, since. Others have different thoughts, and I'm sure they're right, too

There's no doubt my car has been very competitive, though

 

The beauty and beast of the RX8 in BS is that the most important variable is the driver. In terms of what you need to be competitive it goes something like: race tires, Evo classes (unless you are already named Isley, etc.), seat time, konis, and alignment.

2nd tier mods: Exhaust, lightweight wheels, ubershocks, green air filter, FSB bushings.

Mods that might make things worse or better: FSB and endlinks.

 

So far no one has shown the ubershocks are needed in BS. I would say the endlinks are only needed on a BS car if you use an adjustable bar, and want to make sure you have no preload.

p.s. I wish EVO would have been around when I started, I might have wasted a lot less time over the years. Even though I have never been to an EVO school, I was lucky enough to have Tom Kotzian as one of my local guys when I started, and he taught me a ton. I hope when I am that old I am still that fast.

 

C'mon...you wish you were that fast, now

 

FWIW, I'm running the SFR bar, and I like it. I haven't messed with it much, but I set it to a notch softer than stock, with the 2812s, and I'm liking it. I only did one autox, sunday, in the damp, but it worked great, and feels really neutral on the street. Further testing is required...

 

From what I've read on this forum over the past half year it appears that the RX-8 definitely is a well sorted out autocrosser straight from the factory. Though I haven't pushed it because I'm breaking it in, I can tell that the incredible chassis rigidity contributes to it's superb handling. This may be why the gains from a front bar are not as noteworthy or as consistent as one would normally expect.

As good as my 99 Miata was when purchased, stock class modifications yielded a significant improvement for the buck. I never realized how much flex there was in it's structure until after I installed a rollbar for the track.