Originally Posted by
AZ_RS5
I read somewhere (don't remember where) that the sway bars are different than the standard RS5, I am just wondering how close they are to the 034 bars. I don't want to upgrade them, but if it would make a noticeable difference I may consider it in the future. I'll probably go buy some calipers at some point and measure them so I can compare to the 034 specs.
Anyway, thanks for your input.
I also read that the Competition package has different sway bars, but that should not be a big surprise. The car has different springs and shocks, different unsprung weight, different tuning for the Sport Differential. All of these components work together and sway bars just tweak the behavior of the base suspension. The sway bars that are appropriate for the standard or sport suspension are not the same sway bars needed by the Competition package suspension. The appropriate sway bar for a given application is dependent on many factors.
One thing that has always bothered me about the 034 springs and sway bars, is that they make a one-size-fits-all set for A, S and RS cars, and I believe they were even developed before the B9 RS5 was even on the market. So, if you have an RS5, with or without the Competition package, you get the same sway bars as you do for an A5. Granted, they are adjustable, but the onus is on you to figure out the best settings. And, they have zerk fittings, so you have to manually grease them.
It seems like people modify sway bars for different reasons. Some may want the car to corner flatter, but are less concerned with maximum cornering and ride quality; some are just itching to modify something, and sway bars seem like a pretty safe and easy thing to change; and others are involved in canyon diving, autocross, or the track with the goal is to improve handling.
If your goal is to improve handling, consider the role of sway bars in modifying the handling of any car. The stiffer the sway bar, the less independent your suspension becomes and the less traction you have on that end of the car. So, if you only stiffen the rear sway bar you get more oversteer; if you only stiffen the front, you get more understeer; if you stiffen both, the effect depends on the relative change at both ends. Your car may corner flatter, but with less traction somewhere.
If handling is your concern, start with figuring out how the car handles with its existing components and determine what, if anything, needs to change. Does it over or understeer? If change is needed, start with adjustments you can make to the stock components (tire pressure, coilover settings if applicable, etc), and only consider additions like sway bars and strut braces if you can't get the stock components to provide the handling balance that you want.
If your goal is something other than handling, consider factors like adjustability, maintenance (grease fittings?), and whether or not it is specific to your car or a one-size-fits-all option. All change is not an improvement, so make sure you know what you want to accomplish before you start.
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