Drift with ease, or doing it the hard way?

[yacho7]

I know sway bars are ment to keep the car in check when cornering at high speeds, but I looked at the stats of the drift cars that the pros have and they all have upgraded thier sway bars. Will upgrading the sway bars help with drifting or make it harder? :-/

[Dousan_PG]

most people run stock sway bars
spring rates so high sways dont have a HUGE effect as they would for other motorsports
i ran no front sway bar at the track and no ill effects except with some grip action i was doing. then it was bad. but overall, i wouldnt concern with it

go with stock skyline rear sways or s13 Japan or US hicas

doesnt make it harder, definately
the Tanabe ones are really nice (expensive i think)
works yamaguchi has some coming out too
cusco and largus are expensive but meaty

really depends on your car and your setup. not one setup applies to everyone. gottta find what you like. try this and try that and see what is most suitable to you.

[DuffMan]

I think you misunderstand what exactly sway bars do. They prevent body roll, like stiffer springs, but only when the left and right wheels are not moving up and down together (i.e. turning). They dont neccessiarily "keep the car in check" at high speeds, and can create tendancy towards understeer, or oversteer depending on whether you increase the size of the front or the back.

Whether they help you drift or not depends on how the rest of your suspension is set up and the sizes of the sway bars, but generally less body roll is good for drifting.

[CleanS14]

I definitely notice a difference drifting a car with and without sways... the car will corner flatter which is a lot better for drift... basically as DuffMan says less body roll

[monkey7]

A nice rear swaybar can help induce oversteer and maintain a drift. This can be used in your arsenal to balance your car, but it all depends on your setup like others said.

[Var]

i'm wondering how my car will act on my first track day. I run whiteline sways full soft front, full stiff rear.. but i think i will go full stiff all around for track. My spring rates are 6.7k/5.5k with AGX shocks. I figure since everyone runs stiffer rates, 8/6 9/7 10/8 on their coilovers, maybe the sway bars will help my car. I think setting the front bar stiffer will help the car understeer more in the slide so the back end doesn't come around too aften.

[DS 240R]

i'm wondering how my car will act on my first track day. I run whiteline sways full soft front, full stiff rear.

I'd start off full soft on both and then increase the rear if you plow, front if you are too tail happy.

Of the coilover rates you listed, your spring rates have the biggest relative rear spring so I'd recommend against full stiff rear bar. Your balance is closer to what I run in my FWD car and not a rear driver that you can steer with the throttle.

Better to err on the side of understeer for your first track day, especially since you can later dial in more rear bar if needed.