Originally Posted By: Throt
Originally Posted By: dgunay
Originally Posted By: Throt
Now you guys have me thinking I should’ve just ordered the Sport trim front sway and skipped the rear sway. Well too late now, it already shipped and I don’t think I wanna pay return shipping on it.
Tried to find the specs on the Sport trim sway bar and I can't find it anywhere. So I'm not sure they are in fact larger, but they'd almost certainly have to be with being a Sport model, right? A front sway from the Sport would be $100 vs the $170 I spent on the rear sway. Hmmmmm.....
Do not skip rear sway bar.
I used Progress 22 mm rear sway bar in my Civic SI, and OE sway bar is 17 mm. So I guess it's very similar with your situation. Let me tell you, it makes a night and day difference.
You need to get rear sway bar first if it's a FWD, rear end must be stiffer than the front. It will reduce understeering, as the other guys mentioned. Don't worry, rear sway bar will reduce body roll as well.
You wouldn't want to reduce roll in the front with aftermarket sway bar. Front wheels need to stay on ground when cornering, especially if you don't have a limited slip. So that's why aftermarket FSB is not the best option if you are looking for best grip. Even some FWD track cars have thinner / no front sway bar to get better traction. You should get a thicker FSB (with thicker RSB, of course) on FWD car only if you do autocrossing, as it would increase initial turn in feedback and steering response.
If you buy FSB and skip the rear, you feel like there is less body roll, but you will have less grip on the front and will have to deal with more understeering.
Check if you have any OE alternatives for rear. I currently have 2015+ Honda Civic SI 20 mm rear sway bar on my Acura (OE RSB diameter is 11 mm). The reason why I went with OEM is $$$$$. I bought it for $50 at the dealer, whereas the Progress is 200$+ Canadian.
This is very similar. The Sonata also has a 17mm rear OEM RSB. I’m expecting good things from the new RSB. I’m not aiming to be the Ken Block of Sonata’s. Just want a car that sticks to the road a little better. I swapped out the OEM Kumho’s for a set of Michelin Premier’s and that helped the handling somewhat, but I just need a little more. I have no intentions on changing the FSB. If anything I’d just add a strut bar for a little extras rigidity. But the idea to switch out the struts assemblies with Sport trim spec’d ones, now I can get behind that. Just need to find a Sonata Sport with some parts to donate because I don’t want to pay OEM. Thanks everyone!
My experience is that it will feel like more neutral, instead of understeering. You are not going to get oversteer like a RWD car (not possible), but rear will feel like more rigid, like "one piece". Whole body/chassis will be more responsive. It's hard to describe. You need to be more careful at high speeds though until you really get used to it.
If I were you, I'd also add some negative camber to the front. I am not sure if it is adjustable from the factory, if not, check if there is any aftermarket camber bolt option for Sonata. Maybe -1.3 to -1.8 degrees to the front, and -1.0 to -1.3 to the rear. If you keep toe 0, I wouldn't worry about tread life.