[Dexterity]

I know people say that the rear sway bar upgrade is probably the best noticeable performance upgrade after wheels/tires.
I am wondering if getting a front sway bar too is going to be the same level of noticeable performance or if its not noticeable and I just stick with a rear sway bar.

Edit: to clarify the question is to get ONLY rear sway bar
or get BOTH front sway bar and rear sway bar

 

[MrBen]

I know people say that the rear sway bar upgrade is probably the best noticeable performance upgrade after wheels/tires.
I am wondering if getting a front sway bar too is going to be the same level of noticeable performance or if its not noticeable and I just stick with a rear sway bar.

GT's sway bars are slightly large than the lower trims, but the larger performance ones are going to improve higher speed turns. eg zig zagging driving
Also, upgrading the end links to them. Wider tires/rims would be a bonus.

 

[Dexterity]

GT's sway bars are slightly large than the lower trims, but the larger performance ones are going to improve higher speed turns. eg zig zagging driving
Also, upgrading the end links to them. Wider tires/rims would be a bonus.

does that mean I should get only the rear sway bar or also the front one too?

yeah I already got rpf1s and wider tires for my summer driving, and it does improve the driving experience from the stock wheels.
I also recently installed koni yellows with some lowering springs, and the handling does feel like it improved too.
Next step I am thinking about a rear sway bar so when I sometimes do a more aggressive turn at like 20-30mph
And when I get off highway ramps at like 30-50mph, they are like the loop style (some ramps are more curvy and not always the same radius), so I dont have to feel much body roll on my car and my gf doesnt feel like she is thrown to the side as much because I didnt slow down enough when getting off the highway lol.

 

[MrBen]

does that mean I should get only the rear sway bar or also the front one too?

yeah I already got rpf1s and wider tires for my summer driving, and it does improve the driving experience from the stock wheels.
I also recently installed koni yellows with some lowering springs, and the handling does feel like it improved too.
Next step I am thinking about a rear sway bar so when I sometimes do a more aggressive turn at like 20-30mph
And when I get off highway ramps at like 30-50mph, they are like the loop style (some ramps are more curvy and not always the same radius), so I dont have to feel much body roll on my car and my gf doesnt feel like she is thrown to the side as much because I didnt slow down enough when getting off the highway lol.

Both sway bars unless you want some funky handling

 

[Dexterity]

Both sway bars unless you want some funky handling

ah thanks. have you done and sway bar upgrades on your car?
and if so what brand do you recommend. I noticed lots of vendors seem to only sell the rear sway bar so I guess I will avoid theirs like jbr.
I guess I will have to look for vendors that sell both the front and rear sway bar as a set.

Also I notice some vendors sites only have parts for the mazdaspeed3, does mazdaspeed3 sway bars fit on a gen2 mazda3 sedan

 

[CerealKiller]

You don't need to upgrade the front sway bar on our cars. The benefit would be pretty minimal compared to the benefit that we get from the rear sway bar. With a FWD car, you are trying to negate under steer, which is what the RSB does.

It will help with keeping your tires planted, as it eliminates some of the car's body roll.

IMO a front strut tower bar would be more beneficial during hard cornering than a front sway bar.
CK

 

[arathol]

does that mean I should get only the rear sway bar or also the front one too?

Unless you are going to the track, you don't really need to upgrade the front bar. The 3 (and most other FWD cars) have a lot of understeer designed into the chassis for safety reasons (the lawyers say it needs to be there ). Its far easier for the average non-skilled driver to recover from understeer than oversteer.
Installing a larger rear bar will reduce body roll, how much depends on the size of the bar. It will also change the way the car handles, ie loosen up the rear end a bit and allow the front to grip better. The result is less understeer. Add a big front bar and you shift that grip back to the rear tires, and you are back again to more understeer. If you are racing on a track a bigger front bar can have benefits but for a street car you don't need it.

 

[MrBen]

Unless you are going to the track, you don't really need to upgrade the front bar. The 3 (and most other FWD cars) have a lot of understeer designed into the chassis for safety reasons (the lawyers say it needs to be there ). Its far easier for the average non-skilled driver to recover from understeer than oversteer.
Installing a larger rear bar will reduce body roll, how much depends on the size of the bar. It will also change the way the car handles, ie loosen up the rear end a bit and allow the front to grip better. The result is less understeer. Add a big front bar and you shift that grip back to the rear tires, and you are back again to more understeer. If you are racing on a track a bigger front bar can have benefits but for a street car you don't need it.

Nothing gets the heart pumping … race track "S" curves at a speed 80km-100km.

 

[Dexterity]

You don't need to upgrade the front sway bar on our cars. The benefit would be pretty minimal compared to the benefit that we get from the rear sway bar. With a FWD car, you are trying to negate under steer, which is what the RSB does.

It will help with keeping your tires planted, as it eliminates some of the car's body roll.

IMO a front strut tower bar would be more beneficial during hard cornering than a front sway bar.
CK

ah ok, this make sense. which sway bar and strut bar would you recommend?
and also if any other things should be replaced along with the sway bar, do I need to replace the endlinks or what not too?

 

[Dexterity]

Unless you are going to the track, you don't really need to upgrade the front bar. The 3 (and most other FWD cars) have a lot of understeer designed into the chassis for safety reasons (the lawyers say it needs to be there ). Its far easier for the average non-skilled driver to recover from understeer than oversteer.
Installing a larger rear bar will reduce body roll, how much depends on the size of the bar. It will also change the way the car handles, ie loosen up the rear end a bit and allow the front to grip better. The result is less understeer. Add a big front bar and you shift that grip back to the rear tires, and you are back again to more understeer. If you are racing on a track a bigger front bar can have benefits but for a street car you don't need it.

ah ok, this make sense. which sway bar would you recommend?
and also if any other things should be replaced along with the sway bar, do I need to replace the endlinks or what not too?

 

[CerealKiller]

I like my Progress RSB, as does many on here. Racing Beat and James Barone also make an RSB that would work well.

For the front strut tower bar... Corksport and Tanabe both make a good product. I think The Speedline also sells one.

If you are lowered, I would upgrade the endlinks too, otherwise the OEM endlinks should be fine.
CK

 

[Dexterity]

I like my Progress RSB, as does many on here. Racing Beat and James Barone also make an RSB that would work well.

For the front strut tower bar... Corksport and Tanabe both make a good product. I think The Speedline also sells one.

If you are lowered, I would upgrade the endlinks too, otherwise the OEM endlinks should be fine.
CK

how about whiteline rear sway bar?

 

[arathol]

Never had one but Whiteline is supposed to be a one of the better options.

 

[Dexterity]

Never had one but Whiteline is supposed to be a one of the better options.

yeah my buddy who actually tracks his car was like he never heard of corksport, or jbr, but of course he tracks a g35 and his other track buddies drive like bmws and porches.
I am assuming he havent seen many mazdas track.
I was trying to tell him that corksport and jbr specializes in Mazda 3 and Ford Focus but he was like why not go for one of the known brands in the track world.

he told me to try researching about whiteline and hotchkis. I think hotchkis only have mx-5, rx-8 and the first gen speed3.
so here I am asking about whiteline since whiteline's website shows that it has parts for the mazda 3s for gen2

 

[Dexterity]

the whiteline swaybar is amazing, I got the 27mm sway bar, and the adjustable endlinks from whiteline.
I have put it on the softer setting, and have not need to put it on the stiffer or higher setting.
I can definitely say it was a well worth it investment and upgrade to the car.
I remember my gf yelling at me or telling me to slow down when I was to turn at like 20-25mph and still on oem sway bar, but now I am able to do some sharper turns at 30mph+ and she said she was impressed that i was able to turn quite fast and she didnt have to yell at me. And when exiting the highway on some looping ramps, I remember feeling body roll at 30-35mph but now I can barely feel it at around 40-45mph.

I definitely recommend people to get whiteline.

 

[mckenny]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I wonder if I can replace OEM Mazda 3s GT sway bar with the Mazdaspeed 3 RSB. Is it possible or not?
Thanks for your replies!