[pug20g]

Hi there,

I've just recently put a rear sway bar on my 2014 GD i30 hatch and have done about 600 km with that configuration so far. I've been searching the whiteline catalogue since I bought my car but I think it's only recently been available.

Whiteline BHR92

The car feel more sure-footed around corners, even at low speeds. Any queries, happy to answer to the best of my ability.

[CraigB]

Sway bars are a great upgrade I wish they did one for the GD 3 door with IRS

They've been available for a few years and can be found slightly cheaper online Whiteline Rear Sway Bar 18mm Non Adjustable BHR92 fits HYUNDAI i30 GD 2011-2019 9330074010997 | eBay

[pug20g]

I agree, best performance upgrade that is passive and works from 5 km/h. I had another read of the specs of my rear sway bar. There is no mention on whiteline's website being for torsion beam or multi-link suspension but obviously from your research this sway bar won't work?

Whiteline make rear sway bars for an X3 Excel so I am sure the more sportier i30s deserve an upgrade also?

[CraigB]

Yeah they wont fit the GD IRS unfortunately, the Euro built models don't have much available in Australia.

[pug20g]

Your vehicle's suspension was more advanced and better than mine to begin with. If anything, with the addition of a swaybar I've made my suspension more dependent than before.

[TerryT]

@ Pug20g.  You said above:

 “The car feel more sure-footed around corners, even at low speeds.” and  “…best performance upgrade that is passive and works from 5 km/h.”

Mate, not trying to be a smarty but I would appreciate some clarification as this is contrary to my general understanding of, and experience with, sway bars...which is:

Sway bars (front & rear) are just adjustable torsional springs that connect both sides of the car’s suspension to reduce body roll when cornering.

Sway bars don’t do anything performance-wise when the car is being driven in a straight line (whether slowly or quickly) on your typical sealed road or race track.  I’m ignoring off-road adventures or roads with big pot holes etc.

For sway bars to work as intended, the car has to be entering a corner (or roundabout) at sufficient speed that the weight of the car is pushed outwards to some degree (centrifugal force) onto the outer suspension/tyre.  This compresses the outer suspension and decompresses the inner suspension. 

When cornering at speed without a sway bar, the inside tyre wants to ‘lift’ (reducing traction) while the outside tyre wants to ‘bury’ itself into the tarmac.  The sway bar helps correct this imbalance of load and traction. 

The sway bar’s twisting action redirects the compressing force on the outside suspension (across the car’s chassis) to the inside suspension.  This helps load the inside suspension/tyre for better traction while sorting out the other suspension/tyres as much as possible.

I’m no suspension expert so my technical knowledge/language may be wanting but I think I have got the basics right. 

But, always willing to learn from others.

[CraigB]

5km/h might be a slight exaggeration though slow speed rapid directional changes would still be improved with less body roll.

[TerryT]

5km/h might be a slight exaggeration though slow speed rapid directional changes would still be improved with less body roll.

Agree.  You get some benefit with slow speed rapid directional changes but, imo, it would have be something like driving through a witches hats/slalom-type layout...and the average driver doesn't often encounter that during their normal day-to-day driving.

Not trying to be a know-it-all, just concerned that those reading pug25g's post who are not experienced with sway bars would spend the money and then find that the anticipated performance benefits are not there at slow speed. That's why I was seeking clarification from pug25g. 

Don't get me wrong, I luv sway bars and what they can do for a car's handling.  If/when I bother to find out that fitting them will not void my warranty I'll do it.  Probably do the same with coil-overs.

[Dazzler]

 
  If/when I bother to find out that fitting them will not void my warranty I'll do it.  Probably do the same with coil-overs.

Definitely wouldn't void your warranty. If a suspension component failed and they could prove it was related to the installation of the sway bar then they might try and pass the buck, but that is extremely unlikely to happen. Like with all mods they can only void warranty on something directly related to the mod. 

[CraigB]

If/when I bother to find out that fitting them will not void my warranty I'll do it.  Probably do the same with coil-overs.

same as Dazz said.

Installing a sway bar wouldn't affect your warranty, not unless it was proven that the swaybar was the direct cause of the problem and I very much doubt there is anything that could be damaged...unless you don't bolt it up correctly

[TerryT]

@ Dazzler and CraigB.

I suspected as much but thank you both for the confirmation.

May I assume the same applies to coil-overs?

[CraigB]

@ Dazzler and CraigB.

I suspected as much but thank you both for the confirmation.

May I assume the same applies to coil-overs?

Yes, I believe coil overs would be the same.

[TerryT]

@ Dazzler and CraigB.

I suspected as much but thank you both for the confirmation.

May I assume the same applies to coil-overs?

Yes, I believe coil overs would be the same.

Thanks.

[pug20g]

Sway bars don’t do anything performance-wise when the car is being driven in a straight line (whether slowly or quickly) on your typical sealed road or race track.  I’m ignoring off-road adventures or roads with big pot holes etc.

Hi TerryT, thanks for your comments. I agree it doesn't change anything in a straight line but it does help around corners hence the performance part of my comment. Probably better that I call it a handling improvement to make it clearer to other persons reading this thread.

All my observations are "by-the-seat" and I don't and g-force meters or anything to prove objectively.

Not trying to be a know-it-all, just concerned that those reading pug25g's post who are not experienced with sway bars would spend the money and then find that the anticipated performance benefits are not there at slow speed. That's why I was seeking clarification from pug25g. 

Maybe 5km/h is a bit of an exaggeration but the car did feel flatter within the first two corners of driving out of the mechanics driveway which you can't really go very quickly due to all the cars parked all over the place. Also, once you begin turning a corner, the car feels like it's helping you by "pivoting" around. It probably did that before but I've been able to notice it more. I can't explain in more detail  but it's probably the sway bar trying to get back to it's neutral position.

Agree.  You get some benefit with slow speed rapid directional changes but, imo, it would have be something like driving through a witches hats/slalom-type layout...and the average driver doesn't often encounter that during their normal day-to-day driving.

My i30 is my daily drive and whilst I don't due slaloms with road cones, I do drive in the Australian city of roundabouts so there is a fair bit of direction changes at both low and at suburban speeds (ie upto 60 km/h). Over some familiar corners on my daily commute I have taken a few corners, both intentionally and unintentionally, which previously resulted in un-comforting body roll and tyre slip. Both body roll and tyre slip have been pared back (or another way, the limits have increased). This is all in the dry using original tyres that came with the car (~70k kms). I haven't had a chance to drive in the rain yet.

The great thing I like about sway bars is when they aren't active, the vehicle soaks up bumps as compliantly as before which is a good trait of the Australian tuned suspension on recent Hyundais and Kias. The cost is also fairly reasonable which is why I think they are great value as a mod.

All the best on your research and implementation on coil-overs and happy to assist the forum further in anyway.

Cheers.

[TerryT]

@ pug25g.  Thank you for the detailed reply which, for me, has clarified much of your first two posts.

I think if those posts had said something like: "The car feels more sure-footed around corners, even at low speeds, especially with rapid directional changes " (and, omitted "...works from 5 km/h”) you and I would not be having this conversation. 

In "fast, open roundabouts", yes, sway bars will reduce body roll at the speeds achievable by competent drivers as they drive across or around them.

In "slow, cramped roundabouts", I don't think there is, on balance, any worthwhile advantage having sway bars unless you want to navigate the roundabout at speeds faster than what the roundabout designer had in mind for that intersection.

As they say, sway bars are the best bang for your buck in the handling department for street and track cars.

Hope you enjoy your new modification. 

Cheers,

TT

[pug20g]

 

I think if those posts had said something like: "The car feels more sure-footed around corners, even at low speeds, especially with rapid directional changes " (and, omitted "...works from 5 km/h”) you and I would not be having this conversation.   

We live & learn  . Didn't mean to be ambiguous - maybe just excited to share the news  .

On reflection, probably meant that the sway bar effects are noticeable at low speeds but whether that is of any merit to someone is subjective. To me it was, hence my comments.

Cheers.

[TerryT]

@pug20g. All good.

[curlay]

Is there one already on the car and this is a thicker/stiffer one? or is there none at all and this is just a straight up install

[pug20g]

Is there one already on the car and this is a thicker/stiffer one? or is there none at all and this is just a straight up install

It depends on the model of the car. My i30 has the simpler suspension setup utilising a torsion beam in the rear and the sway bar is an add-on so nothing else is removed or replaced.

Below is a link to the install guide which has some pics.
https://www.whiteline.com.au/docs/install_guides/Z5280.pdf

[curlay]

Is there one already on the car and this is a thicker/stiffer one? or is there none at all and this is just a straight up install

It depends on the model of the car. My i30 has the simpler suspension setup utilising a torsion beam in the rear and the sway bar is an add-on so nothing else is removed or replaced.

Below is a link to the install guide which has some pics.
http://www.whiteline.com.au/docs/install_guides/Z5280.pdf

Wow, That's straightforward.
Definitely going to give this a go as soon as I can. I put one in my old lancer years ago and it made a huge difference, so looks like i'm gonna do it again

[pug20g]

Wow, That's straightforward.

I thought so to but as you had to remove the springs I wasn't confident so I got a mechanic to do perform the task. You shouldn't have to pay more that ~180AUD shipped for it, maybe even cheaper.

eah they wont fit the GD IRS unfortunately, the Euro built models don't have much available in Australia.

From what @CraigB mentioned, the Euro built GD i30s (from memory that is 3 doors & wagons), have setups that don't allow the rear sway bar. I have a 5 door hatch with the torsion beam suspension so it definitely works. The only models I am uncertain if the rear sway bar fits are for Korean built 5 doors with non-torsion beam suspension. I think that could be higher grades or sporty variants of the 5 door i30s. Which variant of i30 do you have @curlay?

[curlay]

Wow, That's straightforward.

I thought so to but as you had to remove the springs I wasn't confident so I got a mechanic to do perform the task. You shouldn't have to pay more that ~180AUD shipped for it, maybe even cheaper.

... Which variant of i30 do you have @curlay?

I’ve got an ActiveX 5 door hatch. Had a look underneath after you posted the instructions (looks like they are from a veloceter? But looks to be the same) and conformed it’s just a torsion bar.

[CraigB]

It's not that a sway bar wont fit the Euro models as they already have one, no one makes an upgraded one for them is the problem.

[pug20g]

It's not that a sway bar wont fit the Euro models as they already have one, no one makes an upgraded one for them is the problem.

Got it. Thanks for the clarification.