XXX sway bar, track review

[Wangspeed]

Finally had a chance to test out the bar on track. It's a nice improvement over the hardcore bar. Definitely noticeable, and by no means difficult to control. Lift throttle oversteer is pretty gradual, even when you're fully loaded up. I breath the throttle just a little bit, and the front tucks nicely instead of plowing like a stuck pig.

Doesn't fix the fact that it'll understeer when you're too hard on the gas too early, but on extended turns, it feels much better, and in the really fast turns it is an absolute hoot. The car is super predictable. No snap nastiness. The only unexpected movement is when you get on the brakes too hard too early, but that happens even bone stock.

Added bonus that it looks absolutely menacing and crazy from behind

I have some videos up in this thread:
http://www.gmsportcompact.net/forums...VIR-Grand-East

For a track car, the Cobalt SS with some very modest changes is an absolute beast. I was running 2:15.x on the full course, and 3:07.x on the grand east course. That's pretty damn crazy for a daily driven fwd car.

[qwikredline]

great news, its your bar after all! Mine skips at the rear at the limit in high speed corners, but thats prolly my rear shocks, u gotta better setup. I got ur rears heading my way from Mike K, and I also have a Bilstein set up in mind.

the overall rate issue I am still working on silently

[09sscalicobalt]

haha yup youll see them monday john i just tracked them today! and damnit might have to get a xxx bar next year but at least i can sell the hardcore bar and make me some $$$$

[qwikredline]

^^^^ troof. and study wangspeeds vids he doin' very good. i think we need a gmsc track day some time in the future we can all attend lol

[Wangspeed]

I run my rear tires a lot lower than you I think, and the tires I run have a pretty soft sidewall, Nitto NT01. I think it works well with the stiff rear bar. Lee Grimes told me that the Grand Am Cobalts also had trouble with skipping, so they ran lower spring rates, but he suspected the really hard sidewalls of the Contis, which are necessary for the heavy GT cars. Maybe the R100s are similar, since they are designed for GT class.

[Maven]

We can rent NJMP during the winter for $3995 a day, either course.

[Omnigear]

^^^^ troof. and study wangspeeds vids he doin' very good. i think we need a gmsc track day some time in the future we can all attend lol

[Wangspeed]

We can rent NJMP during the winter for $3995 a day, either course.

As nice as that would be, I'm totally done for the season. I just wiped out a set of pads in 2 days, and my current set of NT01 are about done. Plus my wife will put me 6 feet under if I attempt one more event before March or so

We should just coordinate on attending a Trackdaze event. You don't want the hassle of managing your own event. It's a ton of work.

[Shadowbane42]

lol laguna seca? that's not expensive at all....lol

[wrxpappy]

i had my XXX out on a rain session at MMP doing a time attack thing called LapBattle. The rain stopped just as we went out on our first session. My cobalt is stock except the bar. I was on some Conti DWs (they are great in the rain, my DD tire). The first lap I was worried but the car was easy to handle. I could get some decent rotation in the rain that I can't get dry. I got to thinking that if I sucked it up and ran hard I could be the fastest time in that session. I would let it rotate a little under braking entering the corner and was able to get on the gas early in the corner to bring the rear end back. That was a lot of fun. I was 2 seconds faster than everyone, that included cars that were 15 seconds a lap faster than me in the dry later that day. These were STi's and Evo's so they should have had an all wheel drive advantage. Most were on their street tires, some were trying to run slicks.

Anyway, I think that shows how well the bar works when it gives the driver the confidence to run that hard in wet conditions. Bar is on for good and with SCCA stock class changes, I hope that it will autocross as good as it works on the track. XXX love here!!

[Wangspeed]

Yeah, I seriously think the XXX bar plutis full tread street tires will be THE setup for rain. When I had the hardcore bar on for rain events, I caught everyone under the sun, but it would still understeer more than I wanted. Can't wait for a rainy event. I'm going with the DW as well.

[Omnigear]

lol laguna seca? that's not expensive at all....lol

or

[Wangspeed]

Some self humiliation:

[qwikredline]

lol @ wrx pappy. Remember his thread "will triple X lower my lap times" or whatever. Guess it did !
Thanks for choosing genuine Powell Hardcore race parts. Wangspeed can take the credit , he wanted that bar. He was right. BTW myu car skips on Direzza star specs. On the R100 it just sticks and doesnt yield at all.That or I am not brave/fast enuf!
You gotta try the Powell hXc control arms. They are mity fine. And in the spring, a line of Powell YYZ suspension enhancements... cant wait

[IdreamofYenko]

lol @ wrx pappy. Remember his thread "will triple X lower my lap times" or whatever. Guess it did !
Thanks for choosing genuine Powell Hardcore race parts. Wangspeed can take the credit , he wanted that bar. He was right. BTW myu car skips on Direzza star specs. On the R100 it just sticks and doesnt yield at all.That or I am not brave/fast enuf!
You gotta try the Powell hXc control arms. They are mity fine. And in the spring, a line of Powell YYZ suspension enhancements... cant wait

Ugh soo many wants and so little monies...

[wrxpappy]

Yea John I remember. I would have posted some times but the days were way different when we ran the same track with temps going from 70's to 100's so I really couldn't compare. I think just staying the same on the hot days proved the bar was good. The car feels so much more under my control, even mostly stock. Tomorrow is the first Wintercross. Could be snow, probably wet. Hopefully I'm prepared for the street class. We'll see.....

[Omnigear]

yyz? aka swift?

[qwikredline]

nope

[Omnigear]

nope

oh top secret stough ^_^


so the xxx bar, does goin bigger than that bring more gains or it will have an adverse effect?

[Davep]

yyz? aka swift?

YYZ is the designation for Pearson (Toronto) airport, but I can't see any connection to John.