Si 4ws w/ Sway Bars? - Honda Prelude Forum

mtbprelude · 10-10-2003, 08:51 AM

Anyone have a 4ws with sway bars? I've been asking around and doing the research. Haven't found much, or rather anything. I'm trying to beef up my suspension for Auto-X/performance purposes.

My setup will be:
Neuspeed Sport Springs
Koni Yellows
Neuspeed Front Strut Bar
Prothane/Energy Suspensions Polyurethane Bushings
Suspension Techniques Front and Rear Sway Bars

I want to get the car more nuetral handling because the 4ws has a tendency to switch from understeer to oversteer rather quickly, I have videos to prove it here: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289033115

I have found in some places that a handful of 4th gen spec rear sway bars are listed as NON-4ws. Short of spacial requirements and tie-rod interference I can't see why.

MR.CLIFFORD · 10-10-2003, 09:21 AM

The 4WS computer is in the way. You have to relocate it down some way. I've heard of people doing here but I can't remember who

Z · 10-10-2003, 10:01 AM

I'm confused, you ask for a rear sway bar, but in your setup, you have a rear sway bar??? If you're talking about the rear strut bar, then you'll have to relocate the 4WS ECU.

mtbprelude · 10-10-2003, 12:36 PM

Z - That is what the set up WILL BE, I don't have all the parts yet. (insert mail order grumbling here)

MR. Clifford - I'm talking the SWAY bar. Yes, the 4ws ECU is mounted on a bulkhead that gives the strut tops plenty of rigidity and interferes with STRUT bar installation. I'm not worried about that.

I want to elliminate what remains of body roll in my car, and while the 4WS corrects for and marginally rotates the tires . A sway bar is essentially a torsion bar, that keeps the shocks at both sides of the rear moving closer to unison, thereby making your car "turn" faster, keeping a larger, more vertical contact patch.

In the 4ws instance, the wheels themselves turn (counter to the front) to aid in stabilizing steering by reducing the slip angle(angle tire and wheel are ACTUALLY travelling, compared to angle they are pointed in). However the suspension still rolls, meaning that force is being applied at an angle relative to the now turned tires. (So the car understeers until the 4ws stops the rotation of the tires, then the adhession point is lost and the car spins) This leads to the under/oversteer transfer mid-turn.

Thats why I am looking for a 4ws owner with swaybars to lend me some insight on the handling characteristics, install issues etc.

TrustJDM · 10-10-2003, 01:38 PM

I thought there were no rear sway bars that fit a 4ws. I think this was mentioned awhile back. Try a search.

willmbrk · 10-10-2003, 07:25 PM

As far as I know, there are no rear sway bars for the 4ws. If there was, I would have them already.

ar5enal · 10-11-2003, 01:13 AM

I can say for a fact that the Cusco STB fits 4ws Preludes. I have one on mine right now and it doesn't interfere with the 4ws ECU.

As far as sway bars go, I'm pretty sure that none are compatible with 4ws because of interference with the gearbox. I bought a Progress bar and was heartbroken to find that it wouldn't clear the 4ws box where the tie-rods connect to.

I'm pretty sure that none of the sway bars out there will clear this. One idea would be for someone to see if an aftermarket sway can be modeled off the stock bar, just made with fewer bends, and much more rigid. I know I would be in for something like this...but really have no idea what it would take to get it done.

mtbprelude · 10-13-2003, 08:27 AM

Neuspeed and Tanabe BOTH manufactured rear sway bars for the 4th gen 4ws. They essentially followed the stock design, just beefed it up to 25mm from the stock. They look like snakes with the number of bends to clear everything.
The bad news: demand did not warrant continued production, and Neuspeed discontinued it altogether, and I haven't gotten a response from Tanabe.

TrustJDM · 10-14-2003, 03:23 PM

i recently picked up a Tanabe rear sway so they should still make them. i checked with honda and the 4ws and vtec do share the same part number for the rear sway bar. knowing this, the Tanabe bar may fit the 4ws prelude unless its bent differently than the stock bar. i have the tanabe in my trunk right now and if anyone wants to meet up with me to compare a 4ws bar i would gladly meet up. i'm from the bay area.

azjs · 10-14-2003, 06:57 PM

Excellent

How much was the Tanabe one though?

-az

TrustJDM · 10-15-2003, 08:28 PM

about $185 shipped. i've found it for as low as $145 but it wasn't in stock for that price.

Si4WS · 10-16-2003, 01:10 PM

Wish I would have known about the tanabe.