Hi, anybody clamped down their aftermarket RSB by introducing clamp rings (or similar) to prevent lateral movement under corning?

i have installed 19mm H-sport RSB (along with NM springs, still using OEM rear links) and the rear didn't feel any stiffer or firmer or didn't tighten up when going from OEM sport suspension RSB to H-sport middle settings or from the middle to the firmest settings. i believe i should have felt the difference, which makes me wonder if RSB is sliding laterally.

i am thinking of using a piece of garden hose and ring clamps right outside the RSB mounts to prevent the bar from sliding laterally. after all, there's gotta be a reason why Alta's 19 and 22mm, NM's 22mm and Ireland Engineering 22mm bars have rings?

is my logic flawed? thx for the input...
Alex

 

I think that the garden hose stuff may not be heavy duty enough.

I have the NM RSB and it has stops welded in. I have had other bars when they leave it open. I think it does not seem to matter that much since the the bar is clamped in and works by resisting twisting torsion.

Because of how it works, the bar is felt more when you are in a turn. I do not know what you mean by tighten up but it should introduce some more oversteer. It should not do anything when you go straight. Perhaps you can describe a little more what you are feeling and looking to do.

 

after looking at the H-sport bar, it bends right on outside where brackets are, so it should not slide laterally...

what i mean is that during the turn in, i dont feel the car being more "sprung in" or looser in the back, or being even close for the tail to come around... i am used to RWD cars, may be my expectation of car freely rotating around (i am talking with no or little throttle here) is just not going to happen with MCS.

 

I'm not sure if you are familiar enough with FWD cars to know what to look for. The bar will only come into play when you are swaying, and since a cooper turns pretty nicely, you either need to go faster, or turn tighter to feel the difference it body roll and how that effects the steering.

I can feel the difference moving a notch, but I am near tire squeal when I am paying attention. Usually, there isn't much to notice.

FWD cars like to be pulled through the turn. Off the gas is a no no half way around, with the bar really tight, its should be easy to spin around by lifting off the throttle at the wrong moment, or at least get a sense it is a bit squirrly.

 

perhaps that's what it is - i am coming form rwd world (s2000, e30 m3, miata, g35 coupe) and just need to get used to fwd a bit. i have not done autoX or HPDE with the cooper yet, so have not really pushed it too much. first HPDE in 10 days!

 

The front camber plates to get more negative camber is what you really need to get that movement in initial turn in for FWD cars. Dial the negative camber to around -2 and you will get that whipping action when your rsb is at full.

Where are you going for HPDE? A number of us are going to open track this weekend at wgi.

 

Just put the H-sport RSB on my MINI (no other suspension mods). It's on the mid setting, and I can get the rear end loose. I was immediatley able to perceive the reduced understeer (almost none), and the quicker turn-ins. I can't understand wy you're not feeling any difference.

 

The change is subtle, but there. My thinking is to start on low settings, then detect behavior I want to correct and go from there.

Things like tire pressure or alignment will make a big difference too. 38 lbs it what mini recommends for all tires, and I notice a big jump in the slop factor if it lowers even a couple pounds. The tire indicator isn't a good substitute for checking the air. Often they are all a little low and that will never light the indicator if they are similar.