sway bar

Napalm7629 · Post by **Napalm7629** » August 26th, 2007, 9:10 pm

does anyone know of a company that makes performance sway bars for the mx-3?

Whisper · Post by **Whisper** » August 26th, 2007, 11:11 pm

I think Corksport used to sell swaybars, don't know if they still do. Whiteline also made swaybars that could be fitted, but I think they're no longer making them. Possibly Mazdaspeed...? Although I'm guessing it would be OEM replacement.

solo_ryder · Post by **solo_ryder** » August 27th, 2007, 2:43 am

This is something I think everyone looks for at one time as I think the rear sway bar is something that could be replaced for better handling, however nothing is really made anymore besides whitelines ones (same diameter IIRC) and from what I have heard they do not really make a difference... Someone should make custom ones

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » August 27th, 2007, 3:02 am

Whitelines are larger and DO make a difference. To go much largeryou risk breaking the control arm from the force of the bar (well acutally it will break the mounting tab on the control arm). This can be proven by the ZX-2 or Protoge larger rear bars that break suspensions. Loosing the rear sway bar can cause loss of control and is not worth the slight gain IMO. Get a Whiteline and you'll be plenty happy.

nope-mx3 · Post by **nope-mx3** » August 27th, 2007, 1:03 pm

yep, the whiteline is awesome.
It really removed a lot of sway in my Mx.
Probably one of the three best mods I`ve done.

-n

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » August 29th, 2007, 12:58 pm

solo_ryder wrote:This is something I think everyone looks for at one time as I think the rear sway bar is something that could be replaced for better handling, however nothing is really made anymore besides whitelines ones (same diameter IIRC) and from what I have heard they do not really make a difference... Someone should make custom ones

Agree increasing the diameter of the rear anti roll bar of an FWD car decreases understeer while increasing the diameter of the front makes the car want to push even more that stock. I am currently running a 23mm rear anti roll bar on my MX-3 and a 22mm rear bar on the ZX2. On the MX-3 I have made compressable front end links and softer front springs to maximize the handling of the car. The most common bolt-on upgrade bar is to use the 22mm rear bar from a late '95 to '96 GS in place of the 20mm on the earlier N. America models. On some American MX-3's a local scrap yard imports up here in Canada for parts I've found that the 20mm OE bar is actually a hollow bar and not solid, so would equal to a 13mm solid bar. Found this one out with a slip of a cut off wheel. In this case the solid 20mm bar would be an upgrade

I had some rear bars of various sizes from 21-23mm made in Calgary and the correct size urethane bushing cast in Montreal about 7-8 years ago by manufacturing companies my friend own. As with everything in the MX-3 world. It was something everybody said they wanted but no one was willing to open their wallets. The other problem is that most companies that market aftermarket parts in North America tend to avoid selling parts that have a higher product liability risk. The US model MX-3 had been revised to understeer more than "world market" cars to reduce that risk that the MX-3 could be a liability risk to Mazda. After Mazda stopped US imports of the MX-3 the Canadian GS imports started to get the 22mm rear bar and stiffer OEM rear springs that were used in other countries because the litigation laws are different here and is more difficult to sue a product manufacture for a so called safety issue or defect than in the US. A marketing trick used in the aftermarket industry is to sell kits that include a larger front and rear bar giving only the illusion performance improvements but still leaving a lot of understeer to cover their a-- in the event of litigation. Actually handling improvements are minimal compared to using just the read alone.

I was talking to my friend in Calgary earlier this summer and don't bother asking to put bars in to production now. With the boom in the oilpatch for them to make even 500 rear anti-roll bars these days would be like pocket change compared to the contracts they have coming in and is not even worth considering doing any more. The same goes for my others friend urethane company. In the past couple of years he has got big contract in the automotive and avation industry to make OE parts and he has even stopped making bushing for the type of cars he owns because it was cutting into the production.

solo_ryder · Post by **solo_ryder** » August 29th, 2007, 3:31 pm

Wow.. that is good info to know! I am sure I can find a late 95-96 sway bar (you say that it is solid) that should be a good upgrade because I think that is one of the weakest parts of the whole suspension setup that I have.. I will look into that, thanks!

mx3autozam · Post by **mx3autozam** » August 30th, 2007, 12:25 am

I've heard of people using the zxtuner/progress one on the mx3, ist 22mm Anyone know anything about that.

I wanna upgrade my sway bar at the same tiem i install my mazdaspeed rear arm kit. Anyone know where I can get whiteline bar or is the 96 mx3 bar teh best choice?

nope-mx3 · Post by **nope-mx3** » August 30th, 2007, 5:06 am

http://www.whiteline.com.au

Cheap and fast shipping.

-n

Post by **Mooneggs** » August 30th, 2007, 9:31 am

If you live in the US the distributor has them in stock and it's much cheaper shipping than coming from Australia

From AU - $264 total shipped

From US - around $180 total shipped

http://www.globalperformanceparts.com/

Whitline part number for mx-3 rear swaybar 22mm: BMR57

mx3autozam · Post by **mx3autozam** » September 2nd, 2007, 4:06 pm

Does the whiteline bar come with all bushings and link kits for complete instalation?

nope-mx3 · Post by **nope-mx3** » September 2nd, 2007, 4:33 pm

bushings yes, link kit no.
It uses the stock end links.

-n

mx3autozam · Post by **mx3autozam** » September 3rd, 2007, 10:45 pm

nope-mx3 wrote:bushings yes, link kit no.
It uses the stock end links.

-n

Doesn't whiteline make rear links for the mx3 as well..Pretty sure I read that somewhere!