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      02-22-2008, 12:54 PM   #1
vachss
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H&R Front Swaybar on non-M Z4 coupe

I installed the H&R front sway bar on my 8 week old Z4 coupe last weekend. I won't post pictures or a DIY as it's just about identical to the write-up on E46fanatics.com, but I will say that it's a pretty easy 1 hour 1 person job.

I have one of the non-Sport package Z's with a 1mm smaller swaybar and 0.6" higher ride height than the Sport Z's so there had been just enough body roll in hard cornering to annoy me. Replacement of the 24mm stock bar with the 27mm H&R bar (on the loose setting) noticeably reduces this roll but doesn't appear to make the ride any harsher. The effect on ride quality is so benign, in fact, that I suspect I will move the end links to the tight setting just to see what will happen.

In other cars I've found that putting on a big front bar will produce a teeth rattling jar when going over an asymmetric bump (displacing only one side of the front suspension) but I don't notice any of that here. Perhaps the fact that we sit so much closer to the rear suspension than the front in the Z4somewhat decouples us from shocks to the front end. Regardless, the front bar appears to work well without any downside.

Some might wonder whether I'd have excessive understeer with a large front bar and the stock wimpy non-Sport 18mm rear bar. So far I don't see any evidence of this. Body roll is reduced, but at least on the street I don't see any big tendency to push - perhaps understeer tendency is mitigated by the non-staggered tire set up on the non-Sport Z's.

I may yet opt to install a larger aftermarket rear bar as well, but I think I'll be exploring how the coupe feels with some different settings of the front bar for a while first. Not that I Autox competitively anymore, but with the front bar alone I'm still legal in SCCA stock classes where changing the rear would bump me out. Things to consider...
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      02-22-2008, 11:13 PM   #2
BlackSapphireZ
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how much
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2022 GLE 53 Coupe
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      02-22-2008, 11:31 PM   #3
vachss
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackSapphireZ View Post
how much
About $200 including tax from Pro Parts West in Canoga Park. Turner Motorsport has the front bar for $186 plus shipping - which works out just around the same for me shipped to CA. Since Turner is on the East Coast they may be cheaper for you with shipping to MD. In any case I believe the rear bar is a bit cheaper at around $150.
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      02-23-2008, 01:05 AM   #4
BimmerZealot
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Great review, 1 hour job, hm I'll have to look into it.
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