Confusion about bars

[puzzledust]

Hi, I'm a new CR-Z owner and this is my first post. I'm looking at all of the cusco bar options and am a bit confused over which one to buy. Basically, I'm looking to get the most bang for my buck regarding handling improvement, but there are several different options and after having read most of the threads on this topic I feel like I still know nothing.

You've got the following:
Honda CR-Z Cusco Front Lower Arm Bar V1
Honda CR-Z Cusco Front Lower Arm Bar V2
Honda CR-Z Cusco Front Strut Bar Type OS
Honda CR-Z Cusco Front Sway Bar 20mm DIA - w/Bushings 135% Increased
Honda CR-Z Cusco Rear Strut Bar Type OS
Honda CR-Z Cusco Rear Sway Bar 16mm

I just want to improve the handling on my daily driver. I will not be taking it to the track, I just want to improve the handling around corners. I am aware that new tires and wheels will help a lot and will be getting those when I can afford them.

Thanks!

[ArtJDM]

It really depends on your driving style putting front and rear "bars" on will increase stability accordingly. I would suggest you benchmark at an autocross first to determine what you think you need. If you don't care, then I suggest a set of performance springs to reduce body roll and a front strut bar.

[ShazzNADES]

This will be coming out soon and way cheaper than the cusco one.
Basis Sport Tuning 21mm Rear Sway Bar

[Varmint]

I looked into this myself and came away with the conclusion that sway bars are for track cars. A rear bar, for example, will loosen up the back end of the car and introduce oversteer. On a track car, this is a good thing! You let the back end go then slam down the throttle to transfer weight to the back (and increase traction), so that little bit of rotation doesn't transition into snap oversteer.

On a daily driver this is a bad thing. A daily driver may be driven by other people, or driven in bad weather. Oversteer is not your friend on public roads. Frankly, I don't have the skill to make the most of a sway bar.

IMO, tires, chassis bracing, and spring/coils are the way to go with a street car.

[JCRZ]

I ordered the spoon front sway bar, should be getting it in a couple weeks, I'll install and do a write up on it.

[ArtJDM]

Originally Posted by JCRZ

I ordered the spoon front sway bar, should be getting it in a couple weeks, I'll install and do a write up on it.

If you're talking about the Spoon Motor Rib, here's a DIY for it. It's pretty self explanatory, just be sure you lower the brake fluid reservoir.
http://www.crzforum.com/forum/73132-post24.html

The motor rib is phenomenal.

Like I said, you should put your car through the paces and figure out what you are looking for when you say that you want "better handling." My friend and I both owned 1st Gen Miatas and we both couldn't really drive each others' cars. His balance for cornering was very different than mine and we had very different parts to obtain "better handling." The Spoon Motor Rib is a bit pricey, but it's definitely worth it. If you check with Basis, they might still be selling them for $540 or something like that.

[JCRZ]

No not the motor rib, I said the sway bar that's what I'm getting. Install will require me to drop the subframe fml

[ArtJDM]

Originally Posted by JCRZ

No not the motor rib, I said the sway bar that's what I'm getting. Install will require me to drop the subframe fml

Oh, sway bar. Thought you said strut bar. Yeah... you have fun with that. Let us know how it goes.

[SuiteMike]

I hae the cusco ver 1 and 2 and strut bar installed, I love the improvement in handling for dd....but I eventualy will start autocrossing and tracking it so I'm saving for coilovers and tires/rims....I am a suspension junkie, always looking to improve it somehow, uhm heard amazing things on the spoon motor rib, the kansa front strut bar looks better to me and you can also usethe hood dampners with it as opposed to the cusco front strut bar, where it won't fit. The ver 1 and 2 braces too me I feel like the just help stiffen the chasis up...they are easy to install, you do have to cut lil pieceof the plastic underbody out, but its very minute and not time consuming at all.

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[varg]

I wouldn't bother with sway bars if you don't plan on tracking the car. Front tower bar and lower frame bar I guess would be better.