Adjusting front anti roll (sway) bar?

[L 33 HAW]

I have a 2008 Exige S with touring,performance and sport pack.the sport pack states it has an adjustable front anti roll bar.does anyone know how u access and adjust this?cos I can't find anywhere that explains.

Is it a DIY job or not?

Thanks

[Thomasio]

It's easy, DIY.

There are several holes on the swaybar arm. Using a hole further toward the end of the arm results is a softer swaybar setting, and vice versa.

The longer lever twists the swaybar in torsion more than a shorter lever.

Look under your front end with your wheels turned full lock, it will be very obvious what needs to be done. One nut on each side.

[L 33 HAW]

Brilliant thanks.

Do you or anyone else have any sugestions on settings for it? im looking to dial out a little bit of mid corner understeer, so presumably by softening the front rol bar should help, but what downsides can i expect by doing this?

Also what tools will i need to adjust it?

Thanks

[MacMan]

Just need a wrench. Don't remember what size. Simple open end box end will do. I believe you are correct on the adjustment, one step softer should reduce understeer, but you will also increase the amount of body roll as a result.

[U4IA187]

Honest question here, I thought that by adjusting the front bar you find a great change in the rear performance and vice-versa? So to dial out understeer you need to change settings in the rear, or am I completely messing this up?

[Uncle Sam]

Originally Posted by U4IA187

Honest question here, I thought that by adjusting the front bar you find a great change in the rear performance and vice-versa? So to dial out understeer you need to change settings in the rear, or am I completely messing this up?

A "great change?" Not really, in practice it adjusts front to rear balance. Very briefly, the Elise/Exige has a front anti-roll/sway bar and no rear bar. Softening the front lessens understeer, hardening it increases understeer. The settings on the front and rear suspension for camber and toe have a big effect on handling, but there is no need to change the rear suspension settings for front anti-roll bar adjustment. This would be very impractical. The front bar is a fine tuning adjustment. Less hard on the front bar and it will allow the rear tires to come closer to their maximum slip angle before the front tires give up. But, I am inclined to think that the Lotus engineers would have, with the stock Elise/Exige camber and toe settings, even with the front bar disconnected, the front give way before the rear does. My limited engineering .02 cents.

[xtn]

Originally Posted by U4IA187

Honest question here, I thought that by adjusting the front bar you find a great change in the rear performance and vice-versa? So to dial out understeer you need to change settings in the rear, or am I completely messing this up?

To reduce understeer you can EITHER soften roll in the front OR firm up roll in the rear. We don't have adjustable roll in the rear on the Lotus, so we soften the front. Either way you're getting the front end to do a little more work while the rear end does a little less work.

xtn

[U4IA187]

thanks for clearing that up for me