NEW JBR Sway Bars in Stock & Shipping Now!!

[Raider]

Colder weather brings out the creaks. I use Green Grease, whenever my lazy butt wants to, and lubes my bars. 7 1/2 years on Hotchkis, if it matters. Oh, installed fronts wrong so cannot get to zirc so those make noise in cold.

[RACER_X]

Well it was kinda cool today, only got to 90

Lol

[div2]

Originally Posted by jbarone Good quality full synthetic grease is a must with polyurethane bushings or noises will occur. The OEM end links are really not up to the job of larger sway bars.

This is the same grease included with the JBR bushings- and it's an excellent product:

Super Lube 41150 Synthetic Grease

Super Lube 41150 Synthetic Grease
Super Lube 41150 Synthetic Grease

[RACER_X]

i used



dunno if thats good/bad or ok

[JBR]

^^That is a lithium complex grease and it's not good for polyurethane. It's good grease though.

The best grease to use is silicone grease that contains no lithium like the super lube mentioned above.

[RACER_X]

so remove the stuff and reapply w/ better?

is it ok for the new ball joints i have coming in?

[JBR]

Originally Posted by RACER_X so remove the stuff and reapply w/ better? is it ok for the new ball joints i have coming in?

If you can, if not just use the better. It'll be fine for the links.

[RACER_X]

ok, ordered super lube!

[RACER_X]

Did the endlinks, initially no noise

I'll say the lower ball is at quite an angle even in the middle bolt position.

[Dimenus]

Attached pics.

The top bolt on this side wasn't amazingly tight, but it also wasn't stripped enough to pop out. It's still been banging the bottom of the car.

[Gr8Speed]

Originally Posted by Dimenus Attached pics. The top bolt on this side wasn't amazingly tight, but it also wasn't stripped enough to pop out. It's still been banging the bottom of the car.

Ryan, come on. You have stripped out holes and you know that. No sway bar is going to perform as designed if you can't torque the bolts down to spec. Whether it's tight enough that the bar can't pop out or not, it still can shift. That bar is not designed to shift like that. The reason you may be seeing issues with the JBR bar over the stock bar probably lies in the fact that you using a stiffer bar. It's going to bring out the worst of the issues.

I understand you are probably going to go back to a less stiff bar as your coilovers help with stiffness enough for your liking, but please be completely transparent when you are posting about the issues you have. The issue isn't the bar- it is likely the inability to properly secure the bar because of a hardware issue with the car.

[Dimenus]

Originally Posted by Gr8Speed Ryan, come on. You have stripped out holes and you know that. No sway bar is going to perform as designed if you can't torque the bolts down to spec. Whether it's tight enough that the bar can't pop out or not, it still can shift. That bar is not designed to shift like that. The reason you may be seeing issues with the JBR bar over the stock bar probably lies in the fact that you using a stiffer bar. It's going to bring out the worst of the issues. I understand you are probably going to go back to a less stiff bar as your coilovers help with stiffness enough for your liking, but please be completely transparent when you are posting about the issues you have. The issue isn't the bar- it is likely the inability to properly secure the bar because of a hardware issue with the car.

I wasn't blaming Jamie at all. Someone asked me to post pics.

Calm the fuck down.

There still is a lot of leeway on the brackets with a small amount of clearance. The stock brackets do not have that kind of range even with a much smaller diameter bar.

[Gr8Speed]

Originally Posted by Dimenus I wasn't blaming Jamie at all. Someone asked me to post pics. Calm the fuck down. There still is a lot of leeway on the brackets with a small amount of clearance. The stock brackets do not have that kind of range even with a much smaller diameter bar.

I'm not trying to attack you or anything. I just want to build the context around your situation so people aren't jumping to conclusions without all the facts.

[Dimenus]

Originally Posted by Gr8Speed I'm not trying to attack you or anything. I just want to build the context around your situation so people aren't jumping to conclusions without all the facts.

This bar has still either creaked or clunked since I've gotten it. It used to creak which was mostly my fault (using shitty grease) and since It's been swapped on and off quite a few times, the nuts don't have the kind of threads they had originally.

However, I do want to know why collars that allow the bar to slide up and down are included with the kit if there's a tiny bit of clearance on especially the driver's side. Jamie even said it himself that you should move the bar down as low as possible to avoid it.

[Evan9999]

I bought the original JBR rear sway bar back in 2011. I put over 80k miles on it, tracked it many times, and never had any issues.

I upgraded to the JBR .250 competition sway bar back in April of this year. No issues with the new bar either.

My buddy has a GenPu and is using my old JRB rear sway bar. He accidentally stripped out the holes for the bushing brackets and it was making a lot of noise. I don't remember exactly what he did, but he ended up fixing it. I think he either used something like a Helicoil or re-tapped the holes to a slightly larger size.

[Dimenus]

Originally Posted by Evan9999 I bought the original JBR rear sway bar back in 2011. I put over 80k miles on it, tracked it many times, and never had any issues. I upgraded to the JBR .250 competition sway bar back in April of this year. No issues with the new bar either. My buddy has a GenPu and is using my old JRB rear sway bar. He accidentally stripped out the holes for the bushing brackets and it was making a lot of noise. I don't remember exactly what he did, but he ended up fixing it. I think he either used something like a Helicoil or re-tapped the holes to a slightly larger size.

It's only noticeable when you turn going up an incline (into an alleyway for example). Because that's when it's applying all the pressure on to the brackets. It doesn't clunk at all while going over bumps or holes in the road.

[Gr8Speed]

Originally Posted by Dimenus This bar has still either creaked or clunked since I've gotten it. It used to creak which was mostly my fault (using shitty grease) and since It's been swapped on and off quite a few times, the nuts don't have the kind of threads they had originally. However, I do want to know why collars that allow the bar to slide up and down are included with the kit if there's a tiny bit of clearance on especially the driver's side. Jamie even said it himself that you should move the bar down as low as possible to avoid it.

Collars or brackets? I'm confused. The collars don't control upward/downward movement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dimenus]

Originally Posted by Gr8Speed Collars or brackets? I'm confused. The collars don't control upward/downward movement. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Brackets I meant. Sorry.

[JBR]

They are brackets not collars.

The brackets are slotted, just like all the brackets every other manufacture supplies because, they are off the shelf. Custom brackets and bushings would push the cost of the bar too high.

Now, if you would address the issue with your sub-frame, this would be the end of this discussion no? The bar WILL NOT make contact if you can get it tight. It will not move AT ALL if you can get it tight.

I as well as several other people have tried to help you. I'm not sure what more can be done to help.

[Gr8Speed]

Originally Posted by Dimenus Brackets I meant. Sorry.

If you torque the bolts attaching the collars to spec they don't move.

Following your logic, I could strip out my crank and then blame Mazda's design when I jump timing since I only torqued the crank bolt to 40ftlbs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dimenus]

Originally Posted by jbarone They are brackets not collars. The brackets are slotted, just like all the brackets every other manufacture supplies because, they are off the shelf. Custom brackets and bushings would push the cost of the bar too high. Now, if you would address the issue with your sub-frame, this would be the end of this discussion no? The bar WILL NOT make contact if you can get it tight. It will not move AT ALL if you can get it tight. I as well as several other people have tried to help you. I'm not sure what more can be done to help.

And you answered my question about the brackets. Thanks.

I know most of my issue is related to my own fail at this point. No problems here. Thank you for following up.

Originally Posted by Gr8Speed If you torque the bolts attaching the collars to spec they don't move. Following your logic, I could strip out my crank and then blame Mazda's design when I jump timing since I only torqued the crank bolt to 40ftlbs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, that's not what I said at all. I was just asking why jamie included brackets of that type. Which he already answered.

[JBR]

I think we've gotten to the bottom of the issue and what steps need to be taken to correct it.


OK let's all hug now.

[RACER_X]

Wife says no more noise from rear

[license2ill]

Is the stock sway bar the same on both gen-1 and gen-2?

I saw somewhere that the rear is narrower diameter than the front bar, so am questioning how it will change the cornering dynamics with a significantly thicker-than-front rear bar.

[faeker]

Yes. I'm not 100% bur I wanna say it's like that stock wise as well in regards to size.

[license2ill]

Originally Posted by faeker Yes. I'm not 100% bur I wanna say it's like that stock wise as well in regards to size.

You think Mazda left it narrower to maintain a "safe" amount of plow?

I'm just wondering how making rear stiffer than front affects turn-in, midcorner grip, or exit behavior.

[JBR]

The front and rear bar of both GEN's are 1".

[faeker]

there's your answer. i was just going by when I pulled my shit apart last summer. the regular 3 is the one with a difference but it's only by 1mm.

[license2ill]

Originally Posted by jbarone The front and rear bar of both GEN's are 1".

Thanks, I saw it listed as like 26 rear and 28 front somewhere...should have known it wasn't correct. I can't seem to find confirmed spring rates either.

How does the increased rear roll stiffness affect wet and emergency lane change behavior?

[Nliiitend1]

They're actually 26 mm, not 1".

I realize that a 0.6 mm difference isn't a big one, but it is still a difference.

[Gr8Speed]

Originally Posted by Nliiitend1 They're actually 26 mm, not 1". I realize that a 0.6 mm difference isn't a big one, but it is still a difference.

I am willing to bet that bar is manufactured with close to a .020" tolerance.

[Nliiitend1]

Originally Posted by Gr8Speed I am willing to bet that bar is manufactured with close to a .020" tolerance.

Like I said: The OEM bars are 26 mm.

A millimeter increase at that size (on a solid bar) is good for a 16-17% increase in torsional rigidity:

http://www.whiteline.com.au/docs/bulletins/BL-281.pdf

Take it for what it's worth.

[JBR]

I'm staying with 1".

[Nliiitend1]

How thick is that paint?

...(and how Chinese is that caliper? )


*EDIT*: ...and yes, I realize that if the paint was contributing significantly to thickness, then the picture would actually show MORE than 1" with the bar being 26 mm thick... Regardless, I trust the accuracy of that caliper/mic about as much as I trust the durability of Energy Suspension's swaybar brackets when used with a JBR swaybar.

[Gr8Speed]

Originally Posted by Nliiitend1 How thick is that paint?

Not -.023 thick. I'm sure of that

[JBR]

Originally Posted by Nliiitend1 How thick is that paint? ...(and how Chinese is that caliper? )

If you'd like I can go back measure it with my Starrett? Its still going to be 1".

[Nliiitend1]

Yeah, you guys are probably right. Mazda probably decided to forgo the metric system and use inches on this particular part.

[zenit]

I can confirm rear bar is 26mm.

Not an inch.

[Raider]

Originally Posted by zenit I can confirm rear bar is 26mm. Not an inch.

Got pics?

Because only 1 person has shown pics in this unnecessary pissing contest.

[Nliiitend1]

Call it unnecessary all you want, but I've yet to see ANY source other than JBR claiming that the MS3's OEM bars are 1" vs. the published size of 26 mm.

I'm just trying to make sure that misinformation doesn't spread...