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View Full Version : Review: UUC SwayBarbarian Rear Sway Bar xi


longodj
06-16-2008, 06:14 PM
Hey Everyone,
I finally got my rear sway bar installed today. If you've been living under a rock, this is the rear sway that was designed for the E9x i but works on the E9x xi as well. The reason I only did the rear bar is because the front bar is currently in development by UUC.

Product: UUC SwayBarbarian Rear Sway Bar for 335xi

Purpose: Reduces body roll and decreases understeer (or induces oversteer however you want to look at it)

Install Time: 4.5 hours

Install Notes: The rear subframe has to be lowered (not completely removed) to get the sway into place. Mine was installed in "FULL STIFF" mode.

Street: 10/10

The sway bar really increased responsiveness. If it makes any sense, it almost feels like the car got smaller after install. The car is much more nimble. Turn-in is more powerful and more predictable. The only downside to this is that in a straight line, any input is magnified.

I didn't have much room to test this out as I live in a fairly metropolitan area. However, especially on faster turns, the car just glides as you truly want it to. I tried forcing the car to understeer (by applying WAY too much throttle) and the more I forced it the more it turned in as desired. This increases driver confidence as you no longer have to worry about pushing out into a tree around a turn.

Autocross: 10/10 Update June 22nd

I can't even begin to describe how required this mod is for autocrossers with the 335xi. The car transforms almost into an i car. Understeer is practically gone and with the right entry into a corner you can throttle steer just like a RWD car. My times dropped to be on par with or better than E36 M3 times. When I wanted the car to turn, it turned well and better. And I don't know if this was just in my head but the car seemed slightly less sensitive to tire pressure changes.

Track: 10/10 Update July 25th

You can't really ask much more out of just a rear sway. I was passing everything on the track including Vettes. The only problem with JUST the rear sway is that the car starts doing this funky twist thing that's flat out disheartening. Besides that though, turn in is improved, the car is much more "planted." All in all it just feels tighter.

cyphr
06-16-2008, 11:17 PM
I'm not too familiar with this sway bar, do you have the numbers compared to stock stiffness? Adjustable?

longodj
06-17-2008, 12:15 AM
http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/E90_SWAYBARS.htm

I don't have numbers of stiffness compared to stock, maybe I'll try and get that from UUC tomorrow...they certainly should have them, even for the fronts hopefully this week.

For advanced users, note that you can set the front and rear bar in "middle" positions. For example, the rear Swaybar has two adjustment holes. Conventional thinking would assume that you have two positions, stiffer (holes furthest away from the ends of the bar) or softer (holes on the ends of the bar). For increased fine tuning, you can set one side to soft and the other side to stiff. The vehicle does not know the different from side-to-side when it comes to bar stiffness, so in effect, you have a "middle" position.

jimmy330xi
06-17-2008, 02:25 PM
The improvement is really noticeable then... That sounds really good.

cycler
06-20-2008, 10:01 PM
Like longodj it does make a difference. I had mine installed 2-3 weeks before his. In my initial review I saw some improvment but not enough to justify the cost. Maybe because there was no where to really test it out. Im in traffic alot on the souther state parkway in long island. But on the days that it was clear I had a blast and saw a much better handling car. And if the car handles like this with just the rear I cant wait to see what it does once the front comes out as well.

longodj
06-21-2008, 10:12 AM
cycler what did you have your sway set to? Full stiff?

Kev
06-21-2008, 10:44 AM
Like longodj it does make a difference. I had mine installed 2-3 weeks before his. In my initial review I saw some improvment but not enough to justify the cost. Maybe because there was no where to really test it out. Im in traffic alot on the souther state parkway in long island. But on the days that it was clear I had a blast and saw a much better handling car. And if the car handles like this with just the rear I cant wait to see what it does once the front comes out as well.
A thicker front sway should help alot with and counter the initial understeering of the AWD. Can't wait to see the UUC front sways. I'm waiting for them to be released so that I can do coils and sways all at the same time :)

jimmy330xi
06-21-2008, 01:41 PM
A thicker front sway should help alot with and counter the initial understeering of the AWD. Can't wait to see the UUC front sways. I'm waiting for them to be released so that I can do coils and sways all at the same time :)

+1

longodj
06-22-2008, 04:40 PM
Updated with autocross review. OMG if you haven't purchased these buy them now!

18LLC
06-24-2008, 04:31 AM
so what's the dimension of the uuc rear sway again? i know i asked this question in your other thread long time ago, but i didn't find the answer in the following 1 or 2 pages, so i stop search. can you please tell me the dimension again? thanks.

skim7x
06-24-2008, 11:48 AM
sweet! Great review... I just ordered some front and rear UUC sways... my own review coming up in a couple weeks after I install 'em!!

longodj
07-25-2008, 05:23 PM
Update!

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3027508#post3027508