Let me know next time you make it to Wisconsin.After driving the stock Mirage for a couple of weeks I wish I'd had the chance to compare to one with the rear bar.
Let me know next time you make it to Wisconsin.After driving the stock Mirage for a couple of weeks I wish I'd had the chance to compare to one with the rear bar.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 53.1 mpg (US) ... 22.6 km/L ... 4.4 L/100 km ... 63.8 mpg (Imp)
MetroMPG (06-28-2014)
Will do! You never know... I was there once.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 62.4 mpg (US) ... 26.5 km/L ... 3.8 L/100 km ... 74.9 mpg (Imp)
Does one need to install rear sway bar with an accompanying front sway bar as well? What would be the effects of just installing back only vs front only vs both?
-Charlie-
ゼロ
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 33.4 mpg (US) ... 14.2 km/L ... 7.0 L/100 km ... 40.1 mpg (Imp)
From my experience with my old Chevy Cavalier RS (VERY similar suspension setup to our Mirage. No rear antisway bar from the factory, drum rear brakes, straight rear axle) here is what happens with different sway bar combinations.
1. Factory everything is designed to give you a nice ride over all kinds of terrain.
2. Factory front bar, aftermarket rear bar will give you a MUCH improved handling and better stability at the expense of a slightly rougher ride, especially over rough terrain.
3. Aftermarket front bar, no rear bar. Slightly better handling as the front of the car will be more planted, but the rear of the car will feel like it is not on the same page as the front and will be more likely to do strange things when at the limit of traction in corners.
4. Aftermarket front and rear antisway bars. MUCH better improved handling, VERY planted feel, MUCH better control and more predictable handling. The downfall is the ride will be more harsh, but with how soft the stock suspension is on these cars then it will ride more like a sports sedan will (not handle like a sports sedan, but ride like one). So over rough terrain, it will most certainly be uncomfortable.
To get the best handling suspension setup, one must go with aftermarket front and rear antisway bars AND replace the springs and dampers with ones that are designed for each other and the weight of the car.
Certified holder of useless car knowledge.
fifteenwindow (06-30-2014)
I thought only the Europe and Australian mirage came with it? I know Malaysian ones do not.
I also have the rear sway, and front and rear strut braces. My car still gets blown all over the road @ 110km/h on the freeway, and whenever a truck or car passes me when I am stopped..
The strut tower braces will not help with the car getting blown all over. Their main function is to stiffen the chassis of the car up to prevent any kind of flex in the unibody between the strut towers which could effect your camber and alignment of the tires. The only time they may flex though is during hard cornering.
Certified holder of useless car knowledge.
The sway bars do different jobs than the strut tower braces.
The sway bars job is to try to stop the car from swaying left to right when cornering or when passed by a larger vehicle.
The strut tower bars job is to help stiffen the chassis of the car thus keeping the suspension geometry stable when cornering hard. The strut tower bars also help to maintain chassis stiffness over the life span of the car. Without them, a majority of cars do start to have chassis flex as they age. This is caused from cornering or driving over rough roads.
Certified holder of useless car knowledge.