Carol from Canada

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Review
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Saturday:
I installed the bar and went for a short test drive in the afternoon just to see if I put everything back together right. I'm not sure if it was just a placebo effect or what, but even on slow to medium speed turns, the car felt like it understeered less. I didn't go for a spirited run, knowing there'd be plenty of that at Sunday's autox. I did hear a VERY loud clunk in the rear whenever one side of the suspension was compressed, at any speed. I might have damaged the end link sockets during the install (sh*t).

Sunday:
Our club runs all its autocrosses at a run-down oval track, which really limits the variety of course designs. There is one particular 130 degree hairpin that makes its way into every course. In this case, it was precisely what I needed for testing the new bar. Having been through that same hairpin hundreds of times, and plowed through everytime, I knew exactly how my car normally handles.
The swaybar made a noticeable difference in the way I could drive that hairpin. The car felt almost neutral, pivoting very nicely, so I could get on the throttle earlier than I normally do. There was a pivot cone (180 degree hairpin) elsewhere on the course, and after observing other cars go through it, I noticed I could take it tighter than any of the FWD and AWD cars (the light RWD cars had me beat though).

Conclusion:
The swaybar was a very good investment, especially since I picked it up used. There's a noticeable improvement to front end grip.
I didn't notice as dramatic a difference as others have described, but it could be because of my suspension and tire set up. I did not notice any oversteer tendencies (no more than normal anyway), so a tail happy monster, it is not.

Now...time to find myself some new end links.

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Install Pics
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That is NOT rust!
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar2.jpg">

Left (driver) side end link
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar3.jpg">

Right side bushing
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar5.jpg">

Stock vs. Neuspeed
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar6.jpg">

Right side bracket
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar7.jpg">

Left side subframe. No drilling or welding required!
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar8.jpg">

Loosely attach the wide section of the bracket
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar9.jpg">

Energy Suspension bushing grease
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar10.jpg">

Left side bracket and bushing
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar11.jpg">

Set stiffness using the end link mounting holes
<img src="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/mini/swaybar12.jpg">

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Installation
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Highlights:
- Have some WD40 handy. Those end link nuts were tight on there like a mother!
- I've seen all sorts of allen key and wrench sizes listed in other how-to's, but I found the allen bolts were precisely 5mm and the hex nuts were precisely 13mm and 17mm.
- Do not tighten down the "inner bolts" of the subframe bracket before lining up the "outer bolts" with the bushings (see 2nd to last pic). You need the bracket loose enough to line up the bushing holes.

Full write-up:
<a href="http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/swaybar.html">http://www.fastaudi.net/a4/library/swaybar.html</a>

A4QuattroVT

Very Good Post.. Thanks, I saved it for when i get mind :-)

rfan-r32

what's the cost on them and how hard is it to replace? Whenever I go over a bump, I hear a clink from my rear right suspension. hmm. Let me know.

Thanks.

Carol from Canada

End links are kind of cheap. $100 for OEM plastic ones. $135 for metal ones from AWE. I heard the metal links from a 90Q also fit. I would definitely go with metal links.

rfan-r32

where is the end link located?

$teady$upreme

are u coming to the April 26th Audi Meetup?

CryptoTurbo

If you look at the stock sway bar, you'll see that it has ridges on it against which the bushings sit - the Neuspeed bar does not have these. One my car, I get a subtle clunking during a hard corner or slalom and when I looked under the car the other day I can see that the sway bar has been sliding back and forth in the bushings a few mm's. Maybe this is what you are experiencing too.

~Gordon

Carol from Canada

Too bad I live over on the island. I'm going to be in Van on the 25th, but heading back same day.

Carol from Canada

The end of the swaybar is connected to it (see last pic in my original post). I've also heard of clunking from movement in the bushings (like what CryptoTurbo says).

Andy_FL

Nice write-up.