Fitting a front stabilizer bar mps6

[rd415]

DON"T ATTEMPT
Huge job - you have to drop out the front cross member to get the old bar out.

13 steps as listed in workshop manual

1. remove stabilizer links
2. remove lower arm front ball joints
3. remove lower arm rear ball joints
4. lower shock bolt
5. No 1 Engine mount centre bolt
6. crossmember bracket - unbolt steering box and tie up to body - remove two brackets holding powere steering pipe to crossmember
7. crossmember components - before removing disconect plastic shields both sides - remove wiring and plug from stabilizer
8. Stabilizer bracket and bush
9. Front stabilizer
10. Front lower arm (front)
11. Front lower arm (rear)
12. Front crossmember
13. Front crossmember bushing

It is possible to get the stabilizer bar out without doing 2,3 & 4 but you will need extra pair of hands to pull crossmember down far enough to remove stabalizer

The most time consuming part is removing all the bits listed as Crossmember component - these include power steering pipe in 3 places - lower radiator hose bracket and the numerous wiring clips and plastic shields attached to the crossmember.

Made worse by the stabilizer bar from Auto.exe has the instructions in Japanese only

NOT A JOB FOR THE FAINT HEARTED

[240MPS]

Wow... All that for a front bar...

[AlanC]

And after all that, don't forget to have a wheel alignment!

[rd415]

Here's an update.

Initial drive the car feels firmer in the ride, but only slightly.

Body roll hugely reduced - from inside the car there appears to be very little body roll.

Car goes exactly where pointed without any drama's or wheel correction.

Can't really feel any difference produced by suspension bracing, but they sure look pretty in red with my polished exhaust

Real test will be on next cruise with Black Betty to compare cornering feel, it's pretty difficult to compare cornering speeds accurately.

So far worth the effort.

As I took the short cut and didn't remove any suspension components off the crossmember except the stabilizer bar and steering box mounting bolts - I haven't altered or interferred with the wheel alignment in any way, but I will certainly keep an eye on tyre wear.

[rd415]

Finally got around to clocking up some kilometres in the car since fitting the Autoexe braces and stabilizer bars.

I am very pleased with the result, all the effort with the front bar was worthwhile.

1. It certainly has greatly improved cornering speeds
2. ever so slightly harsher ride
3. the unusual occassional washout (if that is they way to describe) the steering, is completely gone
4. noticeablly less lean into corners

My co-pilot (Kathy) who is mechanically non existant noticed the improvement in cornering but didn't think the ride was any different.

It is pretty hard to do a controlled test on the handling on the open road, but there is a series of corners that I usually have to take at somewhat below 100kph - two posted at 75 and one at 65 in a series. Took them yesterday in one direction and again today from the opposite direction without turning off the cruise at 109 kph. It felt no different to taking the corners at the posted speeds.

Definiteley a huge improvement. I firmly believe the handling characteristics of the MPS6 are now far in excess of the drivers capability. I wouldn't ever attempt to corner at the speeds the car is now capable of doing.
My only suggestion is if you want to fit the bars and braces - pay some-one to do it for you, it's a bugger of a job.

[Velocity Red]

Pleased you are pleased with the result. Just checked the price tho for a front bar from autoexe.... four hundred bucks !!!! TELL 'EM THEY'RE DREAMING !!!!!

Hoping Whiteline can soon start producing these at a REALISTIC price.

Leon

[rd415]

Doubt whether whiteline will ever make a front bar for a MPS6 due to limited volume. Development issues with whiteline may also be a hassle as they would require a MPS6 to test. I am sure that with the hassles of fitting a front bar to the MPS6 it just wouldn't be worth their while for such limited sales.

The other point is that "you pay for what you get" Autoexe have put in the time to develop their product.

Autoexe expensive? YES

- On one of the posts there is a discussion by KMH001 on mismatched bars - Autoexe with the gains in handling is good value for money.