Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be.

HuntingPudel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Threads
65
Messages
8,064
Reaction score
9,625
Location
Bay Area, CA
Vehicles
2021 MME GT-PE, 1979 Fire-Am, 1972 K/5 Blazer
Occupation
Engineering
Country flag
So the front and rear bars do not have to be set to the same stiffness. Stiffening the rear more will reduce understeer ("soften the end that isn't working" is the suspension setup rule of thumb).

Modern cars have a lot of understeer dialed in at the factory to prevent lawsuits. The fact that the GT actually allows a little tail-wagging in stock trim is both awesome and shocking. 😊
Correct, the front and rear bars don’t need to be set the same. Tire pressure changes are more of a fine-tuning tool. Mike had already used tire pressure as an adjustment for his front ride issue. General rule of thumb is to choose springs that prevent bottoming given your track surface, set the front bar’s characteristics to provide the amount of roll you need in the body, choose a rear bar that will get you as close to neutral as possible, then fine-tune with tire pressure. Of course, there are cars that run on their bump stops so tires are the only tuning tool. 🤪🐩
Sponsored

 

strangeengine

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Threads
9
Messages
314
Reaction score
443
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
Vehicles
2022 GTPE (sold after 2mo - suspension sucks!)
Country flag
General rule of thumb is to choose springs that prevent bottoming given your track surface, set the front bar’s characteristics to provide the amount of roll you need in the body, choose a rear bar that will get you as close to neutral as possible, then fine-tune with tire pressure.
This.
 

kindofblue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Reid
Joined
Dec 28, 2021
Threads
31
Messages
804
Reaction score
652
Location
Arroyo Grande CA
Vehicles
Grabber Blue Mach e Premium 11/5/22, '23 BMW i4 40
Occupation
Psychologist & developer of digital tools for alcohol misuse
Country flag
The fact that the GT actually allows a little tail-wagging in stock trim is both awesome and shocking. 😊
When I test drove a Premium before ordering one the "tail-wagging" was one of the aspects of the Mach e that I enjoyed the most.
 
OP
OP
mkhuffman

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,075
Reaction score
8,021
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
So the front and rear bars do not have to be set to the same stiffness. Stiffening the rear more will reduce understeer ("soften the end that isn't working" is the suspension setup rule of thumb).

Modern cars have a lot of understeer dialed in at the factory to prevent lawsuits. The fact that the GT actually allows a little tail-wagging in stock trim is both awesome and shocking. 😊
I have both front and rear on the stiffest setting. So I guess I could reduce stiffness in the front. But there is no way I am doing that, because of the improvement in ride quality I am getting at that setting.

I am very glad Mark recommended I start with the stiffest settings. I cannot go back now. And if all I need to do to get balanced handling is change the tire pressure, that is perfect in my book. I was at 32 psi in the front anyway!

I really want to write my full assessment now, but I have to wait until I get home. I need to learn patience. I might experience something that changes my assessment, so I really need more miles. But man, it is exactly what I hoped it would be. So far...
 
OP
OP
mkhuffman

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,075
Reaction score
8,021
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
Ok Mike, got the bar in. It took just about 90 minutes (I do have a lift) however I didn't put the front wheels back on. I'm having the tires taken off of my old wheels and put on the new ones first thing in the morning so didn't want to put them on and take them off again in the morning. This is why I waited until today to install the bar because wanted to do everything at the same time. As soon as I get the wheels on, I am taking it in for an alignment check then driving 2 hours to Sacramento airport so I will post back tomorrow evening about the handling.

As far as difficulty, it's not much different than installing the rear bar. The Steeda directions recommend to remove the underbody shield but I didn't do that. It's not difficult to remove, however I didn't see the reason for it. I'm thinking maybe to allow you to more easily put the new bar in so you can get under the car and make sure it is going in the proper direction and not hitting anything. It took me a few minutes to get it over to the other side with me going back and forth to each side making sure it was taking the right path but all went well.

I first removed the suspension height sensor and bracket (Steeda calls this the magneride sensor) and moved it out of the way. Then removed the end links on both sides, then the bolts that hold down the clamps over the bushings. After that, the bar came out nice and easy. I pulled it out through the right side. There are more items around the bar on the right side so figured it would be easier going in and out that side. Installed the new bar and adjusted the end link lengths to 12.75" per Steeda's instructions and installed them and the suspension height sensors. Torqued everything down and it should be good to go.

I painted the bar and the end links black like I did on the rear bar. I am not one for bright colored suspension components. Brake calipers is as far as I go for colored parts. I didn't weigh the bars but the Steeda is heavier beings it is a solid bar. Also, the bushings on the OEM bar are like the rear OEM bar in that they are very tight on the bar and will not rotate by hand at all.

The photos below are not much to look at so included one with my new wheels. 😊
Here are my front sway bar installation notes to add to what Mark wrote up.

As Mark said, there is no reason to remove the under-carriage cover. You can feed the old bar out, and new one in very easily. However, you definitely want to remove the metal clamp from the far side you will be pulling out. I used a screw driver to pry it up and off the rubber grommet. See below. You only have to remove the far one, not the one on the near side you are pulling out.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be. 52284832841_a1469e3ba1_o


I used the lube Mark recommended in the Steeda rear swaybar thread, not what Steeda sends. I was very generous with covering the rubber bushing with the lube, and then after assembly cleaned up the excess with a rag. I figured too much is better than not enough.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be. 52284841793_c25242b0bd_o


Getting the new bushings on the new Steeda bar is a huge PIA, and I seriously pinched my fingers every time I got one on. I did the rear first, and tried to learn from that. But I still hurt myself getting them on. Anyway, I found the best way is to get them covered with the lube, and then just push down with the bar into the crack in the bushing. It will pop on, and hurt your fingers in the process. Definitely put the bushings on before feeding the new bar back in, because I cannot see how you could get them on with the bar inside the car. And feeding it back in is very easy, just don't hit that stupid backup beeper speaker. Or better yet, hit it hard and maybe it will stop working.

I recommend you measure both link rods independently, and then line them up. The old adage, measure twice and cut once applies here. I like measure twice, and then measure twice again. Because if you do it wrong, fixing it will be much worse. So measure twice, adjust one of them, then measure the other and adjust it. Then lay them down next to each other. If they don't look the same, you screwed up.

I made sure both of mine looked exactly the same, before and after tightening the locking bolts.

BTW - Steeda didn't include Loctite in the package, or at least I could not find it, so I didn't use it. But I might get some myself and add it later. I really don't want those locking nuts to come loose.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be. 52285319940_abed4d9efe_o


Steeda includes four washers and the instructions don't explain what they are to be used for. So I think I figured it out - they need to go between the end links and and what they are mounting to. The end links have a small mounting surface so it makes sense the washer would provide better strength for that connection. So that is where I put them. See below.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be. 52283853177_f3fa832f69_o

Ford Mustang Mach-E Steeda Front Sway Bar! It is awesome. Transforms the car into what it should be. 52284834041_2faa3f7b9b_o


This took me about 3 hours. I joked with Mark because he said it took him 90 minutes, and I said I should just double how long he took. And there you go, it took me twice as long. But I am a novice at this. Handy, yes, but this is my first suspension "project" and I went slowly. And I wasn't even drinking beer. Maybe I should have been!

Let me know if you have any questions about the install. I am sure Mark will be willing to help you also.
 


tannerk89

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tanner
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Threads
14
Messages
683
Reaction score
984
Location
Roanoke, VA
Vehicles
Mach-E P4X
Occupation
Project Manager
Country flag
Thanks for the reviews… convinced me to buy the front and put on when I do the rear that’s still sitting in my garage taunting me... Waiting on my car to come back from HVBJB fix, not convinced I’ll ever get it back at this point!
 

dml105

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
Threads
23
Messages
906
Reaction score
1,348
Location
Arlington, VA
Vehicles
Shadowfax, the Star White Tricoated Metallic Pony
Country flag
This looks awesome, but i have nowhere near the guts to do this myself. What should one expect it to cost to have someone install these for me?
 
OP
OP
mkhuffman

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,075
Reaction score
8,021
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
Thanks for the reviews… convinced me to buy the front and put on when I do the rear that’s still sitting in my garage taunting me... Waiting on my car to come back from HVBJB fix, not convinced I’ll ever get it back at this point!
Sorry you had the HVBJB failure!

I had the same situation. The rear bar was sitting in my garage for a month before I ordered the front and did both. It took most of the day on Saturday to get both done. The rear also took me about 3 hours, but that is way too long for what it entails. I just went super slow on it, and had to play around with my new lift and get the car jacks in the exactly right places.

It is definitely less work than the front, but taking off the under-carriage cover is required for the rear, which adds time. I may post my notes about doing the rear later.
 

kennethjk

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ken
Joined
Sep 3, 2021
Threads
30
Messages
3,266
Reaction score
2,080
Location
NY
Vehicles
MME Prem. EB 4WD, X3
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
This looks awesome, but i have nowhere near the guts to do this myself. What should one expect it to cost to have someone install these for me?
My independent shop installed the rear sway bar in 1.5 hours. I forget offhand how much they charge an hour.

edit: I just looked and they charge $150 an hour
 
OP
OP
mkhuffman

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,075
Reaction score
8,021
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
This looks awesome, but i have nowhere near the guts to do this myself. What should one expect it to cost to have someone install these for me?
I would guess it is a 2-3 hour job for a professional to do both. So take the hourly rate in your area and you can calculate the cost. In my area, they charge around $130/hr.
 

Murse-In-Airy

Well-Known Member
First Name
Rod
Joined
Mar 5, 2021
Threads
74
Messages
3,389
Reaction score
7,618
Location
Chaumont, NY
Vehicles
Mach-E ER AWD
Occupation
Nurse
Country flag
My wife is going to hate that I found this thread. And I’m going to need more green paint.
 

HuntingPudel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Threads
65
Messages
8,064
Reaction score
9,625
Location
Bay Area, CA
Vehicles
2021 MME GT-PE, 1979 Fire-Am, 1972 K/5 Blazer
Occupation
Engineering
Country flag
Nice write-up Mike. I can’t wait until i have saved up enough kibble to get a set. 😊🐩
 

strangeengine

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Threads
9
Messages
314
Reaction score
443
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
Vehicles
2022 GTPE (sold after 2mo - suspension sucks!)
Country flag
I have both front and rear on the stiffest setting. So I guess I could reduce stiffness in the front. But there is no way I am doing that, because of the improvement in ride quality I am getting at that setting.
I hear you, but changing the sway bar stiffness is pretty easy (just move one end link to a different hole in the bar), so worth a try?
 

markboris

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Nov 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
2,657
Reaction score
5,545
Location
Sonora, CA
Vehicles
_______ '20 Shelby GT500 FPB '21 Mach-E GTPE IS
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
Hey Mike, great write up and addition to mine. I use to take a ton of photos of my mods but just haven't been doing that much the last few years. I don't even post half the mods I do on the car (usually just little ones).

A couple of things.... It really did take me about 90 minutes to change out the front bar (a little less for the rear) but I have a lift in my garage so it makes things easier since I can stand up while doing the job. The other thing was the instructions did not say where the four washers were supposed to go. I put them under the bolts that hold down the clamps over the bushings. I did this because I have always had washers under those bolts for the clamps on other cars so figured that is where they went. I'll call Steeda in the morning and find out where they are intended to go and get back to you. You might be right and they go where you put them but I've never put washers between the end link and sway bar.
 

JohnFoxeSheets

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jan 29, 2022
Threads
21
Messages
2,449
Reaction score
3,395
Location
San Francisco
Website
johnfoxesheets.com
Vehicles
2022 Iced Blue Silver Mach E GT
Occupation
Retired Engineer
Country flag
My wife is going to hate that I found this thread. And I’m going to need more green paint.
I hear ya. When I proposed getting the KW coil overs while on sale she was not assumed. I'm hoping she'll be more amenable to sway bars! Sounds like they're making big difference... (I have found running at ~45 psi front and rear seems to help the ride a surprising amount.)
Sponsored

 
 




Top