"Much more predictable than the Porsche. I love it!"

'nuff sad!

Well here's my experience.  I've had a 1972 Porsche 911 for over 20 years.  I autox and mainly run it now on track days.  Now a rear engine Porsche (mine's about 65% rear weight) is a tail happy car entering a corner, so there's a technique you must learn.  Brake in a straight line, don't take your foot off the gas in the corner, etc.

When I first got the Mini I thought this is cool just point it and mash the gas.  Wrong!  When I tried that it would just under steer and plow straight ahead.  I tried different techniques on a country road and at the autox.  It was worse in a right turn as the drive wheel would get light and lose traction.  

Not so now with the sway bar.  I was amazed at the grip I had in one really sharp turn up in the hills the other day.  Very sharp low speed turn and decreasing radius as well.  I just cranked in more steering, wow it sharpened up the turn, I backed off the throttle, still turning, then hit the throttle and it just grabbed the road and jumped out of the turn.  

No oversteer or understeer.  Much more predictable than the Porsche.  I love it!

The whole point of a rear bar is that it doesn't really loosen the rear rather it tightens the front.  The bar transfer weight diagonally across the car adding grip to the inner front tyre....

The tail of any (and every  Mini will step out when you lift off as you enter the corner to kill the understeer.  The idea of the rear bar is that it allows you stay in the throttle more..  The usual way to kill the oversteer is to nail it..

Cheers, Ian

What about the fuel tank on LWB cars?

The only difference with LWB is the body is 4" longer.

will this type fit on a long wheel base car (van/pickup)?

Great feedback. I am still on the fence about getting a rear bar.

If the back does try to come around in a corner how easy is it to catch and how would you?

Acid test yesterday.  Went for a drive in some other hills with my good friend following me in his BMW Z3.  These turns were very tight, some 2nd gear.  All I had to do was steer it.  I could tighten up the turn with more steering or add more power.  Felt like a go-kart.  My friend said the car sat level thru all the turns.  I'm very pleased.

Oh! Also with the looser rear end it just drives like the Porsche I've been driving for 20+ years.

Jemal

No I couldn't find your video.  Also I purchased the adjustable sway bar.  Then I mounted it to the rear bar of the rear box frame.  I couldn't figure out how to mount it to the area you used and still get to the inside bolt.  The adjustable drop links made it easy.

Hi Kent Did you see the video I put up after you contacted me? I frankly thought the instructions were awful! Correct grammar, but long convoluted sentences and not a single diagram or photo! It turned out great, does make a noticeable difference even to a long wheelbase Minivan! Do be careful at first... the tail WILL come around if you let off "aggressively"! Here's the installation for you to double-check, and for anyone else interested:

Got out yesterday with the car and ran down my test road.  It has 5 good 30mph, 90 deg corners.  The car really handles nice now, not the plowing front like it did before.  Feels much more balanced in the turns.  Well worth the money.

i'd like to show you my rear sway bar, how do i post pics? i want to be transparent, i want you to see how i did it.

He's baaack. (Robster, that is.)

Moderators???

i did mine yesterday. i gain a dramatic improvement in handling and it minimizes road vibration as well.

And there was a break in the rain yesterday so I was able to take her out for a test drive.  All was well, feels tight and responsive on the curves down my test road.

Got the sway bar Friday.  With the car on my 4 post lift I jacked up the rear, took off the wheels and brakes in prep for Saturdays installation,

Worked on it Saturday afternoon, no real issues.  The instructions where fairly clear with one exception.  I think they wanted the bar mounting blocks mounted where the rear of the spring area meets the rear cross piece of the frame box.  Well there's no way you could drill the mounting hole and then get back there for the nut and washer so I moved that mount about 4-5" inboard where I could reach in and get the nut started.  Had to play with the one behind the battery box but with the right tool I got it.

Now for the rain to stop so I can try it out.

Rear sway bar should be here FedEx today, so I'll put it on this weekend.  It came from Britain, I didn't realize it was imported. Rain forecast for the next week so probably won't drive it for a few weeks. 

Waiting the arrival of my new rear adjustable sway bar.  Didn't realize it had to come from the UK.  Sooo I guess it will be here next week.  Autox schedule should begin here in Oregon in a month or so.