Whats the deal on this? I really want sways, but someone just posted that he did it and the car sounds like his rear windows are open. That's pretty darn loud!

 

It wont be loud, he just prob. installed his wrong or something.

 

I notice a lot of road noise after they were profssionally installed. The urethane bushings are designed to give a firm ride and do not flex like rubbber does. In this case the urethane acts like a soild object and all the noise and vibrations from the tires and road are being transfered to the body. The ends of the sway bars are mounted to the body and the only insulation there is are the rubber bushings. It makes sense now and I would not think this could be a problem.
My Comptech exhaust( which have been on for four months) now sound louder and I think it is caused again by the urethane bushings.
I am going to try to find rubber bushings that fit and I am sure this will take care of the problem.

 

The urethane bushings have to be lubed regularly, or else they will squeak like crazy if they go dry.

 

They do not make noise themselves but simply transfer the noise under the vehicle to the floor board. Comptech even supplied Teflon tape to wrap aroung the bar plus silicone grease.

 

what teflon tape? i've gone through two sets of sways, and i didnt see any teflon tape. maybe ur referring to the instructions? :p j/k

 

This is weird. The bushings alone should not be transferring roadnoise or vibrations especially with all that noise-deadening materials, the cabin should be very well insulated. Is the rear bar in anyway in contact with the undercarriage? Is the rear bar installed upside down?

I have not heard any additional roadnoise or vibration with my sway bars. In fact, I don't even have the teflon tape on mine (must be a new addition from Comptech). In my previous car, I had Suspension Techniques sways which come with polyurethane bushings for both bars as well as polyurethane endlinks. The ride was rather harsh but there were definitely no additional roadnoise.

 

I know it sounds strange and I was surprised to have all the road noise. The installation has been double checked. Everything is perfect. The Teflon tape roll was included in the bag of parts along with the bushings and the bolts. I thought that was a good idea and I thought the tape would help prevent any noise. It took just 50 feet of driving to know something didn't sound right so we put the car on a drive on lift and rechecked everything including the torque on the bolts etc. The bar is not even close to another part.
This is why I asked this group if others had this concern.

 

I can only talk about my CLS -- Keyes left the bolts loose and the noise was so obvious, that I returned in minutes to have them retorque the loose hardware -- they really muffed the job. They did fix the loose bolts and nuts...

I am mystified about your situation, since on my CLS, I am pretty fussy about any additional road noise and would have removed the sways if they were too noisy. Have you talked to Comptech to see if they changed anything of late?

I also was told that my bars didn't come with Teflon tape (but I didn't do the install) -- they rear bushings did require "lube".

Funny, I always used to put Teflon tape on my previous car's sways...

 

Mine came with Teflon tape, too, but the instructions did not mention what it was for. I did not use it. I greased the bushings real good and I have NO increased noise. Make sure the retaining clips were properly installed - they will keep the bars from moving around.

 

I have not talked to Comptech yet. I will try to find rubber bushings this weekend and call them Monday. I ,too was shocked at the noise expecially after using the Teflon tape on the bar and really greasing all sides of the bushings. It is not a bushing noise-it does not make a sqeaking sound but rather as if the rear doors are ajar(exactly like that sound). The faster you drive the louder the sound.?????

 

Thanks for all the feedback. I don't think I'm gonna do the sways because I don't need the headaches you guys are describing. I won't do any mods that detract from car's ride quality or add to the noise level. I'd love to get a little be cornering and less body roll, but not at this price.

 

I was thinking about adding sways also but think I will avoid based upon the conversation.

Same thing for the headers and AEM intake. Doesn't seem like the problems and gain are worth the investment.

I have added the Comptech front strut tower bar (didn't add much). Tinted the windows with 38% LLumar metalic tint and replaced the the fog bulbs with X-treme white PIAA bulbs.

At this point I am on hold with all other mods.

 

guys, you wont hurt the car by installing them!! So i say do the install on the CAI, and Sways and if you have a problem THEN take it to a shop. I say just try it frist! ITS FUN!

 

What problems are you speaking of when you mention the headers?

 

Your exhaust will probably only sound louder and louder as time goes on. I have used two different makes of mufflers, HKS and Sebring, in my previous car. Those mufflers were wraped with fiberglass inside the resonating chamber for mild sound muffling. As more and more fiberglass got burnt away, the mufflers became louder. So your louder exhaust is normal if the Comptech muffler is constructed similarly.

 

Honestly I have no idea what the talk of increased noise with the sways is about. The only thing I noticed was the much improved handling. No noise penalty in any way shape or form. IMHO this is one mod the car should have definitely come with straight from the factory.

 

The Teflon tape is a new addition to the Comptech sways though to date we have installed alot of these sways with no unusual noises or problems just better controlled rides.I'd be very curious if those sways were installed correctly.Jens