Mr Hyde

Well I did it. Installed the sways last evening into last night after getting them in the afternoon; Im a tad impatient

Anyway the install was exactly as in the FAQ, but what a pain in the a$$!!!!!!! The back was pretty straight forward and easier to do than the front. The endlinks were very very tight front and rear, and even after the initial loosening I still had to use a wrench on them until they were completely off it was so tight. Clearance issues made the front end a real pain in the ass. I could only turn the wrench a few inches because of clearance with other suspension components under the car. The rear end was a breeze, the front was much tougher. It wasnt a hard install, just a tedious one. Made the $75 or so that Parke Ave charges seem like a bargain.

To any one who is doing this themselves. Get the front end as high on your jackstands as possible as it will make things easier.


The verdict??? Exactly what the TL-S needs. Less body roll and sharper steering feel when slicing and dicing through twisties and traffic. Car doesnt feel as bloated now. There is a very very slight ride penalty, but it was well worth it. Definitely worth every penny.

It gets Mr Hyde's 4 smily faces stamp of approval.

bioyuki

I only see three smiley faces

Mr Hyde

Dooohhhhh!!!!!!!

Crzy Acura

ok thats it, i want sways now!!!! Time to dump my girlfriend so i can have some money to buy them!! J/k

CarFreak

You want everything dontcha??? Sways, bodykit........ I'm saving up for the sways and springs.

ALFAV6

instead of dumping your girl why not have her buy them for you as a early birthday or X-mas present.... then you can have both

Crzy Acura

only problem with her buying these sways for me, is that when its time for her brithday, she will want something that is double the cost of her buying me sways!! BUt yea shes cute, im not leaving her.


Oh carfreak, I will get everything!!! Sooner or later. But i thought about it and i dont want the body kit. But soon my son I will have EVERYTHING!!! Look at me now, its sad, i have comptech springs, aem CAI, tint, custom sub, changed all the interior bulbs, and its only been 2 months!!! I swear this car is never ending with mods!!!

CarFreak

Hahahhah I know, I know! I'm kinda low on funds right now, but by next year my car will be modded up.

SlyTLS

I agree with you both, the car is definitely a money pit, I like to look at it as a rolling work of art. Worth every cent if you really enjoy it! I went out and spent $1,500 on mods after the 1st week of having the car...so far I've installed the Comptech exhaust & the AEM CAI, the Comptech springs & sways are in the garage (needless to say I am itching to install them, Monday night is the big day).

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

Hey Mr. Hyde...

You hearin' any new creaks/rattles now that the car is running stiffer/tighter cuz of the springs and sways?

How's the ride over rough pavement .. highway?

Pete

Mr Hyde

I only have the sways, not the springs yet. No new rattles or squeeks. I still need to get the tape for the moonroof squeek, but thats it. everything else is still nice and quiet.

bricot

Mr Hyde,
What is the ride penalty? I have installed the H&R sport springs which are 25% stiffer (ride penalty), I just got rims and 45 series tires (ride penalty) and I was about to order the sways and strut tower brace, I'm not sure I want any more ride penalties, I don't want to turn it into the same ride as my Explorer.

Closer

I just installed mine on Friday.

Lean is reduced drastically and transition is much faster and more percise. (empty freeway... don't ***** at me) I was able to do HARD 2 lane swirves at 60+ mph with complete control and very minimal lean. The front wheel plow is drastically reduced, but not gone. There is definately a more even feel, but no fear of ever getting oversteer.

Taking corners with my friends 'stock' 330i, I was easily able to stay with him and accelerate out of the apex on him. Riders in both cars said he was on the edge of handling, where my car had room to enter turns faster and accelerate out harder. (probably slightly different story if he had pilot sports as rubber).

The ride isn't changed much. But, it's obvious that the wheels act less independantly of each other. One wheel going over a speed bump will 'tip' you more than stock. But, not necessarily a rougher feel.

I would have to say this is the best mod for the car so far.
1) sways
2) springs
3) bodykit
4) spoiler
5) wheels and tires
6) headers

oblio98

Wow! One ride with Shoofin'TL and you act!
That's decisiveness!!

Way to go, Mr. Hyde...

:-jon

Robbdogg

Sounds like it is about time for me to get me some sways, real quick!

Robb

Mr Hyde

LOL actually thats the one mod I knew I was getting right from the start. Already had em on order prior to the meet. Next time you get to drive my car to check em out.

Bricot as far as the ride penalty goes if you already have springs I doubt you'll notice anything. And if you are concerned about ride quality DO NOT get the Koni shocks which you said you were considering in another post.

Its hard to explain, its not so much that the ride is harsher but that you can sense the car is more rigid/solid just as Closer said, that may sound bad to some but I feel its actually a very good thing.

On highway expansion joints, around town you wont notice a thing as far as ride penalty goes. On a really bad road you may feel theres a little less give in the chassis and the car feels more rigid/solid. The stock shocks soak up the bumps just fine, but you may feel a very very slightly rougher ride on bad roads. Thats just due to the fact that you are tying up the suspension more than before and also that the sway bar kit comes with new bushings for the rear which are polyurethane instead of the stock rubber ones although the front rubber ones are retained.

Around bends and turns forget about it, the car definitely doesnt feel as bloated as it did before. Turn in is improved, body lean is improved. The car just feels more solid. The TL-S should come this way from the factory. Worth every penny.

bricot

Thanks for the great input. I guess I'll have to try them.

Hey Closer,
You get down to the Vancouver/Portland area much? Get that Comptech Axle back exhaust and come down and give me a ride...

lonny

I just ordered mine from Tim. Now I have to decide if I want to install then myself or have them installed. It's not that I don't think I can, after all I used to build and re-build racing engines, but I am just older and.......... lazier! :o :o :o

Mr Hyde

Hehehehe I felt the same way after a little while laying on my back under the car, I said to myself I have been tinkering with my cars ever since I could drive and while some stuff is fun, this install was just tedious. Well whoever installs it I guarantee you wont be disappointed.

SybariticOne

ME TOO ME TOO !!!

lonny

Thanks, Mr. Hyde! It was your post that finally convinced me to go for the sways. But, I think I will have SOMEONE else install them. I don't need any extra aggravation. I haven't really done much tinkering with cars since they came with 383, 440, 427 or 426 engines with dual carbs, etc. It used to be fun when I was in my teens and 20's. Now, it is just drudgery! I can't wait to get them and have them installed.

ngcreese

I have a modified suspension on my old volvo 740 turbo (compliments of ipd). It consisted of ipd anti sway bars, springs, and bilstien shocks. It was THE best mod I ever had (wicked cornering, great for the Taconic Hwy). The only car the felt that good, stock was the BMW 330i the TLS came close except in the body roll area, also it is slightly less dampened.

But like many, I feel that what you get in a TLS for 10 - 12K less, is about the same as in the 330i (more or less).

I'm picking up my DEP TL-S w/Navi on monday and that will be my first mod (possibly the only one -- comptech anti ways).

I say this because although I live and work in Poughkeepsie (nice roads -- smooth and twisty). I visit NY city often. And although I loved my suspension in the volvo, it was harsh (highly damped shocks, stiff progressive springs) when traveling in the city. I found myself planning ahead of time, routes to my parent's house that were as smooth as possible...

Considering the amount I saved on the TLS vs Bimmer I'll have a big fat smile on my face when the comptech sway are installed and the TLS' corning is improved.

Oh, the smile will be partly because of the great handling. It will also be because of the ~9.6 - 11.6k ($300 and ~ $100 to install... I too have had a dose of laziness lately) left in my pocket.

Can't wait until tomorrow...