Sway Bars Installed.

Same here, I used to run FP class for many years and had a ton of fun. I know the Prius will never have that kind of brute acceleration of a FP car but it should be able to be setup to handle like it is on rails, and that alone, would be a hoot to drive I never push anything on the street as there are too many things to hit if the car spun off a corner, plus people call in erratic drivers these days, but on the track at high speed events, balls to the walls and have a fun time

Mike

 

you are in norcal, area blessed with good roads for you Deals Gap probably isn't such a big deal. Last year we rode PCH from LA to Crescent city on a way to Oregon and then took 89 to Tahoe and over Monitor pass. How many times I looked and said gee wish we had time to try this road.

 

I wasn't going to be rude and say anything, but since you brought it up.

I'm glad I live in an area where Deals Gap would just be considered another nice road.

Where Deals Gap stands out is mile after mile of consistent twisties with a good road surface. It also has a lot softer places to run off the road than most Western twisty roads. I also wish our roads were as well maintained as Deals Gap.

If you ever do get out this way with some time on your hands, check out California Motorcycle Roads - Pashnit Motorcycle Tours Maps, Passionate Scenic Rides Photos before you leave home.

It's a pay site ($20/yr) to get to the best stuff, but there is enough free stuff to be useful and see if it would interest you. I gave up riding several years ago but use still use Pashnit to pick out good roads for our sports car club. And yes, I have one step stiffer than stock sway bars on my Corvette.

 

if you liked Gap you'd like Blue Ridge pkwy; 576mi of uninterrupted twisties. Almost as good as Angeles Crest hwy. Downside? it has a real speed limit, 45MPH.

thnks for the linky I wish I had it last year before the trip. But then we were short on time, and after being on road for 10 days my arm fatigue was killing me, not that much room for "one more road"

:focus:

 

^^ I plan to go to the Blue Ridge Pkwy in the next couple years. It's not too far from here. I'll be on my HD Street Glide when I do go.

 

Plan ~200mi a day on ridge, not worth going more. There is maybe a 70mi boring section south of Roanoke, but the rest is top notch, and the section south of Asheville is the best.

 

The addition of a RSB or improving the RSB on a FWD car can make the car understeer less & bring the car closer to neutral. I did this on my 09 Corolla S & it handles very close to neutral compared to stock. I drive it very hard in the canyons with no ill effects of lift throttle oversteer. I'm looking at similar mods for my Prius too.

Suspension mods to my 09 Corolla S....
1. TRD Front Strut Brace
2. TRD Rear Sway Bar
3. Ultra Racing 19mm Rear Sway Bar
4. Ultra Racing Rear Upper Strut Brace
5. Ultra Racing 3 point Lower Front Chassis Brace
6. Ultra Racing 2 point Lower Rear Chassis Brace
7. Eibach Lowering Springs
8. 17x8 +35mm offset wheels with 225/45R17 tires

It handles great now & loves the twisties.

 

O'k an update, after driving a few hundred miles. STB brace while not as obvious as sway bar made big difference. With the same tires front grips much better and car can be pushed more. Under normal conditions front still looses first but in certain situations rear slid a little. That happened with no load in the back making left turn over 6-12" hump onto "berm'ed" 4-lane hwy. (A couple bad profiled intersection around here). Was not an issue at all with minimal load (sports bags and a couple kids). It is probably as close to neutral as it can get.

Body roll is present but feels like it is due high profile soft tires and soft springs; hard to say if stiffer Hotchkiss anti-sway bars would make any difference.

Still did not put underbrace, it will wait for oil change.

To get into BMW handling territory you'd definitely need lower profile tires and stiffer springs, all of which not planned. Does anyone know if Tokyco shocks/struts for xB fit?

Perhaps slightly larger 26mm front anti-sway bar? take off xB2 or RAV, I'll check scion sites.

 

So I understand more clearly, you have both front & rear strut tower braces and added a rear swaybar. Front swaybar is factory, bushings are factory, no under the car brace? You have the factory 15" tires with factory struts & springs? Are the factory swaybar bushings urethane or Sponge Bob rubber? Same with the control arm bushings, urethane or rubber?

I'm trying to nail down the parts I will need to buy for my car when I get it next spring

Thanks much,
Mike

 

Mike there is no rear STB as it has torsion beam rear axle. There is Cusco 4-point underbrace available, but not planning for it.

At present it has TRD rear swaybar and Tenabe front STB. The Tenabe front underbrace is not installed yet.

Yes, 15" tires with factory front struts and rear shocks, and stock soft springs. All bushings are factory, have not looked at front sway bar, the rear arm bushings looked like regular cheap rubber.

As is it would benefit from lower profile tires and stiffer springs. Without those would be hard to say what else is needed. And when you put tires/springs you will need to redo alignment, b/c as is it seems it likes some body roll for better side grip.

Bushings are cheap so you'd probably do them anyways.. If you get a TRD rear anti-sway bar set instead of Hotchkis and decide to replace bushings at that point you could put larger front bar, takeoff from xB or RAV. 24mm to 26mm doesn't sound like much but it is 27% stiffer if construction similar.

Also PM josh2008 he is X-ing his gen3, he may be of help. Here is some tech discussion: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...3436-does-prius-iii-has-anti-roll-bars-2.html

I am not trying to get car to where you wanna go, just get good enough not to be an annoyance in daily use. And if I were I'd rather have it a notch softer then stiffer, just b/c it is safer and usually grips better, YMMV.

 

Perfect, thank you :thumb:

Mike

 

A minor point, the 26mm bar would be 38% stiffer than a 24mm bar, it's a 4th power thing.