Front sway bar installed

Today my dealership installed my Tanabe front sway bar. This pretty much completes my "handling package" for the "v". I may install a Cusco rear sway bar after testing by auto-crossing my current setup.

THE HANDLING PACKAGE:
1. three underbody braces (2 Cusco and 1 Tanabe)
2. strut tower brace (Cusco)
3. lowering springs (Tanabe)
4. 17" X 7" ENKIE RPF 1 wheels & Yokohama YK 580 tires 215/50/17 V rated, same size as the Five model.(The Tire Rack tells me that 225 width tires are actually in the "middle" of the size range for my wheels. However I think I'd lose too much mileage with them.)

THROTTLE RESPONSE "PACKAGE":
1. INJEN cold air intake W/ heat shield (lowers air intake temps by at least 10 F. by Scan Guage II measurements)
2. grounded throttle body (Yes, it does make a difference. Who'd a thunk it? Thank you "wrxsubiemod" for the info on that mod.)

I'd say my "v" is now much more responsive (and safer) in handling and somewhat more responsive in throttle modulation. Truly, a "tuned v". To paraphrase a song in the movie Music Man, "I've gone about as fur as I kin go." )

An upcoming trip from 'Vegas to Thousand Oaks California will tell me a lot about how much the front sway bar affects everyday handling. I'll be carving those on and off ramps.

 

Yep I have photos. I'll post them tomorrow. And yes, I DO have "...every brace possible." except the rear sway bar, which I'm not sure will help much.

So far I have noticed the front sway bar definitely flattens the car more in "enthusiastic" cornering. It also seemed to "tighten up" the road feel and snub my OEM shocks down a bit B/C I have shorter, stiffer Tanabe springs that overwhelmed the shocks (dampeners) a bit and made small bumps feel bouncy.

All-in-all the front say bar makes itself known in a more nailed-down, European feel which was my goal with all these chassis and suspension changes. Imagine, a Prius v that actually handles well and feels responsive!

I do feel much safer now in this car than the day I had to swerve violently to avoid a Mitsubishi Eclips spinning out in front of me on a 3 lane beltway in 'Vegas. (Clear, dry day too.) The "v" at that time was only 2 weeks old and totally stock. I d@mn near lost control and I'm experienced in auto crossing my tuned '95 Maxima and my '93 RX-7 FDS twin turbo. I know what control means in a car and that day I barely had enough. That's what prompted me into this build.

My remaining handling question is will a Cusco rear sway bar prevent the inside rear wheel from lifting off the pavement in a hard corner? I hate that "Volkswagen Golf tire lift" syndrome. And it looks stupid too. My tuned front drive Maxima had an aftermarket rear sway bar and it never lifted a tire in auto crossing. And it too had a rear beam axle like the Prius v.
(The '93 RX 7? That car was telepathic. It knew what I wanted the instant I wanted it.)

 

PHOTOS: Underbody braces on my '13 Prius v.

Sorry for the repeats. I'm not yet familiar with this upload system. The bottom image of just an end of a brace peeking out from the plastic underbody sheet is the Cusco brace on the very front end of the front suspension. Because Toyota changed (for 2013 and later v's) from "Y" shaped factory braces on each side to triangular braces I got only the smaller, straight brace, as that was all I needed due to Toyota's better triangular braces.

BTW, the attached photo is of a red Cusco bar painted blue to look like the Tanabe bars. (I know, I have too mush time on my hands, so I just painted it. ;o)

 

I grounded my TB to the engine head bolt (passenger side, front bolt, just left of your Injen CAI bracket bolt).

 

Tang,
Sorry for the late reply. I just noticed your question. For parts alone (3 underbody braces, strut tower brace, 2 sway bars, 4 lowering coil springs) I paid $1,200. Labor for the springs was $200.

Then the fog lights, day running lights and other electrical labor was $300. The lights were about $250.
I installed the cold air intake, shark fin antenna and Sylvania Silverstar Ultra Xenon headlight bulbs myself.

Don't even ask about the 17" ENKIE RPF 1 wheels and Yokohama YK 580 V-rated tires plus the aftermarket tire pressure monitor that reads out actual pressure and temperature on each tire.