[sccaracer75years]

Having owned a few cars classed in HS now, and I'm not sharing anything not already out there, I feel like with the right tire and driver you could for sure show up and be "that guy/person" and have fun. There are people who've proven that a few times in this car. That said: there is NOTHING about this car that would make me want to mod it beyond/out of HS and that's my .02. I've been there/done that a lot in the past and it's just not fun to already be an HS underdog, and then go to utterly noncompetitive mod.

The SCCA is starting to recognize EV's and has an EV class. For now, it's a catch-all (read: have fun getting slaughtered against the Model 3 Performance and Taycan Turbo S ) but so was Street Touring in its infancy almost 25 years ago.

 

[Sandman]

Installed my bar yesterday... easy as can get. The dimensions are spot on as were the machined parts from my buddy. He has a second set on hand (he didn't offset the hole to each side the first attempt, so I had four all the same... made 4 with the offset the other way to make two complete sets).

He's willing to make these for people, so if you're on the fence, don't know where to go to get the adapters made, or whatever let me know and I'll pass on his contact information. I don't want to put it public here as he'll get requests for years when people run across this thread.

I could not find 9/16" hardware, so I went with 14 mm which were easy to pick up at the local hardware store around the corner. Used some blue loctite as well. View attachment 29275

I would very much like a set of the Whiteline swaybar adapters if your friend is still making them My email is [email protected] Thanks so much!

 

[Pimphand]

I would very much like a set of the Whiteline swaybar adapters if your friend is still making them My email is [email protected] Thanks so much!

You have to PM rhammon. He doesn’t come on the board but he gets notifications on the pm. I need a set, my buddy and you makes 3. I’m still waiting for the machinist to email me it’s been a little over a week and no response. He races in SCCA and is often not available.
I will update if someone contacts me.

 

[Sandman]

You have to PM rhammon. He doesn’t come on the board but he gets notifications on the pm. I need a set, my buddy and you makes 3. I’m still waiting for the machinist to email me it’s been a little over a week and no response. He races in SCCA and is often not available.
I will update if someone contacts me.

I'm in. Thanks!

 

[Beaks]

I'm in. Thanks!

I would very much like a set of the Whiteline swaybar adapters if your friend is still making them My email is [email protected] Thanks so much!

Hi All,

Sorry to be late to the party. I finally got around to getting the Whiteline bar. I have experience with suspension parts design, mfg., and sales. I have access to a machine shop and I think I can make these adapters for less than $100. If there is enough demand, I'll make a few...

-Wil

 

[PLP]

Hi All,

Sorry to be late to the party. I finally got around to getting the Whiteline bar. I have experience with suspension parts design, mfg., and sales. I have access to a machine shop and I think I can make these adapters for less than $100. If there is enough demand, I'll make a few...

-Wil

What's your location?

 

[Beaks]

What's your location?

I'm located in SoCal.

 

[Beaks]

Mine would look like this...

 

[PrimerGrey]

Well. I hope that those of you with the machined spring perch bushings wouldn't run into this issue... but I thought I'd let you know just in case.

I took the "budget" way out and used steel plates and a spacer instead of the machined bushing. Ideally the steel plate between the sway bar and the bottom of the spring perch would provide a rigid surface against which the sway bar would be clamped by the mounting bolt. However...

Lately I'd been noticing a slight noise from the rear suspension, and I had the impression that rear roll stiffness wasn't as good as it had been. So I figured I might have to crawl under and re-tighten the mounting bolts. That'll take care of it, right? Not so. It turns out that my sway bar broke - on both ends.

I don't know if it's just my application, but wanted to let you know so those of you with the Cruze sway bar can check to make sure yours hasn't broken this same way.

 

[Beaks]

Well. I hope that those of you with the machined spring perch bushings wouldn't run into this issue... but I thought I'd let you know just in case.

I took the "budget" way out and used steel plates and a spacer instead of the machined bushing. Ideally the steel plate between the sway bar and the bottom of the spring perch would provide a rigid surface against which the sway bar would be clamped by the mounting bolt. However...

Lately I'd been noticing a slight noise from the rear suspension, and I had the impression that rear roll stiffness wasn't as good as it had been. So I figured I might have to crawl under and re-tighten the mounting bolts. That'll take care of it, right? Not so. It turns out that my sway bar broke - on both ends.

I don't know if it's just my application, but wanted to let you know so those of you with the Cruze sway bar can check to make sure yours hasn't broken this same way.

The steel plates you used did not contributed to the failure. The fact that your plate is quite big should be enough to transfer the load onto the swing arm. This is a design problem with the bar itself. Unlike swaybar systems that use movable endlinks, torsion bar style like this is simpler (cheaper), especially at the connection. But the attachment points are rigid and that puts a lot of stress through the area where the bolt is mounted. When the bar is loaded (through a turn/corner), the bolted area is fixed, while the "arm" of the swaybar is bending and twisting. Think of one end of a toothpick being held firmly, while you bend it from the other end. At some point it would snap. And it will happen right outside of where you are holding the toothpick. In the BHR93 bar's design, that point is right through the mounting hole in the bar. On top of that, because a hole is drill through it, it also has the least amount of material (smallest cross-sectional area). So that's where it breaks.

I'd talk to WhiteLine about a warranty replacement. You don't have to mention it was installed on a Bolt EV with custom hardware. It would've failed if you had installed it on a Cruze per the mfgr's instruction. If I were Whiteline, I'd make the ends of the bar much wider and/or thicker to make sure there is enough material on either side of the hole. Both would increase cross-sectional area at the hole location.

With the bar design staying as is, what might help is if the springs you are running are firmer, which would reduce twisting motion in the bar. Less bending, less stress. But 90% of us who runs this upgrade probably are not, and don't want to invest in stiffer springs. Another solution would be to run some firm polyurethane grommets/bushings on top and bottom of the bar's mounting hole (something like this, but not exactly this P/N Energy Suspension 9.8105R End Link Grommet + Free Shipping). This would allow the bar to rotate slightly in the bolted assembly and not put so much stress through the bar at the hole. This will make the bar less effective (from a load transfer standpoint) and make the ride ever-so-slightly less snappy. But you may not even notice it. You'll need longer bolts to accommodate the bushings.

-Wil

 

[sccaracer75years]

The steel plates you used did not contributed to the failure. The fact that your plate is quite big should be enough to transfer the load onto the swing arm. This is a design problem with the bar itself. Unlike swaybar systems that use movable endlinks, torsion bar style like this is simpler (cheaper), especially at the connection. But the attachment points are rigid and that puts a lot of stress through the area where the bolt is mounted. When the bar is loaded (through a turn/corner), the bolted area is fixed, while the "arm" of the swaybar is bending and twisting. Think of one end of a toothpick being held firmly, while you bend it from the other end. At some point it would snap. And it will happen right outside of where you are holding the toothpick. In the BHR93 bar's design, that point is right through the mounting hole in the bar. On top of that, because a hole is drill through it, it also has the least amount of material (smallest cross-sectional area). So that's where it breaks.

-Wil

I agree now that I've seen one fail.

For reference, when Ford was coming up with the chassis specs for the Fiesta ST (which also had a torsion beam rear suspension design), they specified a stiffer / beefier rear beam in addition to stiffer shocks and springs. They could have merely slapped on a swaybar to the lesser-performance Fiesta's rear torsion bar, but they didn't... This is probably why.

I wasn't planning on running a rear bar on my Bolt regardless but I will be running anywhere from 500 to 600 lb. / inch rear springs on my coilovers when they come. I think the rear may not benefit from more rotation in competition settings since the stability control system will probably poo poo on things anyway if it senses rotation (think: autocross, which is what I am going to do with my Bolt - along with track days).

 

[MisterJJ]

Yikes! If that bar had come loose on the freeway it could have killed somebody.

 

[PrimerGrey]

Yikes! If that bar had come loose on the freeway it could have killed somebody.

Agreed... the scenarios have been playing in my head... I'm just glad I got it off the car before anything bad like that happened...

 

[TOUR80]

I would like a set of adapters bit I'm new and can't send a message yet...swaybars always help tho.

 

[Beaks]

I got my prototype set made and will install this weekend. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[rlhammon]

Mine would look like this...

View attachment 47264

Thanks for doing this. After I designed up the first set that most have purchased it wasn't worth the time to reprogram and cut out the extra material. This was the end goal, but since I thought I was only ever making one set I never went back and made this version.

Should work well. I did this up in 3D printed parts to determine the engagement. The material savings will be a nice cost reduction!

 

[NortonCommando]

The steel plates you used did not contributed to the failure. The fact that your plate is quite big should be enough to transfer the load onto the swing arm. This is a design problem with the bar itself. ...
... Another solution would be to run some firm polyurethane grommets/bushings on top and bottom of the bar's mounting hole .

Totally agree with this assessment.
All the bending forces are at the washers meeting the bar.
poly bushings would at least allow the forces not be concentrated at the washer/bar point.
But this would place the sway bar bolts as the lowest point in the rear suspension.
Is there a market for a bar design with normal sway bar links providing the force to the suspension?
Whiteline: This is a piss poor and unsafe design. You can do better.

Agreed... the scenarios have been playing in my head... I'm just glad I got it off the car before anything bad like that happened...

Holi Crapoli, that could have been bad if the bar left the car.
What about everyone with this current set up add large Ty-raps to the forward part of the bar securing it to the cross link. Not tight. Just as safety straps to keep the bar on the car when the link end fails like this.

 

[awdmig]

I'm interested in a set of these adapters but unable to send PM. Is there an email or phone number available for the person making these.

TIA

 

[Beaks]

I'm interested in a set of these adapters but unable to send PM. Is there an email or phone number available for the person making these.

TIA

Hi, test fit is taking a bit longer than planned. Anyone interested please shoot me an email at [email protected]. Pricing will depend on how big the order is.

 

[awdmig]

Hi, test fit is taking a bit longer than planned. Anyone interested please shoot me an email at [email protected]. Pricing will depend on how big the order is.

Email sent