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034 Motorsports Rear Sway Bar Review

Inigo

Ready to race!
Location
Colorado
Car(s)
Golf R
Initial Impressions:

Turn in feels more responsive and mid corner response is improved at low to moderate speeds and around sharp corners. There is less body roll overall, however, the driver feels the rear of the chassis is more responsive and tighter (denoting a decrease in rear body movement).

The bar is set on the first hole (or least stiff). The car feels much more enjoyable as control is sharpened. Dampening is unaffected and the vehicle retains factory drivability in all modes (DCC).

Under extreme corning at moderate to high speeds (above 40 and below 100) where corner == | < 60 degrees, the car exhibits slight corner entry understeer followed by entry to mid corner drift but does not swing out or kick out unexpectedly. This was evaluated on factory sport contact tires.


Overall:

Although a bit cliche, this should have been the first modification to the vehicle, from a suspension standpoint. The car is far more neutral and fare more responsive around corners.
 

Buguyed

Ready to race!
Nice write-up. I think my next mod, would love to get rid of the understeer feel .
 

bdelaney4000

Ready to race!
Location
Chester, NH
Got the 034 RSB as well. It was a pretty drastic improvement after install. Been loving the more responsive steering and reduced body roll. Definitely helped reduce the car's under-steer.
 

Ital

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Italian in CT
Any updates? I am considering these sway bars and wondering what is the best option. My gti also has DCC
How long did the install take? the instructions say 2 hours.

Thanks
 

Charlotte.:R

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte
Car(s)
'18 Golf R 6MT
Overall:

Although a bit cliche, this should have been the first modification to the vehicle, from a suspension standpoint. The car is far more neutral and fare more responsive around corners.


This was my first suspension modification, along with Moog end links, and totally agree with your assessment.


I used the 2nd hole/inner setting, and haven't noticed any oversteer. Less bodyroll, less understeer, sharper turn in. With the 034 Motorsports sticker removed, the bushing brackets are the only tell tale sign it's not stock.
 

Charlotte.:R

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte
Car(s)
'18 Golf R 6MT
I might go with the H&R 24mm, where I live it snows quite a bit and understeer would be easier to control.
https://www.shopdap.com/blog/post/mk7-gti-rear-sway-bars-explained.html

034 does look good, not sure how the "soft" setting compares to the H&R 24mm

Most swaybar manufactures list the % increase over the stock bar.

034 Motorsports lists the GTI bar as:

Sway Bar Rate Data:

034Motorsport (Soft) - 153% Rate Increase vs. Factory Volkswagen GTI (20mm) Rear Sway Bar
034Motorsport (Stiff) - 174% Rate Increase vs. Factory Volkswagen GTI (20mm) Rear Sway Bar
 

athos56

Ready to race!
Location
Moxee
Love mine

I'm loving mine still, but I think I'm going to move up to the stiff setting after I get some new end links.
 

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
Initial Impressions:

Turn in feels more responsive and mid corner response is improved at low to moderate speeds and around sharp corners. There is less body roll overall, however, the driver feels the rear of the chassis is more responsive and tighter (denoting a decrease in rear body movement).

The bar is set on the first hole (or least stiff). The car feels much more enjoyable as control is sharpened. Dampening is unaffected and the vehicle retains factory drivability in all modes (DCC).

Under extreme corning at moderate to high speeds (above 40 and below 100) where corner == | < 60 degrees, the car exhibits slight corner entry understeer followed by entry to mid corner drift but does not swing out or kick out unexpectedly. This was evaluated on factory sport contact tires.


Overall:

Although a bit cliche, this should have been the first modification to the vehicle, from a suspension standpoint. The car is far more neutral and fare more responsive around corners.


Not cliche at all. Agree 100%. Although I chose Neuspeed rear sway set on stiffest it's the same result. On track the car was transformed, and daily driving is much improved. Before, every turn on track was an understeering battle. A lot of bang for the buck.
 

Mowe

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Atlanta
I have heard that doing the rear sway only triggers understeer.... I am looking st getting both front/rear and the cost to install is crazy !!!! The front is considered a 5 hr job but I don’t want to do one without the other.
 

bdelaney4000

Ready to race!
Location
Chester, NH
Doing the rear only reduces understeer at least on FWD cars anyways.
 

PLF8593

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Philly
Car(s)
19 Alltrack 6MT
I have heard that doing the rear sway only triggers understeer.... I am looking st getting both front/rear and the cost to install is crazy !!!! The front is considered a 5 hr job but I don’t want to do one without the other.

the front end doesn't need it as bad as the rear does. save the money.
 

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
I have heard that doing the rear sway only triggers understeer.... I am looking st getting both front/rear and the cost to install is crazy !!!! The front is considered a 5 hr job but I don’t want to do one without the other.


As others mentioned, that's incorrect. Rear only DECREASES understeer in pretty much all cars, which is why so many do the rear. I agree with others, and advise to save the money and do rear only.


Decide what you are trying to fix with a sway. With our cars, that is understeer 99% of the time. In that case the rear only is a very good fix.



No loss to do rear only first, drive it for a month or so and then decide if you want the front done for some reason.
 

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
I have heard that doing the rear sway only triggers understeer.... I am looking st getting both front/rear and the cost to install is crazy !!!! The front is considered a 5 hr job but I don’t want to do one without the other.


As others mentioned, that's incorrect. Rear only DECREASES understeer in pretty much all cars, which is why so many do the rear. I agree with others, and advise to save the money and do rear only.



Decide what you are trying to fix with a sway. With our cars, that is understeer 99% of the time. In that case the rear only is a very good fix.



No loss to do rear only first, drive it for a month or so and then decide if you want the front done for some reason.
 
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