v_therussian

I've finally come to the realization that there is way to much roll and the car just pitches like a boat in hard turns. Tires don't give, but I feel the whole body tilt, switching it's center gravity and I think I can improve handling tremendously if I can keep this car flat through the curves.

Do I have to replace the springs and shocks/struts to get any real improvement or would a simple strut tower bar fix this? Which point of suspension should I tie down and to what to get the best results?

sdg1871

I don't think that a strut tower bar will reduce your body roll. It will make your car more rigid but won't reduce roll. You are better off with stiffer shocks and springs. And lowering your ride, if possible, would be good too.

v_therussian

Hold on, what are "anti-roll bars" then?

And yes, of course, I'd love to lower the ride and stiffen up the suspension as well - that's all in the plans, too. I just want to see if there are additional measures that will help me counter the body lean.

sdg1871

Here is a summary of my understand coupled with some helpful language I found on another board.

A strut tower bar and an anti roll bar are two entirely different suspension components.

A struct tower bar reinforces (stiffens) the body of the car, by inserting a bar that connects the tops of the upper mounts of the struts. So when you do corner or any type of movement that induces lateral forces, it prevents the chassis/body from flexing so much. In a nutshell -- it stiffens the car's body but does not affect its propensity to roll.

Anti roll bars are tubes that have been bent in a special shape to allow rigidity in certain angles but elasticity when pulled in certain ways. It is fixed onto the lower part of the suspension (whereas the strut tower bar sits on top of the struts). The anti roll bar works by preventing unwanted movement between the suspension and maintains the appropriate angle of your geometry during hard cornering.

aresh

So what's the best bet, Anti-roll bars or change suspension?

Howitzer

Both, however you want to get a new suspension first, in my opinion. It would have a more dramatic effect than just putting sway bars on a stock setup.

PraiseTheLowered

a good coil system with roll bars is the best setup

if i had to choose one over the other, coilover all day any day

turboawd

if you want less roll, get an e60 with the active roll system. its not an option on the x drive models though. but that system works real great.

your best option would be to get beefier stabilizer(antiroll) bars. there is one in front and rear. the only down side to a beefier bar is your ride might be a little more harsh. when one wheels hits a bump, the jolt will travel through the car more.

a little info on roll bars:
http://www.boosttown.com/suspension/anti_roll_bars.php

Persian_535i

all this talk about rolls is making me want some sushi, damn why am i such a fat ass

pjinca

Sorry Vlad, you would need Sway bars to greatly reduce the body roll. Problem is, they don;t make them for the Xi - they are for the std 5 er only. Your best option is coilovers, but even the best coilovers cannot eliminate body roll as effectively as a good set of sway bars.