The BMW E30, a beloved classic in the world of performance driving, has earned a reputation for its precision handling and iconic design e30 sway bars. However, even with its excellent stock setup, there’s always room for improvement—especially when it comes to handling and stability. One of the most effective upgrades you can make to enhance the driving dynamics of your E30 is upgrading the sway bars (also known as anti-roll bars).
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into why sway bars are crucial for handling, the benefits of upgrading, and how to select the right sway bars for your E30. Whether you’re a daily driver looking for a more composed ride or a track enthusiast seeking ultimate performance, upgrading the sway bars will help elevate your driving experience.
What Are Sway Bars?
Sway bars are critical components of a vehicle’s suspension system that help reduce body roll during cornering. They work by connecting the left and right sides of the suspension, essentially acting as a stabilizing force when the car leans into a turn. Without sway bars, your car would lean excessively in corners, making it harder to maintain control and increasing the risk of oversteering or understeering.
The E30, with its rear-wheel-drive configuration and precise steering, is particularly sensitive to changes in its suspension geometry. This makes sway bars a key factor in enhancing overall handling and performance. The factory sway bars on the E30 are already decent, but upgrading them allows for a more responsive, stable, and balanced ride.
Benefits of Upgrading Sway Bars
1. Improved Cornering Performance
Upgrading sway bars can significantly reduce body roll, allowing your E30 to stay flatter during aggressive cornering. This improves your ability to take turns at higher speeds, making the car feel more planted and predictable. A stiffer sway bar can reduce understeer (when the car doesn’t turn enough) and oversteer (when the car turns too much), providing more control.
2. Better Stability
With upgraded sway bars, your E30 will experience better overall stability, especially during lane changes and sudden maneuvers. This improvement comes from the reduced body lean, keeping the car’s weight more evenly distributed across both sides. This makes the car feel more balanced and confident, even in tricky conditions.
3. Enhanced Ride Quality
Though it may seem counterintuitive, upgrading sway bars can improve ride quality in some cases. By reducing body roll, the car maintains a more stable and controlled posture, which translates into a smoother ride on twisty roads or during aggressive driving. Plus, you can fine-tune the stiffness of the bars to your preference, allowing you to achieve the perfect balance between comfort and performance.
4. Customization for Driving Style
One of the great things about upgrading sway bars is the ability to tailor the suspension to your specific driving needs. Whether you’re looking for a more aggressive track setup or a daily driver that still offers solid cornering performance, sway bars come in different stiffness options, allowing you to adjust the handling dynamics to suit your preferences.
Choosing the Right Sway Bars for Your E30
When it comes to choosing sway bars for your E30, there are several factors to consider. Selecting the right sway bars depends on how you intend to use your car and your preferred driving style.
1. Material and Build Quality
Sway bars are commonly made from materials like steel, chromoly, or tubular construction. Steel sway bars are robust and reliable, but chromoly (a lighter, stronger alloy) and tubular bars are often preferred for performance applications due to their weight savings and increased strength. Make sure to choose high-quality bars from reputable brands like H&R, Eibach, or Stahlbus to ensure they meet the high standards required for improved performance.
2. Size and Stiffness
The stiffness and size of the sway bars play a major role in how your E30 handles. A larger sway bar will generally offer more resistance to body roll, but it may result in a stiffer ride. On the other hand, a smaller sway bar offers less roll resistance, but it will provide a smoother ride.
For a balanced upgrade, consider starting with a moderate increase in sway bar size. For example, upgrading to 22mm front and 18mm rear sway bars (depending on your current setup) can dramatically improve cornering stability without sacrificing comfort. For more aggressive setups, larger bars may be the way to go, particularly if you plan on taking your E30 to the track.
3. Front vs. Rear Sway Bars
When upgrading sway bars, you also need to decide whether to upgrade the front, rear, or both bars. Upgrading the front sway bar usually has a bigger impact on reducing body roll and improving the car’s balance, while upgrading the rear sway bar can provide better control and reduce understeer. A balanced setup—both front and rear sway bars upgraded—is often the most effective solution for handling improvement.
4. Adjustability
Some high-performance sway bars are adjustable, meaning you can fine-tune the stiffness depending on your needs. Adjustable sway bars allow you to experiment with different settings, such as making the car stiffer for track use or softer for daily driving. This can provide a significant advantage in getting the exact handling characteristics you want.
How to Install Sway Bars on Your E30
Upgrading sway bars on the BMW E30 isn’t an overly difficult task, but it does require a basic understanding of suspension work and the proper tools. If you’re not comfortable with DIY projects, it’s always a good idea to seek help from a professional mechanic.
Here’s a simplified outline of the installation process:
- Lift the Car: Use a jack to lift your E30, and secure it with jack stands. Make sure the car is stable and level before starting work.
- Remove the Old Sway Bars: Depending on the model year and current suspension setup, you may need to remove the underbody protection or any other components obstructing the sway bars. Use a wrench to unbolt the old sway bars from the suspension links.
- Install the New Sway Bars: Place the new sway bars in position and secure them to the suspension arms. Ensure that the sway bar end links are properly attached to avoid any alignment issues.
- Check for Alignment and Clearance: Once the sway bars are secured, double-check the alignment of the sway bar links and ensure that there’s no interference with other suspension components.
- Test Drive: After installation, take your E30 for a test drive. Pay attention to how the car feels when cornering, and make adjustments as needed. If you have adjustable sway bars, experiment with different settings to find the ideal balance for your driving style.
Conclusion
Upgrading the sway bars on your BMW E30 is one of the most effective ways to improve handling, cornering stability, and overall driving pleasure. With the right sway bars, you’ll experience less body roll, better control in corners, and a more confident ride on both the street and track.
By considering factors like material, size, adjustability, and installation ease, you can choose the perfect sway bars to suit your E30 and driving needs. Whether you’re an enthusiast looking to maximize performance or simply want a more composed ride, upgrading your sway bars will undoubtedly take your E30 to the next level.
