TRD rear sway bar

[Sleeper]

I was considering the rear swaybar for my Yaris... can anyone here report on it's effectiveness? I am used to driving a powerful truck, oversteer is my friend, and I find the Yaris' handling in emergency or track situations abysmal. I hate the fact that it doesn't go where I want it to when I turn really hard because of understeer and body roll. I want to get rid of that understeer as best I can for as few $$$ (<300$ Ideally). I know my stuff when it comes to building up fast cars, but FWD subcompacts are a (mini)beast I've never approached.

[Ran Kizama]

Originally Posted by Sleeper

I was considering the rear swaybar for my Yaris... can anyone here report on it's effectiveness? I am used to driving a powerful truck, oversteer is my friend, and I find the Yaris' handling in emergency or track situations abysmal. I hate the fact that it doesn't go where I want it to when I turn really hard because of understeer and body roll. I want to get rid of that understeer as best I can for as few $$$ (<300$ Ideally). I know my stuff when it comes to building up fast cars, but FWD subcompacts are a (mini)beast I've never approached.

I got the TRD rear anti-sway bar at my local Toyota dealership for like $140. Took about 5 minutes to install.

The body roll has been significantly reduced. The car doesn't seem to understeer or oversteer as much as it used to. If it does, then I chalk it up to my sh*tty tires that I have on right now.

Keep in mind though, that I also have the TRD Springs, TRD Shocks/Struts, and the Tanabe Front Strut Tower Bar. All have helped keep the car level and predictable when cornering.

[Astroman]

Ok, I'm curious... I have heard pros and cons (beneficial, not beneficial) about the rear sway bar for the yaris so I'm not sure if I should put it on my car or not. I heard the same things about a strut tower bar as well, but I have noticed the difference there on both my cars. My suspension is stock (for now, plan on going TRD springs and shocks/struts) and the only two "handling" mods currently are the tanabe strut tower bar and ultralight 17" wheels. My focus is as close to go-kart handling as I can get. Really I don't want the car to handle worse, just better. Would the rear sway bar help? I'm not going with coilovers... Thanks!

[Vanderkitten]

Originally Posted by Sleeper

I find the Yaris' handling in emergency or track situations abysmal. I hate the fact that it doesn't go where I want it to when I turn really hard because of understeer and body roll.

The Sway bars are key, they tie together the torsionbars in the back to reduce flex and twisting of the suspension during hard cornering. The body and chassis on the Yaris are good to go with the help of the sway bars. The Tien project Yaris in Siphon did not run an upper strut tie bar incidentally.

[Sleeper]

Originally Posted by Vanderkitten

The Sway bars are key

That seems to be the case with many FWD cars. I remember swearing I'd never buy an FWD car but economics forced me to do otherwise. I've always been a fan of live-axle rear wheel drive, but good luck finding a decent car like that these days. I've noticed that since I first started driving and buying, cars have been designed more and more so that they were easy to drive. Understeer is less dangerous to a bad driver than oversteer, and we cater to them.

Here's to traction control, cruise control, FWD, intentional understeer, ABS and airbags; making driving easier and giving people a false sense of security so people don't have to be good drivers or pay attention anymore.