Cobb RSB

[Sebastian]

I just put the Cobb RSB on my 05 LGT. I was trying to reduce body roll/understeer/plowing... after putting on the new RSB, the car handles completly differently. I no longer have any body roll/understeer/plowing...

 

On the road, going around a curve, the back of the car wants to slide out now. I don't know how to describe it but the steering seems to be more "touchy", like I have to make sure I'm very fluid in turning the wheel. I autocrossed the car after installing the new RSB. I figured I would be sliding the back of the car around on the hairpin corners but oddly enough, I never once had the back sliding. I'm guessing the low speed of autocross (even with much sharper turns) allows the tires to keep better lateral traction.

 

In any case, I really don't like how loose the car feels on backroads now. The "mild" curves that I used to feel glued to the road on (even at high speeds), I'm now scared to press my luck on, the car seems unpredictable in these situations.

 

What I want to know is, will getting the Cobb FSB really balance out the car and make it feel more stable, will it return the glued to the road feeling? Ecspecially looking to hear from someone who has had the Cobb RSB, drove with just it, then upgraded the front.

[TPLGT]

Subscribed.

[goneskiian]

While I can't comment about driving with the COBB bars, I would hazard a guess that, yes, the COBB RSB is likely a bit too stiff for the OEM front bar. You will most definitely balance that out by getting the front COBB bar on there too.

[Wang Lung]

I had both bars installed two weeks ago, along with a Cobb DP and Cobb Stage 1 flash. The sway bars IMO were the best value. I will complete the exhaust to go stage 2, but my focus, based on the improved handling, will be on suspension.

 

An unexpected handling bonus is how secure the car feels on uneven pavement.

 

You'll have to forgive me if I sound a little naive. But I just stepped out of an Explorer after 15 years and 550,000 miles and I'm easily impressed.

[rurouni_x]

I have a progress RSB and love sliding the rear out

[JoeFromPA]

The Cobb bars are designed as a set. They are not meant to be used alone. I understand that some people do that, but this isn't a JDM rear sway bar which is only a little thicker/stiffer than stock. This is a significantly stiffer rear sway bar. Your car probably feels weird because the torsional rigidity is so different front to back. You've got looseness up front (allows the car more independent movement side to side) and much greater stifness in the rear (allows very little independent movement side to side).

 

You should either return to stock, get a different rear sway bar, or upgrade your front sway bar to finish the Cobb set.

 

I'm not surprised you didn't have a tail out event at the autocross. To your point, it's a low speed event with lots of quick transitions. If you are on non-stock tires (something stickier), I bet you weren't yet able to easily overwhelm the rear. And the front end probably dug in more to compensate for the rear not bending.

 

Joe

[goneskiian]

I had both bars installed two weeks ago, along with a Cobb DP and Cobb Stage 1 flash. The sway bars IMO were the best value. I will complete the exhaust to go stage 2, but my focus, based on the improved handling, will be on suspension.

 

An unexpected handling bonus is how secure the car feels on uneven pavement.

 

You'll have to forgive me if I sound a little naive. But I just stepped out of an Explorer after 15 years and 550,000 miles and I'm easily impressed.

Sorry for the OT but you've already got enough to go Stage 2. All COBB requires is a DP. Don't wait! Enjoy that improved hp/tq now!

 

OK, back to the bars. Yup, downgrade the rear to a JDM RSB or upgrade the front to COBB as well and that skittishness should mellow quite a bit.

[JoeFromPA]

goneskiian.....if he's an 05-06, he needs a gutted or upgraded up pipe as well.

[Spoonwacker]

I installed my Cobb RSB a week before I got around to doing the front. I had the Cobb set to the less aggressive position for that week, and moved it to the more aggressive one once I installed the FSB. The front bar definitely helped even out the handling balance, and I haven't touched the sways since (this was over a year ago). The front end of the car definitely feels more planted.

 

I've thought about moving the RSB to the less aggressive setting for winter driving, but I never seem to actually get around to it. It hasn't been a problem, since I tend to drive pretty cautiously in the snow...unless I'm actually trying to get the tail out, and then the RSB is my friend

[TPLGT]

goneskiian.....if he's an 05-06, he needs a gutted or upgraded up pipe as well.

 

06 UP is catless.

[Spoonwacker]

06 UP is catless.

 

Um, you're thinking '07+...having gone Stg II last week, I can tell you '06 UP is definitely catted.

[goneskiian]

goneskiian.....if he's an 05-06, he needs a gutted or upgraded up pipe as well.

Technically, no, he doesn't need to replace his up pipe.

 

It has become common to replace the up pipe with it's restrictive cat to prevent that cat from breaking up and damaging the turbocharger but no where in COBB's literature does it say that it is necessary to replace the up pipe for Stage 2. If so, wouldn't COBB include an UP in it's Stage 2 Power Package? Yes, I know COBB no longer makes an UP but I still challenge you to find where they say you have to have a catless UP.

 

Then again, if everyone followed COBB's requirements to the "T" we'd all have turboback exhausts and not just DP's for Stage 2.

 

Yes, I'm being argumentative and, yes, it's a good idea to replace the UP with a catless version.

 

Cheers!

[Sebastian]

Ok, so adding the Cobb FSB will tighten up the front, but will this help keep the rear end from wanting to slide out? Maybe it's just in my head but when going around curves or taking highway entrance and exit ramps the rear-end feels like it's on the edge of breaking loose. Will the FSB help make the rear feel like its got more lateral grip.

[TPLGT]

Um, you're thinking '07+...having gone Stg II last week, I can tell you '06 UP is definitely catted.

 

Funny is always get the 06 and 07 confused with this and I have an 06.

[goneskiian]

Ok, so adding the Cobb FSB will tighten up the front, but will this help keep the rear end from wanting to slide out? Maybe it's just in my head but when going around curves or taking highway entrance and exit ramps the rear-end feels like it's on the edge of breaking loose. Will the FSB help make the rear feel like its got more lateral grip.

I don't know if it will give the rear more lateral grip but it should make the car feel more balanced. In otherwords, yes, adding the matching COBB FSB you should feel less like the rear wants to slide out.

 

What you're doing with a larger FSB is your balancing out the oversteer you've increased by adding a larger RSB (so large that you're overwhelming the now too small FSB).

 

Cheers!

[JoeFromPA]

Sebastian - Goneskiian hit the nail on the head.

 

With your Cobb RSB you have made the rear end much more "lively" while leaving the front end more noodly. Best illustration I have in words

 

The car will feel much more solid and connected with the matching front sway bar. You'll still feel alot more rear-end activity than it had stock, but it won't feel like it's about to break loose until you start pushing it hard.

 

Joe

 

P.s. Unless you have worn out tires on the rear, in which case...yes, your rear end does want to break loose

[Sebastian]

My tires, while not the best (Kumho Supras), are in good condition. I don't like it, but I've got used to driving with the "noodly" front end. It's the "lively" back end that has me scared to even try to take curves and corners at the same speeds that I did with stock RSB. I kinda thought I might end up buying the FSB when I got the RSB, but wanted to try it out by itself first.

 

I guess what I'm trying to figure out now is, do I want to get the Cobb FSB or replace the Cobb RSB with one that is less stiff and designed to match the stock FSB. The problem I had with the stock suspension is the typical bodyroll, understeer, and Plowing/skidding into corners instead of turning through them. I know they are all connected, but the plowing/skidding into corners was the main issue for me. The body roll doesn't bother me as long as the car goes where I want it to go.

 

All useful input (as always) is welcome and appreciated, but has anyone driven with Cobb sway bars on the car AND tried something like a JDM bar that is designed to match the FSB?

[JoeFromPA]

I only have experience stock and with the Cobb. I don't understand why they sell the Cobb individually, because it's a matched set. Neither is intended to be used alone. You have the equivalent of stiff dampers on the rear and stock dampers on the front. Your car is mis-matched

 

If you match the set, you will eliminate bodyroll and plowing for the most part. It will be controlled and complete.

 

I've heard many owners have alot of happiness with just a JDM rear sway or something similar....I decided to upgrade both front and rear and can't imagine going back to stock now. That's how happy I am with the setup.

 

Joe

[Buru]

they were engineered together so keep them together.