Improving a Prius's suspension?

[Daox]

The rear sway bar that I put on my Prius is made by Progress. Its inexpensive (around $100) and its made for the Corolla. I really like it because it reduces the understeer and stabilizes the car (less tail wag).

BenNelson has Eibach springs on his car and they definitely make it feel more planted and aggressive. I think the Progress rear sway bar with Eibach springs would make a very competent feeling car. I prefer the stock springs for a softer ride, Wisconsin roads can get a little bumpy.

There is also a chassis brace across the bottom of the the exhaust tunnel in the back. There is a company that made an aluminum one that is beefier. Some guys say it helps out, I never tried it myself. I forget the price, but I thought it was overpriced.

[MadScientistMatt]

Thanks! I test drove a Prius and was pleasantly surprised as I had pretty low expectations (wife drives a Camry, I figured a Prius would be even worse). That sway bar sounds like a good mod - maybe a good set of shocks if the ones on it are blown, too. I wonder if Corolla XRS ones will fit?

[serialk11r]

I just did the suspension on my MR2, one thing to note is that if the car has some miles on it and the shocks are old, getting new shocks with stiffer springs might not compromise comfort. My car is more affected by bumps now, but the better dampening makes each bump slightly more comfortable. I pumped up the tires a little more than usual afterward, so I think overall the ride is a tiny bit worse.

I didn't get fatter sway bars since I didn't want to spend the money, but the stiffer springs reduced my body roll and I find that inspires MUCH more confidence, especially since I don't have camber adjustment to compensate for crappy suspension geometry.

[RedDevil]

If cornering is what concerns you most, and you want a car with the shape the Prius copied from the Gen 1 Insight, test drive a Gen 2 Insight... It likes corners.
The G2 responds well to higher tire pressures too, in my experience.

[MadScientistMatt]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

If cornering is what concerns you most, and you want a car with the shape the Prius copied from the Gen 1 Insight, test drive a Gen 2 Insight... It likes corners.
The G2 responds well to higher tire pressures too, in my experience.

Unfortunately, I can't find a second gen Insight in my price range, and I need four seats, so that rules out a first gen. A Civic Hybrid might work, but doesn't seem to get the same level of mileage or have quite as large an interior.

[Daox]

I would think that the XRS sway bar would fit. However, I would be willing to bet that the Progress bar is stiffer.

[Thenorm]

i second a rear sway bar. if you want to dial out understeer, then u need to increase rear stiffness. forget matching sway bars. On my autocross car i still have the stock front sway bar, but a huge rear bar (+6mm diameter over stock).

my next choice would be firmer shocks. or a match spring/shock kit.

sway bar endlinks and bushing will have no noticable effect. and likely the same for strut bars and subframe connectors. Those things I would do last (cost benefit ratio is low)

[Cobb]

Sway bars are measured in diameters. Find out which is what and use that as a reference. The gen 2 insight shares a lot of parts with the honda fit, so many of the parts will work. Me and a few use a progresstech rear sway bar in addtion to tanabe springs. I went a step further to front and rear sway bars, a b piller brace, under frame brace and rear hitch. Yes, the rear trailer hitch isnt used for towng, but to square up the rear end and having that 35lbs below the axle line really helps to keep the rear tucked un around corners.

I dont autocross, but its the only advantage I have on the open road is out cornering the a holes around me. I never forget the day I just bolted up everything and was on a long winding merge lane 2 wide and no one would let me in the left lane, which is what it reduced to in a mile. I just kept my signal on and accelerated to the previous speed limit as everyone was doing 45. No one bothered to race me, or pace me. Once I was 3 cars ahead of the lead car I merged over and went abou my business. Of course once the road straighten out I was still going 65mph and everyone passed me like I was standing still.

You can find a lot of these bars on ebay under the name ultra racing for the insight.

MadScientistMatt, whats your current vehicle? Im looking for a full size sedan about same kbb as me, 10 grand. I was looking for like an 09 or up impala, charger, mini van, etc.

[Frank Lee]

It is easy to go TOO STIFF with sway bars. After I lowered my Coupe I thought I'd really make a handling machine outta her by putting the thicker sway bar from an automatic trans car on it. Turns out, the car already cornered very flat due to the lowering and the stiffer spring rates and the new struts and the better suspension link geometry for cornering and the slightly wider alloy wheels, such that adding the bigger sway bar only served to roughen the ride. Stock bar went back in, cornering still good, ride much better.