Baja Ron Sway Bar - First Thoughts

[ca8920]

Here are my initial thoughts on our new Baja Ron Sway Bar. We had just over 2,000 miles on our F3S when we put on the Sway Bar so I've had the opportunity to do some riding before putting the sway bar on the trike. We live in the Reno/Tahoe area and do a bit of mountain driving with lots of sharp turns.

I was really hoping that the Baja Ron Sway Bar would help with our mountain riding. When sharp cornering the F3S seems to hold a line only so long then it feels like something releases and the trike tends to drift towards the outside of the corner. To correct, I have to muscle the trike back on line. After our last ride up in the mountains, with my wife on the back, my arms were a bit sore the next day from the stress of cornering.

Since we bought our F3S, I've always felt the front end was a bit squirrely, it seemed to be light and it seemed to wander a bit as I rode. As I drove the trike, I got use to the floating sensation. After I put the Baja Ron Sway Bar on our trike, I no longer feel that light squirrely feeling in the front end. During my ride today, the front felt rock solid. This is a real nice surprise.

I recently had some minor shoulder surgery, and I doubt I'll be up in the mountains before winter gets here, but so far so good..... Me Likey.
:doorag::spyder2:

 

[Sccar]

Here are my initial thoughts on our new Baja Ron Sway Bar. We had just over 2,000 miles on our F3S when we put on the Sway Bar so I've had the opportunity to do some riding before putting the sway bar on the trike. We live in the Reno/Tahoe area and do a bit of mountain driving with lots of sharp turns.

I was really hoping that the Baja Ron Sway Bar would help with our mountain riding. When sharp cornering the F3S seems to hold a line only so long then it feels like something releases and the trike tends to drift towards the outside of the corner. To correct, I have to muscle the trike back on line. After our last ride up in the mountains, with my wife on the back, my arms were a bit sore the next day from the stress of cornering.

Since we bought our F3S, I've always felt the front end was a bit squirrely, it seemed to be light and it seemed to wander a bit as I rode. As I drove the trike, I got use to the floating sensation. After I put the Baja Ron Sway Bar on our trike, I no longer feel that light squirrely feeling in the front end. During my ride today, the front felt rock solid. This is a real nice surprise.

I recently had some minor shoulder surgery, and I doubt I'll be up in the mountains before winter gets here, but so far so good..... Me Likey.
:doorag::spyder2:

How long did it take to install?

 

[one2doo]

Have you had a laser alignment? I have Rons bar and alignment dialed it in.:yes:

 

[Tazzel]

How long did it take to install?

with the right equipment, less then an hour. The trick is, you have to get the front end about 24 inches off the ground.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Hey Las Vegas F3 owners, Squared Away has an F3 bar in stock and we have the right equipment to install it for you. Whose name should I put on it???

 

[pauly1]

Wheel alignment should take care of the cornering issue described in the opening post. I noticed a similar handling on my F3. I've got the upgraded Fox shocks all around and a stock RT sway bar installed. The RT sway bar is about 40%stiffer than stock; if I had the diameter of The BR bar, I could calculate is difference, too.

Wayne

 

[ca8920]

Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment should take care of the cornering issue described in the opening post. I noticed a similar handling on my F3. I've got the upgraded Fox shocks all around and a stock RT sway bar installed. The RT sway bar is about 40%stiffer than stock; if I had the diameter of The BR bar, I could calculate is difference, too.

Wayne

Thanks, when I have it serviced I'll have them align the front end.

Chris

 

[BajaRon]

Wheel alignment should take care of the cornering issue described in the opening post. I noticed a similar handling on my F3. I've got the upgraded Fox shocks all around and a stock RT sway bar installed. The RT sway bar is about 40%stiffer than stock; if I had the diameter of The BR bar, I could calculate is difference, too.

Wayne

Not exactly. There are several tensile strength steel compounds that can be used in sway bar applications. Most use the lower values because they fab up more easily and it's less expensive to go bigger to increase stiffness than it is to pay for a higher tensile steel. Because of the size limitations on the Spyder we use a high tensile steel. I do not know what steel BRP uses but for the same diameter it is not as stiff.

Don't get me wrong. A lower tensile steel sway bar is not necessarily inferior as long as it is sized to give you the correct stiffness. But if you can't go any bigger, one of your options is to use a stiffer spring steel.

 

[Chupaca]

Glad to hear...

At the moment the best most cost effective handling mods you can make on a spyder are the BajaRon sway bar and a laser alignment, in your case Squared Away is the way to go. :2thumbs: your half way there...:thumbup:

 

[Questions]

a stupid question but why do you have to get it so high in the air to install the swaybar?

 

[pauly1]

Not exactly. There are several tensile strength steel compounds that can be used in sway bar applications. Most use the lower values because they fab up more easily and it's less expensive to go bigger to increase stiffness than it is to pay for a higher tensile steel. Because of the size limitations on the Spyder we use a high tensile steel. I do not know what steel BRP uses but for the same diameter it is not as stiff.

Don't get me wrong. A lower tensile steel sway bar is not necessarily inferior as long as it is sized to give you the correct stiffness. But if you can't go any bigger, one of your options is to use a stiffer spring steel.

Tensile strength and modulus are related but different. Steel has a modulus of ~30M psi regardless of stated tensile strength. (http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young-modulus-d_773.html) Modulus refers to the elasticity (E, linear term); tensile strength has a yield point (0.2% permanent set) and an ultimate limit when it breaks. Tensile strength also is related to hardness. 1018 cold rolled steel has the same modulus as 4130 or fully hardened 420 stainless steel (within ~10%). What changes is the yield strength of the respective steel. Torsion is dependent on the modulus of the material, assuming the strain is within the proportional limit.

Shape properties enter into the stiffness calculation via the moment of inertia term (I, a cubed term). Small differences in modulus are significantly trumped by diameter of the stock used in the various torsion bar diameters.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

a stupid question but why do you have to get it so high in the air to install the swaybar?

Because of the way it is mounted the only way to get the old one off is to drop it straight down. On the older models you could tilt it and slide it out but since 2013 you need the 24" to drop the bar.

 

[ca8920]

Laser Alignment

At the moment the best most cost effective handling mods you can make on a spyder are the BajaRon sway bar and a laser alignment, in your case Squared Away is the way to go. :2thumbs: your half way there...:thumbup:

Where / How do you get a laser alignment.... Is is done by Can Am Service or a regular auto service shop?

Chris

 

[Chupaca]

Home page..Sponsor is Squared Away they are the best and in Nevada. Spyderann01 you can pm her. Most dealers are not equipped yet.

 

[Sarge707]

If you look at the bar from the side it appears Backwards compared to the earlier bars?:dontknow:

 

[BajaRon]

If you look at the bar from the side it appears Backwards compared to the earlier bars?:dontknow:

The 2008-2012 sway bars arms were oriented rearward (mounting location forward). The new frame redesign in 2013 oriented the sway bar arms forward (mounting point rearward). Functionally it makes no difference. But because the frame is the anchor point which the sway bar uses for leverage against lean in the suspension. Moving the mounting point to the rear of the front wheels gives you a stiffer/stronger location on the frame, which is a good thing.

 

[Wildrice]

Time neededto install sway bar and other modifications

with the right equipment, less then an hour. The trick is, you have to get the front end about 24 inches off the ground.

I'm sure I could get the 3rd install down to 1 hour but I doubt most could get the 1st install of the sway bar done in 2 hours. It's not easy to get the front end 24" off the ground and be stable. Plus there are other splash pans needed to remove to get total access.

 

[pauly1]

I'm sure I could get the 3rd install down to 1 hour but I doubt most could get the 1st install of the sway bar done in 2 hours. It's not easy to get the front end 24" off the ground and be stable. Plus there are other splash pans needed to remove to get total access.

Not on the F3 - no need to remove panels.

The 24" clearance is to the chassis mounting location for the torsion bar, not to the bottom of the tires. My motorcycle jack will lift high enough. Loosen all of the hardware with the machine on the ground to minimize lift time. Ensure the machine is balanced well on the jack. I lifted mine, then placed automotive jack stands under the lower A-arm for safety.

Wayne

 

[pauly1]

p.s. BajaRon makes great products!!!

Wayne

 

[ca8920]

Baja Ron Sway Bar

I didn't have to remove any panels, but I did remove the screws from the foot splash guard and rotate them out and away from the body to make it easier to get the old sway bar out and the new one in. :doorag::spyder2: