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Steeda Font & Rear Sway's

8K views 62 replies 18 participants last post by  greg hazlett 
#1 ·
Well here is some love and hate. I love the sway bars, they tighten up the handling and make the car really feel like i wanted it too. Its feel way more stable at high speeds, and around the corner's body role is cut down by more than half. I highly recommend these to anyone who really tears up the road's in the Focus.

The Rear one took maybe 20 min super simple no issue's at all. On the other had the front one was a pain in the ass. Ford put the oem one under the sub-frame so you have to drop it to even be able to reach it (wont even budge from the side, if you can get from out from there I'll consider you a god). So after you take apart the cross bars and drop the sub-frame its still has to be wedged out. Not easy! Then the major problem, the brackets for the front sway bar are identical to the rear ones but the bolts are not. I dont have the exact measurements of the bolts but the brackets fit the rear perfectly. The front bolts are extremely large, about a cm +, so you will have to machine down the brackets quite a bit to fit. The Brackets clearly weren't made to fits, their to small, the holes had to be made wider and longer, so hopefully i didnt weaken the integrity of them.

I waited a week to see what Steeda had to say, hoping that i might have accidentally been sent the wrong ones. Well sadly i have to say i was not. After a few emails and calls, the brackets are the only ones they have. I emailed them the photos on Monday and only received this in return "Thank you for the photos. I have passed them on to our manufacturing dept.". I called back today to get a some information, and was told it was normal, and up to the manufacture. He told me he would contact me if he heard, but no guarantee the problem would be solved. But i want to give them the benefit of the doubt, so ill update this if i hear otherwise. I would think Steeda would have ran into this problem if they had installed this before on the new focus, there is a pretty substantial and noticeable difference.

I'm not hating on Steeda, i love the parts and bars are quality. I have only heard good things about them, and that's why I'm surprised the brackets were over looked. Has any one else ran into this problem? I think i may have been the guinea pig with these. So if anyone had ran into this i would like to know?

I only have two photos, i probable should have taken a comparison one.

Before ( or standard rear)


After (a bad angle shot, the grinding down is hard to see, but i could fit my index finger through after we did)


Again, if you want sway bars for the MK3, buy these. There worth it, but be aware you will have to put in a little work to make the front brackets fit.
 
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#3 ·
Do it it takes like 20 min! super easy, brackets fit perfectly but take a sec to compare the front bolts to the brackets you were given, because their the same brackets for the front bar, and the bolts are way to big for them. But i love them anyways
 
#8 ·
The grinding you did looks good. I wouldn't worry a bit about the bracket's integrity.

I like the balance of the car so well with just the RSB that I don't believe I want to chance altering it with the FSB. Well, that and I don't want to commit to all that work with the front subframe either.
 
#10 ·
If u add either I will improve the handling, ull feel a little bit of difference with the rear, but if u add the front ull feel the most improvement because it a FWD car, the ride is slightly rougher with both but doesn't bother me, i actualy like feeling the road more
 
#18 ·
Well here is some love and hate. I love the sway bars, they tighten up the handling and make the car really feel like i wanted it too. Its feel way more stable at high speeds, and around the corner's body role is cut down by more than half. I highly recommend these to anyone who really tears up the road's in the Focus.

The Rear one took maybe 20 min super simple no issue's at all. On the other had the front one was a pain in the ass. Ford put the oem one under the sub-frame so you have to drop it to even be able to reach it (wont even budge from the side, if you can get from out from there I'll consider you a god). So after you take apart the cross bars and drop the sub-frame its still has to be wedged out. Not easy! Then the major problem, the brackets for the front sway bar are identical to the rear ones but the bolts are not. I dont have the exact measurements of the bolts but the brackets fit the rear perfectly. The front bolts are extremely large, about a cm +, so you will have to machine down the brackets quite a bit to fit. The Brackets clearly weren't made to fits, their to small, the holes had to be made wider and longer, so hopefully i didnt weaken the integrity of them.

I waited a week to see what Steeda had to say, hoping that i might have accidentally been sent the wrong ones. Well sadly i have to say i was not. After a few emails and calls, the brackets are the only ones they have. I emailed them the photos on Monday and only received this in return "Thank you for the photos. I have passed them on to our manufacturing dept.". I called back today to get a some information, and was told it was normal, and up to the manufacture. He told me he would contact me if he heard, but no guarantee the problem would be solved. But i want to give them the benefit of the doubt, so ill update this if i hear otherwise. I would think Steeda would have ran into this problem if they had installed this before on the new focus, there is a pretty substantial and noticeable difference.

I'm not hating on Steeda, i love the parts and bars are quality. I have only heard good things about them, and that's why I'm surprised the brackets were over looked. Has any one else ran into this problem? I think i may have been the guinea pig with these. So if anyone had ran into this i would like to know?

I only have two photos, i probable should have taken a comparison one.

Again, if you want sway bars for the MK3, buy these. There worth it, but be aware you will have to put in a little work to make the front brackets fit.
Sorry to hear about your issues. May I ask who you contacted here about this?

I definitely want to look into this for you.
 
#19 ·
* * *UPDATE* * *
Problem Solved!

I was talking with Frank, but he email me this morning saying manf. is looking into it and have me something in a few weeks. Thanks guys! Took it through the canyons last night and they worked even better then i could imagine. Next Lowering!

But while you here Brandon can you tell me the difference between the Eibach and the Steeda coils. Because all i see is from the description is a .2" difference in the rear wheel
 
#22 ·
The Steeda's rates are 195F/240R and are linear not progressive...

Eibach Pro's are progressive with 131-171-285 front and 143-217-274 rear.
 
#23 ·
My Steeda rear swaybar came with brackets and bushings. They are clearly shown on the instruction sheet.
 
#26 ·
hey all.. i just ordered steeda's rear bar for my car but now am having second thoughts. I previously felt i thought this out well but maybe not.

I've been reading in several forums (not focus ones) that a too stiff rear bar can induce dangerous oversteer, which i def do not want.. The steeda bar is 100% stiffer than oem (steeda's stats) so im wondering if it's too stiff (im leaving the front oem bar intact)

opinions? thnx
 
#30 ·
Polyurethane bushings are noisier than the factory rubber bushings, however they have a higher durometer which helps them to not flex as much as the rubber bushings.

Just make sure you lubricate them well when you install them (and install everything properly) and you shouldn't have any issues, that should be listed in the instructions as well.
 
#32 ·
I had some noises from mine, but it was from the brackets not being tightened down enough. I used about half the tube of lube on the bushings and I haven't heard any squeaks or anything else.

As far as oversteer, I haven't lost traction at any point with my Focus. It never rains here, so I don't anticipate a lot of problems. I did notice an unexpected response from the car since I put in the RSB when I went through one turn at speed. I can't really describe it but I didn't feel out of control. I want to say the car responded better through the turn but I wasn't expecting it. I don't know. I definitely am enjoying the reduced body roll.

Alan
 
#35 ·
Small update here in my sequential quest for better handling:
installed oem size 215/50/17 conti DWS today; big difference in feel and handling. Gone is the marshmallow feeling and lack of road connect i had w/ the pro contacts that came w/ the car.
Received my steeda RSB from steeda today; in only 3 days which i think is very quick. Plan to install it on saturday morning then take a drive to see how it changes things.

Already w/ just the tire change i see a difference so i'm hoping the new rsb will make it even better... will report back when complete.
 
#39 ·
Hey all,, final update (well at least for now)

New tires def made a difference as i said above... Had Steeda's rsb installed this morning and it does make the car handle much better... Not to Ti standards, to be sure, but def better.. Corners flatter, better and/or sharper turn in (some of that no doubt due to the new tires), less push in taking sweepers and on/off ramps faster... Do feel the bumps a tad more but it's barely noticable -- very solid feeling.. The jiggle-ness of the rear suspension w/ the oem set up over multiple bumps is totally gone. Def feels as if there's more 'connection' with the pavement. So far, very happy w/ my investments.

tightened it all to 42 ft lbs of torque as advised and greased the hell out of the bushings... No squeeks or clunks or bangs or any noise at all.
 
#40 ·
Hey all,, final update (well at least for now)

New tires def made a difference as i said above... Had Steeda's rsb installed this morning and it does make the car handle much better... Not to Ti standards, to be sure, but def better...
Please explain, I did not realize the Ti was the epitome of handling for the Mk3 [confused]
 
#43 ·
Since I've had my Steeda RSB installed for almost a year now I thought I'd post again ... I have a Ti with the handling package.

1st, the car still has understeer with just the Steeda RSB installed. No worries of oversteer, just reduced understeer.

2nd, driving I90 through Idaho at 75 to 85mph around corners marked with 45mph caution signs felt significantly better than previously with the stock RSB. I'd hate to admit it, but it actually feels better than my 2011 Brembo Mustang does on the the same corners. I just drove the same route in the Mustang and it wasn't long before I started thinking about sway bars for it. Previously, the Mustang had felt way better than the Focus on that drive.

Can't say anything about whther or not actual grip in corners has improved, but confidence and "feel" definately has.
 
#47 ·
Alan, thanks for the back up in that. You are correct in aftermarket vs OEM, but what I was really getting at is Cobie drives an SEL, not an SE Sport or Ti with handling pack. I just have a hard time saying those are perfection and what should be aspired to. The ST would be a better benchmark.

Cobie, I knew you meant "Handling pack" equipped.
 
#48 ·
Steeda FSB/RSB (MK3 Focus)

I purchased a Steeda RSB a while ago and recently heard groaning/squeaking from the rear so I pulled the bar off and relubed the bushings; anyone else have this? I called Steeda and told them about it and they seemed suprised.

http://www.steedafocus.com/parts/2012-ford-focus-rear-swaybar.html


While I was on the phone with them I discovered they have a FSB for the 2012's so I bought one; anyone have one and if so thoughts on it?

http://www.steedafocus.com/parts/2012-up-focus-front-swaybar.html
 
#58 ·
I purchased a Steeda RSB a while ago and recently heard groaning/squeaking from the rear so I pulled the bar off and relubed the bushings; anyone else have this? I called Steeda and told them about it and they seemed suprised.

While I was on the phone with them I discovered they have a FSB for the 2012's so I bought one; anyone have one and if so thoughts on it?
Just using the supplied grease (and even trying the old teflon tape trick) I had noise issues. I finally just said screw it and used my Valvoline grease that I keep around. I don't use it if I don't have to because it's messy as hell, but it did the job. Even with the cold it hasn't made a noise in months.

I just received my FSB and will be trying to install it sometime during the holidays, time allowing. Also, regarding the question concerning install time, it requires dropping the sub-frame... so factor that in.

Here is a good thread for both bars.

I wonder what FR's sways are in terms of stiffness. They are adjustable at least in the rear.

On track with the squeaking, I seen a member drill a hole and tap it for a grease fitting and modifying the poly bushing to have a grease "groove" in it. Looks like a really bright idea.
Energy even sells bushings like these and I believe they sell ones that are the same size, so that's an option. Mine don't squeak, so I haven't bought them, but if I had issues that's the route I'd go.
 
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