What sometimes happens is a suspension company will stiffen a street car so much that the tires won't handle the stiffness, and overall handling performance becomes compromised. Eibach designed an anti-roll bar kit, comprised of both front and rear bars, to work with its spring kit to maximize lateral grip, using street tires as well as R-compounds. The anti-roll bar kit is comprised of a front and rear bar, designed to limit the amount of body roll the car exhibits under high-performance cornering. Slightly thicker than factory units and with adjustment capability for both the front and rear bars, drivers can fine-tune the car's handling characteristics. A series of different mounting holes go from stiff to stiffer to stiffest. The stiffer the front, the less body roll is experienced and more understeer is provoked. The reverse effect happens in the rear-mount it on the inside holes, and you'll eliminate some understeer. Soft settings up front and maximum at the rear produce the least amount of understeer, but be prepared for that back end; it may want to come around more easily.
If you foresee using slicks for the track, Eibach's ERS Spring line provides a plethora of spring rates for your racing needs. In this case, however, special dampers or coilovers would be in order. Now that Project MINI's handling has been kicked up a few notches, it's time to let loose some of the stabled ponies from under the hood. Stay tuned.
Eibach's New Facility
As of the latter part of 2002, Eibach's suspension kits have been manufactured out of its new facility in Corona, Calif. It features state-of-the-art equipment for R&D, engineering and manufacturing. More than 600 tons of wire is stored for manufacturing of the springs, plus the massive new warehouse contains countless spring kits for nearly all makes and models, ensuring timely and precise product shipment to its distributors.
Eibach manufactures spring and suspension kits specifically for U.S.-spec cars. This is especially important when designing progressive-rate springs. Although European-spec springs may fit a U.S.-spec car, varying vehicle loads can compromise handling and safety. The kits are then tested both on the street and the racetrack. Well known for its ride quality and balance in its spring kits, Eibach contends that no other suspension company puts in the same levels of time and effort into each kit as it does to achieve those ends.
According to Eibach, all its springs are created from the highest quality alloy wire, made specifically for Eibach to meet its exact specifications. The firm's exclusive "Eibach" wire is then cold wound on its precision CNC equipment, heat tempered, end ground (depending on application), shot-peened and then pre-set for fatigue resistance. The springs are then tested by Eibach's stringent quality assurance department-a requirement for QS9000-then phosphate-treated and epoxy powder-coated for corrosion resistance. Eibach springs are ISO9001-certified as well.