[M96]

If anyone is on the fence about getting the new Ipd rear sway bar should definately pull the trigger.
It takes more effort to jack the car up and put it on stands than to do the install.
My XC R was transformed from good to great handling
IMHO the Best $270 you could spend on a XC60.:thumbup:

 

[Trex1200r]

Hopefully the sway bar is only the first of many upgrades that become available! Thanks for the post, didn't know that was available and seems like I just looked. Whoo hoooo!

 

[cue003]

How much does it "improve" the handling? It is mainly to decrease body roll (not a bad thing in all cases) which I understood the R-Designs don't have much of anyway. So would like to hear more of your thoughts for before/after the install and the type of improvement you are seeing and if there are any drawbacks such as harsher ride or more bouncy in the corners that have imperfections etc.



Thanks.

 

[Mojobaggins]

Do you have a part number?

 

[cue003]

^^^^ IPD PART NUMBER IS 115783

http://www.ipdusa.com/products/8809/115783-anti-sway-bar-kit-p3

 

[M96]

handling imrovements

How much does it "improve" the handling? It is mainly to decrease body roll (not a bad thing in all cases) which I understood the R-Designs don't have much of anyway. So would like to hear more of your thoughts for before/after the install and the type of improvement you are seeing and if there are any drawbacks such as harsher ride or more bouncy in the corners that have imperfections etc.



Thanks.

The sway bar size does not change the ride of the car in any way, Changing the springs would impact that.
The car understeers significantly less, meaning as you go into a corner like a tightening cloverleaf ,you do not need to keep turning the steering wheel more as you go through the corner. Any quick accident avoidance type lane changes happen more quickly with greater stability on the weight transfers from side to side.
Like the commercial used to say: Try it you'll like it

 

[cue003]

Did you consider upgrading the front end links as well? I noticed that IPD also has some front end links that supposedly are beefier and better handling than the stock ones.

Thanks.

 

[ZzZz]

Sounds sweet. I wonder how this affects the effectiveness of the electronic stability control (ESC) / roll stability control systems?

 

[M96]

end links

Did you consider upgrading the front end links as well? I noticed that IPD also has some front end links that supposedly are beefier and better handling than the stock ones.

Thanks.

still under Safe and Secure warranty so i am not worried about front end links.

 

[Trex1200r]

Beefier sway bars are one of the easiest and most noticable upgrades you can generally do for your vehicle. Manufacturers dial in huge amounts of understeer for safety and liability reasons, especially on high riding SUV's. I have installed sway bars on a Honda Civic, Subaru Forester, VW Sportwagen, Mini Cooper. It has made a positive difference on every vehicle. (especially the Forester) My IPD swaybar is supposed to arrive today, so will install this weekend and add my two cents, but would be shocked if I wasn't happy with it. I have high expectations.

As far as the IPD front end links, unless your front end links break, I wouldn't bother either. I would probably get the IPD front end links if I needed to replace the oem's and my warrenty had expired, but otherwise I would say their claims of improved handling is marketing hooey. There can't be that much friction in the stock links, and the stock rods are still thick enough they aren't going to flex any. JMOP.
TREX

TREX

 

[cab]

Larger sway bars can indeed affect the ride of a car. They "tie" the left and right halves of the car together more firmly thus taking some of the "independant" out of independant suspensions (i.e. if something upsets the left wheels that is transfered more to a right half - imagine the difference between and independant rear suspension and a solid rear axle). However, they generally have a much, much smaller impact to ride than springs and shocks/struts.

 

[Trex1200r]

I figured I probably would, but I second M96's opinion. Worth the money. Corners much flatter, lost a lot of the suv tippy feeling. I didn't notice a difference in ride quality. Took about 1 hour to install start to finish. Not much to see, but here is a piture: wish I would have taken a picture of the stock bar and the new bar side by side. New bar is nice and fat.

 

[cue003]

Trex1200r,

Thanks for the feedback. I wonder if it will be more jumpy across expansion joints etc.

 

[Trex1200r]

Trex1200r,

Thanks for the feedback. I wonder if it will be more jumpy across expansion joints etc.

Not that I noticed. I don't have a ton of miles on it yet. Maybe 200. I do have some horrible concrete roads around here, but if anything I would say it helped dampen the joints. There is a long sweeping overpass on-ramp from I-25 S to C470 W that has some horrible expansion joints on a fast sweeper, and it took those with nice, steady, confidence inspiring composure. Maybe it is the 291 ($) reasons talking, but I am super happy with it. I really don't understand why Volvo wouldn't put this bar on at the factory? Maybe I am mistaken, but I think volvo has the same sway bar on the S60 and the S80 if not others. Doesn't really make sense when you think about how much more the XC60 weighs over those cars, it needs a beefier bar to overcome that weight inertia.

It would seem like an inexpensive suspension upgrade that might gain a few points in the reviews and push it closer to the Audi. Sometimes auto makers are perplexing in where they choose to cut corners.

One last comment, my only real complaint is you can't see it! it is one of those upgrades that nobody is ever going to notice. Passengers will think nice car, nice ride, but they won't know that it is better than it was. You will know though, and as the driver it will be obvious as well. I like to modify my vehicles to A) Make them better, and B) to make them stand out. You only get the first letter with this upgrade, but it is the most important of the two in the end.


TREX

 

[freddell]

I really want the swaybar upgrade but the ipd has expensive shipping costs to my destination.
I noticed there were several original parts available for XC60.

I believe stock is 21mm, and I found a 20mm. Then there were other with no clear identification in the Volvo parts catalog.

For XC 60, do R-design use the same 21mm part or is there a beefier 22 or 23mm stock part to consider before I take the IPD plunge??

 

[cue003]

Freddell,

The R-Design uses the 21mm setup. The Ipd setup is 25 mm. I think the testing for this sway bar came from their very own 2010 R-Design.

 

[cab]

Do non-R-Design T6's use the same stock 21mm setup or are they even smaller?

 

[urn]

ordered mine today.

 

[cue003]

Urn, looking forward to your results once you get it installed. Which model are you putting it on?

 

[urn]

2010 XC60 Rdesign. Wife's car we got on OSD. I think we were the first R-design buyers in the US.