How-To- Newer Subaru Front Endlinks on a 1st Gen

[DevC]

So I tried to install new fron endlinks on my 93 Turbo Wagon. I am cheap and bought cheap oem replacements. One broke in half on install.

Wanting something better, but not wanting to blow $200 on aftermarket ones I looked at some 4th gen Legacy and other newer subaru endlinks and compared to the stock ones.



They are a couple bucks cheaper, all metal with ball and socket ends vs the plastic with rubber bushings that are stock on older cars. This means they should result in more responsive sway bar function and stronger design.

Heres a pic of one installed on my 1st gen with the car sitting on the ground.



As you can seen the lower control arm mount was modded with a hammer to bend the inside tab out of the way and the hole was drilled out larger to fit the larger stud on the endlink. Other then those 2 minor changes, it was a direct bolt on using the stock contol arm and stock sway bar.

Potential future concern is the strength of the control arm mounting tab, may need to be re-inforced especially with upgraded bars, but I'm going to keep an eye on it.

[Someperson]

keep an eye out for cracks, and may just fail suddenly, i'd go easy on the corners

[DevC]

keep an eye out for cracks, and may just fail suddenly, i'd go easy on the corners

I highly doubt there will be a strength issue, if you look on an 04/05 wrx sedan like I did today, the mount on the control arm is not much different.

[chrisshara]

Perrin makes a nice set of sway bar links that are designed to work with our older front lower control arm configurations. ....to the tune of $144.00, found on ebaY.

[DevC]

Perrin makes a nice set of sway bar links that are designed to work with our older front lower control arm configurations. ....to the tune of $144.00, found on ebaY.

Yeah, there are tons of options for the original style endlink, super comon, but I am still under $15 per side.

[chrisshara]

Will it stand the test of time ? I'm referring to the lower control arm, since you needed to modify it. Or is the ear / tab on the lower control arm that you bolted the link to going to flex and eventually snap ?

I don't view you as being cheap. I view you as innovative and clever. It's not your problem or fault that you found a decent sway bar link that removes the slop of a bushing, and this sway bar link is priced reasonably.

My concern, however, is if the vehicle is driven hard and those sway bars and links are worked HARD. Is the weakest link going to become the way that link is attached to that one tab / bracket. Because if the sway bar link causes the control arm to break, and you have to replace your control arms to reconnect your sway bar links; then, in the end, you didn't save any money.

Still a very clever idea. I'm curious to see how it holds up.

[Legacy777]

I think it was mentioned that the newer style LCA's mount point isn't really that much more substantial, but yeah, time will tell with this mod.

[DevC]

The old endlink style contol arm. Alot more then a tack weld on there.



Heres a contol arm of an 05 ish wrx that uses the type of endlink I'm using. Theres not a whole lot of difference if we are looking at how beefy the mount is.




And if it cracks or breaks, I will just weld a new mount on, no big deal and no bigger expense then a failed endlink.


And of course aluminum uses this type of endlink anyways

[chrisshara]

I see what you mean. I never knew the integrity of the newer style lower control arm sway bar link attachment point was very similar. The pictures provide a clear understanding.

[chrisshara]

On the aluminum control arms... Is there a difference between the '93 to '01 Impreza front lower control arm and the '02 to '07 Impreza front lower control arm ?

[Legacy777]

Yes, there is a difference in the thickness of the bushing that attaches to the front subframe. It's smaller, so to use it on the older cars, you need to use washers to take up the clearance/gap.

[DevC]

Just an update, the car has been on some rough snowy roads, and some hard turns at speed and some offroad and the control arm mounts are still in good shape.

[Someperson]

Good to hear!