What's the verdict?... Rear sway bar compatability

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:31 am

Alright... I have a '93 FWD Impreza Wagon that came with no rear sway bar stock. I'll be adding on in the spring, along with a rear disc swap. I'm using 92 FWD Legacy sedan trailing arms, lateral links, knuckles, etc. The trailing arms have the metal drop links instead of the c-shaped endlinks, like so...

I'm just wondering if I can use a rear sway bar meant for use with the c-shaped endlinks with this setup, or if I need to get one made for use with the droplinks.

Also, I found this picture somewhere...

They look like aftermarket poly bushes (maybe Whiteline?). But I haven't been able to find them anywhere. Any insight on these?

NICO · Post by **NICO** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:55 am

keep the same rear sway bar and get a complete set of the sti arms and call it a day, 10million times better. just my .02

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:22 am

I would, but they are too expensive. I already have the Legacy rear suspension/ brake stuff, so that's what I'm using.

jamal · Post by **jamal** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:26 am

those links aren't a direct swap for FWD cars anyway. I've heard the the 90-91 Whiteline swaybars come with those endlinks.

Otherwise there are some people who have rigged up stiffer endlinks with urethane bushings they got from energy or something.

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:34 am

What do you mean they aren't a direct swap? How so?

jamal · Post by **jamal** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:38 am

the rear inner bushings and possibly some others are different.

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:45 am

Oh, that's all? I'm planning on replacing every single bushing, nut and bolt, on the rear of the car anyway, so I'll just order some FWD Impreza bushings.

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:47 am

So anyway, back to the original question....

Do you know if, say, a GD WRX bar would be compatible with those endlinks?

Adam West · Post by **Adam West** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:02 am

Nico, what is that blue bar coming down between. Not see that particular bracing before. What's it all about?...

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:02 am

Those "pin in a box" style connectors are crap! I think its worth the effort to replace the rear most control arm to get the newer style of attachment. Thats what I did

jamal · Post by **jamal** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:26 am

I'd assume that blue brace is another one of those questionably effective yet expensive cusco braces that just adds weight to an already stiff part of the car. The trunk brace especially cracks me up.

I've heard good things about the fender braces though so I'm not going to discount everything entirely.

Anyhoo, as mentioned in the "installing a rear swaybar" stickied thread, the only swaybars that will fit are those from a 90-99 Legacy because of the spare tire well. I was going to find out how far exactly the bump needed to be "moved" out of the way awhile back but the shop I was at didn't have any 20mm wrx swaybars. Additionally the STi bars are wider and will not work unless you swap to the lateral links like the ones Nico has.

If you could find parts from a 93+ you could use the more common C-link setup and be better off. I've heard yes and no about mixing the two types of swaybars.

Adam West · Post by **Adam West** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:58 pm

Yes, was wondering about those trunk braces. Check out this set, pretty elaborate...

http://gtspec.com/index.php?nav=product ... ory&cat=68

Yes, i'd go to a WY and pull those stock lateral links off a junker. You may need a cutting tool to get them off tho. Those bolts tend to seize up...

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:34 pm

jamal wrote:Anyhoo, as mentioned in the "installing a rear swaybar" stickied thread, the only swaybars that will fit are those from a 90-99 Legacy because of the spare tire well. I was going to find out how far exactly the bump needed to be "moved" out of the way awhile back but the shop I was at didn't have any 20mm wrx swaybars. Additionally the STi bars are wider and will not work unless you swap to the lateral links like the ones Nico has.

If you could find parts from a 93+ you could use the more common C-link setup and be better off. I've heard yes and no about mixing the two types of swaybars.

Were talking about an Impreza here, not a Legacy. GD WRX bars fit the 93-01 Impreza with no problems. I'm aware of the STi bars being wider too, and bolting to the outside of the endlinks.

I guess I'll be the guinea pig with this combination. I'm too broke to be buying more parts. And I already have the lateral links and brand new endlinks, so I'll just use those.

jamal · Post by **jamal** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:15 pm

oh right I just kind of didn't notice that.

NICO · Post by **NICO** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:52 am

the blue thing in the middle does work only on hard hard hard hard driving like what i do lol. i forget what there called.

but it makes the arms not twist and it locks the rear sub frame in place like the other product from whiteline so its a two in one thing.

Adam West · Post by **Adam West** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:16 am

Thanks Nico, Interesting if you find a link to where you go those please post or pm

Those adjustable swaybar links are whitelines BTW. I sold a set to Devan/Livestrong. Ping him and see what he thinks of them. I got them from PDM Racing in Vancouver. They came with my Legacy specific rear sway bar. But my car's a 93 and so had the arms that use the solid C links.

Go on PDM's site for nice fitament chart.

Good luck!

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:39 am

Adam West wrote:Those adjustable swaybar links are whitelines BTW. I sold a set to Devan/Livestrong. Ping him and see what he thinks of them. I got them from PDM Racing in Vancouver. They came with my Legacy specific rear sway bar. But my car's a 93 and so had the arms that use the solid C links.

Go on PDM's site for nice fitament chart.

Good luck!

So, you were able to use the sway bar meant for the old style endlinks with the regular c-shaped endlinks?

Adam West · Post by **Adam West** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:33 am

The old style endlinks have more to do with the lateral link style than the sway bar. So, yes, the "normal" c-links and the dangly adjustable links (old style) both work with the Legacy adjustable bar (it's just a hole)...and in my case the danglies CAME with the the Legacy bar. Tjey might have been shipped by accident in the box or something, PDM is very confused about their Subaru stuff and I wouldn't recommend them as a help vendor...except for that table.

Overall it is all very confusing dealing with Whiteline stuff b/c model years are slightly off but between the table at PDM racing and the Whiteline USA site I was able to figure it out.

http://www.pdm-racing.com/products/subaru_corner.html

http://www.globalperformanceparts.com/-c-47.html

http://www.boxer4racing.com/ (go to GC suspension)

Good luck!

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:45 pm

Ok, I been buying parts, doing research, and piecing things together... here's what I've found out...

The Whiteline adjustable bars are supposed to come with the Whiteline endlinks and poly bushings. They are also sold seperatley too... Whiteline P/N KLS090B.

Here's my setup. Comments are criticism welcome.

All 4 bushings on each endlink are Whiteline P/N W0007. I used 8 all together. The lateral link -> endlink busjings are a great fit. Slightly shorter than OEM, but I don't think it will be a problem.

Whiteline W0007 vs. OEM 20471AA000...

Now for the sway bar -> endlink bushings, I needed to trim the W0007's down to 11mm thick. Pretty easy with a 32TPI hacksaw. (I didn't buy any OEM bushings to compare to, but for reference, the OEM part is 20461AA002.)

OEM endlinks are 20480AA002. The washers that go on the end of them (not pictured) are 20267AA040. The nuts that go on the end are 902350001.

For the bolt that goes through the endlink, I used a stainless 10mm x 45mm bolt and ny-loc nut with a flat washer and lock washer on each end.

The holes in the endlink are only 8mm, so you'll need to drill them out to 10. (I recommend a step bit for this... A regular black oxide bit of the right size got me nowhere. The reason for using a 10mm bolt is because the hole in a 17mm WRX swaybar is 10mm.

jamal · Post by **jamal** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:06 pm

Looks great. Thanks a lot for the follow up and pictures.

NICO · Post by **NICO** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:57 am

looks very good. let us know how you like it, when i did mine along time ago i just used brand new factory stuff, but this set up you got is going to be nice and tight.

Adam West · Post by **Adam West** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:05 am

I got those links for "free" with my bar ordered from PDM racing. But I've got the swapped out lateral arms (the car came like that) so I have the Whiteline solid rear "C" end links I sold the set above to Devan (Armstrong) and he's been running them for a while...

Good luck! ADM/OEM stuff rules!!!

Note: keep wax on the swaybar b/c it can rust in a few years.

Cheers,
AW

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:09 am

jamal wrote:Looks great. Thanks a lot for the follow up and pictures.

No problem

And hopefully the P/N's for all the OEM stuff will help someone out in the future, because I found it was a p.i.t.a. to find them! I was e-mailing Jamie at SubaruGenuineParts.com for about a week trying to find the right parts. She was a huge help though.

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:10 am

NICO I WRX U wrote:looks very good. let us know how you like it, when i did mine along time ago i just used brand new factory stuff, but this set up you got is going to be nice and tight.

I hope it will be nice and tight. I can't wait for warmer weather to install all of it. Too cold right now.

aegean93l · Post by **aegean93l** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:11 am

Adam West wrote:I got those links for "free" with my bar ordered from PDM racing. But I've got the swapped out lateral arms (the car came like that) so I have the Whiteline solid rear "C" end links I sold the set above to Devan (Armstrong) and he's been running them for a while...

Good luck! ADM/OEM stuff rules!!!

Note: keep wax on the swaybar b/c it can rust in a few years.

Cheers,
AW

Thanks for the tip on the waxing.

Pardon my n00bness, but what's ADM?

legacycentral bbs

A forum for 89-94 BC-BF(BJ) Legacy Owners and Fans

What's the verdict?... Rear sway bar compatability

What's the verdict?... Rear sway bar compatability