Hmm, so much to do, so little funds

[dscoobydoo]

OK, since my car is a perpetual project, ( like so many of your's)
I run into dilemnas.

Front sway bar links, or SS brake lines?

Rear larger sway bar or rear Hvy duty links?

WRX calipers or rear strut tower bar?

Each of these are going to run me around $100, and I am going to do one.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO??

( handling or braking? each one is independantly important)

[BAC5.2]

SS brake lines (and accompanying good fluid, ATE SuperBlue).

Heavy duty rear links (they will make a significantly better improvement than a big ass bar with stock links)

WRX calipers and an ABS-BF brake prop valve.

Then do the other stuff.

You think you've got so much to do and so little funds, you should see the "to do list" for my car. It's like a friggin book. I can't do much of it until I make a "blown engine" fund. And then a "coilover" fund. And a "FMIC" fund. And a "bad ass brakes" fund. And... well, you get the idea.

[legacy92ej22t]

Brake lines,

rear links,

brakes.

If you're going to just do one for now, do the WRX brakes. And like Phil suggested, throw on a BF-ABS brake proportioning valve. You should be able to get one dirt cheap at a yard and it's an easy swap.

[Yukonart]

Definitely do rear endlinks BEFORE upgrading that swaybar.

[vrg3]

I disagree with these guys -- of all the things you list, don't start with the brake lines; they're one thing that won't actually improve your car's performance.

If your brakes are in good shape right now I'd focus on the suspension. Wait until your brakes need service and then just upgrade instead of replace.

[legacy92ej22t]

This from the leader in WRX front brake swap preaching?! I don't believe it!

I wasn't saying to start with the brake lines, I was saying to start with the wrx brakes. The reason I had the brake lines first was only because he had that choice/question listed first.

If he's going to do the wrx brakes then I think that the SS brake lines are very sensible. I also think that a brake upgrade would be a better first mod then the suspension. Just my .02 though.

[vrg3]

Hehehe... Well, I'm also an advocate of being thrifty . When I first got my car I replaced the struts before I touched the brakes, because they needed more attention. I lived with the stock brakes until they needed to be fixed and I had the money to take care of the whole system. And then I upgraded rather than replaced.

But, yeah, it makes perfect sense to install the lines during a brake job rather than at some other later time.

[legacy92ej22t]

Well, that's true. If your existing brakes are really new then I'd probably wait too. If they're aren't though, that's the way I'd go.

If they are and you're going to do suspension stuff then I'd say do the rear links, then a rear bar, then front links, then the rear tower bar.

Do you already have a front tower bar and that's why it's not on the list?

[THAWA]

none of those. I haven't seen any posts describing your tire situation so im going to assume you're using something stock or close to it, if that's wrong ignore this, but get a good set of tires.

[BAC5.2]

I'm with Matt's route on suspension. Rear links, rear sway bar, front links.

Front links don't do a WHOLE lot for feel, as the front of the car is pretty hefty, the tiny stock bar is going to flex reguardless of the beefyness of the links.

Rear links do a LOT for handling. My buddy Ron just put some rear links on his 05 GT wagon, and said it made a world of difference. He doesn't want a bigger rear bar now, the car handles perfectly as it is.

DON'T do a rear bar, and rear links at the same time. Ease into it, and see if the rear links alone will give you the desired results.

If you do WRX front brakes, do the lines at the same time if you can. Lots of pedal feel to be gained. Try to do the rear lines too, as they will help as well.

Good brake fluid, and good tires (good call Hardy) are the first things that should be done. They are the basis for all other mods.

Use ATE Superblue fluid, and order it from www.OGRacing.com. It's 10 bucks for a bigass thing of it, and you only need one of those bigass things.

[JasonGrahn]

I propose not to give an answer, but to ask a question. Dscoobydoo, have you listed out the pros and cons of each upgrade? If not, please do so and list for us what you believe to be the pros and cons for each upgrade. This will shed light toward your mentality on your project.

[tris91ricer]

damn, jason, that was deep.

[JasonGrahn]

Sure, that's what she always says....

But honestly, without knowing where you want to go, how do you think you're going to get there?

[dscoobydoo]

LMAO- thanks Jason. I have not gotten that intellectual since college.

Since my pads all the way around are new, I was working on suspension mods first. But I know I need to do brake upgrades also.

As for tires/wheels. I have a set of wrx rims, a set of the 6 spoke rs rims and the stockers. I have a set of all seasons for normal drive and some high performance for the rallying. The reason for just the all seasons, is that with all the dirt roads and road work in the area, REALLY good tires just make the drive unbearable.

I have AGX/ H&R combo, front STB and F Lower arm bar. Short of the upgraded front sway bar and links, the front is done.

I want to go upgraded rear sway bar, HD mounts and links and rear strut tower bar.

I have a 01 RS with FSTB, RSTB, 20mm rear bar, HD mounts and HD links rear. The handling is like glue. I also put on it 215/45/17 Pirelli P Zeros . It will throw me through the side window before it lets go. Since it will be awhile before I can afford the version 6 swap, I am working on the Leg, and I want it to handle as good as that, and brake too.

BUT, I also plan on adding WRX brakes, SS lines, and better slotted rotors and pads, eventually.

I am doing about one upgrade a month, and just wanted opinions on what to do next. By next June, I will be onto the engine. But if you can't stop or corner, Speed is worthless.

SO, just a poll without the poll.

Thanks