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Poll time, give me your .02 cents
Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 1:50 am
by dscoobydoo
Ok, I have been slowly putting the SS together for handling ( this year) and will be doing power mods next year.
I have: H&R springs, STi strut tops, KYB agx's and cusco front and rear lower arm bars.
I will be adding:
24mm rear sway bar, front strut tower bar, rear strut tower bar, improved endlinks, and heavy duty rear sway bar mounts.
WHAT DO I Get FIRST?
Most of these mods cost between 100 and 200, so it will be one at a time.
Suggestions?
Thanks
Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:04 am
by Yukonart
HD swaybar mounts and endllinks, and if you have to wait for more money, get the beefier swaybar right after these mods.
Then worry about the bracing.
The rear sway will do far more to improve handling than any bracing, so I'd start with that.
Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 3:19 am
by Brat4by4
The rear sway will do far more to improve handling than any bracing, so I'd start with that.
You forget we have old rickety chassis's. Bracing is important.
Front endlinks should be first at around $60 for the whitelines and they make a very nice difference. Car feels MUCH better, the front end gets "tighter".
Rear endlinks should make a noticeable difference, also. But I haven't personally done them yet. But I am waiting to do the rear sway, HD mounts, and HD endlinks at the same time. The only reason I would tell you to wait on the rear swaybar itself, is that you are making a HUGE jump to a 24. I would do that last, because it could seriously disrupt your suspension tuning.
Rear strut bar can be had for cheap, also. It works like a charm, also. After I installed it, the rear end seemed to "push" on the outside tire more... instead of just sloppily rolling over there. It is hard to explain, but I definitely like it being there. It did change how my car reacted in fast turns so another word of caution on learning the chassis response after this.
If I were you I would go. Front endlinks, rear endlinks, rear strut bar, rear sway & mounts (same time), then front strut bar.
Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:02 am
by jamal
That is a BIG bar. What do you have for wheels and tires?
I guess I say go with the rear bar, mounts and droplinks, then get the front and rear braces together.
Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:07 pm
by BAC5.2
William - Where did you get your rear strut bar?
Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:32 pm
by Brat4by4
http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail ... inestoreDB
I got one off e-bay actually. There are one or two places that sell the same bar, just google it. It is ghetto, but it works well enough to make a difference. An alternative would be a true STi rear GC8 bar ($$$) or a replica.
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:42 am
by dscoobydoo
Hmm, never thought front endlinks would be that major. (we) have a 2001 Impreza RS that I just finished doing the rear 20mm bar, whiteline heavy duty swaybar mounts, whiteline improved rear endlinks, front and rear strut bars. Makes a hell of an improvement.
Thanks for the link to the ghetto rear strut bar. cheap= more mods, hell, I don't need GUCCI parts, just ones that work.
I am thinking:
Rear+front strut tower bars. ( two ghetto bars= one expensive one)
both endlinks, then sway bar mounts, then bar.
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:44 am
by THAWA
just to note they've been out of stock on those for months and noone is selling those on ebay either. which really makes me mad since I could've got a cheap one a while back but now I've got to go cusco, or whiteline or sti
I'm sorry, I take that back, but here's the updated link to the bar:
http://store.yahoo.com/procarparts/suim93reupst.html
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:52 am
by dscoobydoo
I feel your pain. we either can't get something to fit, or it's out of stock, or they don't stock it anymore.
I can get the front ones, but the rear cheap ones are a bitch to find.
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:56 am
by BAC5.2
I REALLY wouldn't do the 24mm bar. There is NO reason to go that large.
The stock bars with beef endlinks and mounts would suffice with proper suspension tuning.
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:59 am
by dscoobydoo
hmmm, what happened to bigger is better?? Just kidding. Ok, then what about the 20mm bar? I know we have 18 stock, but I like a grippier rear end.
Has anyone on here ever picked up the larger FRONT sway bar?
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 7:25 am
by scottzg
grippier rear? why not a softer front?
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:17 am
by jamal
You could get an 18-22 adjustable. If 20mm isn't enough, you don't have to get a new bar.
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:09 pm
by BAC5.2
I'd say 21 would be the biggest bar you absolutely need for any kind of daily driving, and you had BETTER have something up front.
With proper tuning, you shouldn't NEED anything bigger than stock 18, but the amount of effort, time, money, and custom work to get to that point, would outweigh the benefits.
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:55 pm
by totech
I just put the whiteline 18-20-22 on the back of my wagon when upgrading the end-links - I set it to 18 to get used to it - big difference from the sloppy 16.
New struts soon, and then I will try 20...
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 5:42 pm
by BAC5.2
What did you pay for the whiteline bar? I think a 20mm bar will be a good comprimise for the quirks that I can't engineer out of the suspension.