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installing a 18mm rear sway bar

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 5:32 pm
by tzedek
Ive picked up a bar from a SS and im wondering what else I will need and where to get it. Can I just use my old hardware and pick up some new bushings? this is going on a 91 with the 16mm bar. thanks.

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 8:01 pm
by scottzg
yes.

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:07 pm
by tzedek
slow down with all the details

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:05 am
by entirelyturbo
If by 'bushings' you mean the ones on the body that the swaybar mounts to (I always called those mounts), then yes, you will need to go to the dealer and make sure you get turbo bushings. If you mean the bushings in the endlinks, no, your originals are fine, assuming they're in good condition.

You did get a swaybar from a 91 turbo right? I hope you did...

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:18 am
by tzedek
subyluvr2212 wrote: You did get a swaybar from a 91 turbo right? I hope you did...

Image

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:24 am
by entirelyturbo
Oh boy.

Chances are it won't work and there's 2 reasons why:

Use this pic for reference. The top one is the stock 16mm bar off my Legacy, and the bottom one is a stock 16mm bar off a 93 Legacy, that was mistakenly sent to me as a turbo one.
Image

1) I believe the endlinks changed in 92, definitely for 93. See the picture and compare the two ends of the bars, and see which ends your new bar has. This CAN be fixed, but I'm fairly certain you will have to change your rear control arms in order to make them fit the new endlinks. Someone else can confirm or deny that for me.

2) This one CAN'T be fixed. You see the extra kink in the 91 one on the top? That's there to clear a strange bump in the spare tire well. I have no idea why it's there, but it was on 90-91's and I don't think it was there on 92-94's. I can tell you personallly from trying to install the 93, that the bump will not clear it. I guess you COULD fix it if you wanted to pound that bump out, but I definitely don't recommend it.

Basically, if you want to avoid all these problems, just find a 91 turbo swaybar :?

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:36 am
by Manarius
The end links on the bottom one are the same on my 91 NA rear swaybar.

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:08 am
by tzedek
that sucks, I havent been able to look at the turbo bar yet, but ill find out tomorrow. my current bar has that dip in it though.

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:19 am
by entirelyturbo
You might be able to make it work then. Again, I'm not sure when everything changed, it just seemed like it was a prefacelift or postfacelift thing.

Manarius, what's your production date?

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 5:06 am
by Legacy777
Just get longer bolts. It'll work fine.

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:04 am
by jamal
subyluvr2212 wrote:stuff
yeah, the kink goes under the spare tire well, but I think they all drop down low enough to get under it. It's just that the later ones were kind of a smooth bend. Also, is the swaybar different, or just the endlinks? Is there any reason you couldn't use a 92-94 bar with 90-91 endlinks?

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:54 am
by Legacy777
The kink was done away with because it's a more complicated (costly) bending process then just making a smooth bend. They fit either way.

As for the mounts.....see my post above about the longer bolts.

They bars are swappable.

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:11 pm
by tzedek
my new bar has the dip anyway, but I need to pick up some new endlinks and bushings for where the endlink mounts to the bar. The body mounts are fine.

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:16 pm
by entirelyturbo
I couldn't get the 93 bar to fit coz of that hump :?

What do you mean longer bolts Josh?

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 2:08 am
by Legacy777
The mounting bushings on the 90-91 MY's are a little thicker then just the bar on the 92-94's. So longer bolts may be needed.

That's weird the 93 wouldn't work.....

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 7:18 pm
by ej22t kid
are there any after market sway bars that will fit a 91 legacy turbo?

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:50 pm
by Legacy777
whiteline

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:56 am
by ballitch
yes whiteline, and they are adjustable, up to 18-22mm with a bar thickness of 22mm.


~Josh~