Does anyone have any idea what the differences between these two are?

they are the same really

Whiteline makes everything for MRT... Noltec is a branch from the Whiteline company i believe.

-Gagan

The Noltec bushings are blue were as the Whiteline bushings are yellow, other than that no tangible difference. They are both harder than the "jelly" stock steering bushings according to SportsCarCompact in their tester STI.

-Soren

Whiteline and Noltec are in no ways affiliated.

The Whiteline units install a little easier than the Noltec but the end result once in the car seems to be about the same, now the Group N version are even stiffer :)

Mike

There is a thread on NASIOC about it I think. Egan posted some photos because when we were doing the install for my Noltec bushings they were a pain in the ass. I ended up using someone else Whitelines who was at the install day and then sending the Noltec back. In the photo is shows all 3 side by side. The Noltec is just a bit wider than the Whiteline and that is why we had more trouble installing it.

http://www.zjstech.net/~library/50/WRX/noltec.jpg

Here is the link http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=500644&highlight=Steering+rack+bushings

Lowball

We are still not sure what happened in the above-linked install. We had a chance to compare the Noltec pieces side-by-side with the Whitelines and the Noltecs were noticeably too wide in one dimension - other than that they would have fit. Other people haven't reported any problems when they've installed Noltec steering rack bushings. In retrospect, it's possible that they were mis-marked in packaging. I've not heard of problems with Noltecs since this install so what we experienced might have been a freak occurrence.

EDIT: I've installed the Whiteline bushings in my own car after the watching Lowball install his bushings. Bushings work fine.

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush

Pretty strange. Well, I'm giving the Noltecs a try in either case...I'll document the install and let you guys know.

Does anyone know the torque specs on the brackets? Will I need to lift the car off the wheels to do the install?

torque is 43.4ft-lb's (per service manual)
you'll need to lift the front up, unless you can squeeze under the front end ;)

Sweet! Thanks for the info. I was thinking of putting the car on ramps in the front ot do it...I can get the car up higher that way. Is there any problem with doing it that way, with weight still on the front wheels?

don't know, but my bushings should be here today or tomorrow.

now the Group N version are even stiffer

Are you guys selling these?

Origami posted by blubaru
Are you guys selling (Group N steering rack bushings)?
In the event that Mike or Gino haven't subscribed to this thread, here's contact info for MPJ and you can also send them PM.

sales@mpjperformance.com
(510) 487-4447
Monday to Friday 9:30am - 6pm PST
Saturday 9:30am - 1pm PST

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush

To be honest we got about 5 sets of the GRP N ones in about 2 years ago and forgot we had them for over a year then we used them on some of our cars and the rally car we sponsor. We can probably get somemore although the standard Whiteline or Noltec units seem to work for most (we have over 300 of them instock :))

Mike

(510) 487-4447
www.mpjperformance.com
www.gb-motorsports.com