steeze

iTrader: (12)

So I'd like to do some suspension/handling upgrades on my car. The problem is I don't know what size sway bars I should be getting. I have a completely stock bugeye sedan with oem 16" wheels.

I got brand new hankook v12s recently in 205/55/16 and want to further improve the handling in my bugeye sedan. Stock springs/struts as well(don't really plan on changing those for the time being).

I've been reading and it seems that going with the swaybar/endlinks upgrade is the best, I don't want to go overboard and do upgrades all at once, I want to learn the limits of each component, like I did with my hankook v12s.

So what size and brand swaybars should I be getting? I don't plan on tracking or autocrossing my car more than once a year, if I even end up doing either(very low possibility that I will track or auto-x). Basically, I just want to have a more fun DD on the twisties.

I'm thinking some Whiteline 24 front sways and 22 rear sways? What about endlinks? I also heard the 02-03 have weak sway bar mounts and that I should be upgrading with 04 wrx sway bar mounts?

Thanks!

PikkaGTR

iTrader: (4)

I would upgrade the endlinks to Whiteline Sphericals
As for the rear, if you like snappiness go with the 24 but leave it on the softest setting, that way if you wanted more then you can move it up to a stiffer setting without having to buy a larger bar.

OneManArmy

iTrader: (7)

You don't need spherical endlinks.

Those bars are a decent size for stock suspension. Id set hem up at the lowest setting to start with. Definitely upgrade to either 04 mounts or the whiteline hd mount. Endlinks id go kartboy or the whiteline hds with poly.

Why no spherical? Easy... its not a track car. Sphericals need attention. Lubrication. Cleaning. Etc. They're not going to last as long. They're more expensive. With otherwise stock suspension you will not benefit from them.

bobb126

iTrader: (1)

qft.


I'd go with a 22-24mm bar, and get better mounts. They made a good difference in my car. If you have more money to spend, then go with some endlinks.

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

I must be doing it wrong, having a rear bar that's about 100mm and all.. Cause bigger is better!

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

And they take any preload off the bar... But they work mainly the same. The non-shperical ones sit much tighter, and you get a little bit of preload out of them.

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

My personal opinion: Get the endlinks, skip the sway bars. Try this for a month. Then get a rear bar, probably 24mm, and see if it makes a difference.

You probably won't feel it making a huge difference from 20mm to 24mm

The biggest difference, where all the crazy improvement comes from, is the endlink.





I'm a dumbass you say? Tell me the difference in strength from 20mm to 24mm is a lot more than than the strength of the plastic endlink that comes stock vs. a solid bushing one from Whiteline or Kartboy...


Go ahead, give it your best shot nasioc regurgatators...

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

Oh, and like the above said, get better mounts. The beefier mounts do hold up to abuse better. I suggest whiteline.

04GG

iTrader: (33)

I did the endlinks only on the front one and I do notice the difference. I have Perrin englinks on both front and rear and have not had issues with them thus far. I asked Perrin about maintenance and didn't get a good answer as to what frequency of cleaning/lube should be though. I went with Perrin because I like the design of their Stout Mount compared to others including the whiteline. The stock mounts should be tosssed no matter what aftermarket bars you go with, period.

Big fan of Whiteline products too though.

OneManArmy

iTrader: (7)

Easy answer. They don't give a crap.

My answers. I'd lube them every single oil change or at least every time you rotate your tires. They have changed their bearing recently and it's better than the ones I have but I'd still do it.

If you drive in dirt, snow, gravel, mud I'd suggest even more to stay away from spherical.

The bearings are warrantied for 1 year. The perrin end links look cool and work pretty well but I'd go with another brand.... and will be. I'm switching from spherical to front and rear whiteline with poly. My perrin rear end links are seized.






Gagan... your car is set up to do different things than most peoples car. But for anyone reading what he's saying... gagan knows his suspension so take heed. The dude is crazy smart.

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

I wouldn't say all that now! The ride height and spring rate matters in how effective a bar is. My car is tons of bar because it's lower, and stiff, and an off the shelf bar does squat... On a car that taller, and softer sprung, it will lean more, which puts more force on the car. Usually why folks get all sorts of squirelly with bar upgrades and hardware.

LOL - I just want people to think about it a bit. Not just dive into buying a bunch of stuff.

Yeah, I have a set of original Perrin endlinks at home, probably going to use them with the Saabaru to save some bucks. I will definitely be lubing them up, and I'm going to toss the 27mm bar on.

With stock height and spings, gonna be fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnn


PSA: Be careful of how forcefully you lift off that gas pedal folks

04GG

iTrader: (33)

I asked about the new bearings too and they said they are almost the same, just entirely stainless now. The bad thing about the fronts is, for the Wagon I had to drill the arms, so there's no going back to stock/stock style without some kind of retrofit or replacing the arms.

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

Drilled the arms!?

04GG

iTrader: (33)

Yeah, I know Their spacers use a larger bolt than stock, so I had to enlarge the holes to install them. We have dozens of local machine shops (many of which I've used being in engineering for so many years), so I can easily have something made to retrofit the stock ones back on. I did not like the idea of drilling them, but I had already ordered them.

steeze

iTrader: (12)

When you're talking about the 27mm bar or any diameter bar, are you referring to the front sway bar or rear sway bar?

If I have this down correct, upgrading a front sway bar will increase my speed into a turn because it's raising the threshold, but still producing more understeer right? I only don't feel that it's adding understeering because the limit of understeer has been raised and I have not yet taken it there right?

And the opposite would be with rear sways right? producing more oversteer so that my rear wheels start to turn a little faster than they did before?

As for endlinks, are you saying I should change just the rear endlinks or front endlinks as well? I'm assuming most people are talking about the rear endlinks right?

Why do you guys hate on the 04+ wrx rear sway bar mounts? They're a beefier upgrade than the flimsy 02-03 ones aren't they?

@joltdudeuc, I'll probably just buy endlinks(when I figure out rear or front) and see how much of a difference that makes, and then sways. Your logic makes sense to me lol. There is no real huge difference between the whiteline endlinks and the kartboy endlinks are there? Other than the fact that the whiteline endlinks look nice and shiney in gold