Anyone have the facts? Are the brand name bars (Whiteline, Cusco, Greddy, etc.) Worth hundred(s) more than the eBay counterparts? I am looking for a rear strut bar for my wagon and am interested to know. I am thinking perhaps materials might make a difference, as well as shape of the bar?

As a side note, can the Whiteline quick release bolts be added to any bar?
http://www.subaruwrxparts.com/shop/p...9&idcategory=0

Thanks!

 

its all about the quality

 

I've tried the generic ebay bars and they are crap. The metal was sooo thin and cheap that I literally put it under my leg and snapped it in two like a twig, and tossed it in the trash. They might look convincing but won't yield any performance benefit. So yeah IMHO stick with brand name. I'm running cusco in the back and spt up front.

 

@dozenutts that's just not thinking with your head.

Of course you can snap it in half, it has no strength in that direction. It needs to provide lateral stabilization, which it does just fine if you tighten all the bolts down properly. If you need a shelf in your trunk, look somewhere else.

I have tried both on my wagon and the difference just is not there to justify the money. Yes carbon fiber is better, maybe by a few percent, but its not $300 better than a $20 ebay bar.

 

thanks for your inputs everyone!

gancherov, i was thinking the same thing.

i'm looking at this one right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rear-...Q5fAccessories

and i'd like to combine it w/ a quick release bolt kit (whiteline or paranoid)

the car will be used for rallyx, and i was told that i should definitely have a rear strut bar.

 

I'm afraid i have to disagree with gancherov. The fact that you can bend it so easily SHOWS that it won't provide any additional lateral stability - it'll just bow/flex in the middle under load. If you wan't to minimize the inherent flex between the struts then logically you would want to "tie" them together with a bar that itself is as resistant to flex as possible, and i've yet to see any $20 ebay bar (which just so happens to be what I paid for mine lol), in my personal experience, that can do that better or even as good as any name brand bar. I think the strength difference comes from the quality of the materials used and the actual shape/design of the bar. If I were to take my spt bar and try to break it the same way I did the generic bar theres no effn way in h*** i'd be able to do it. However, I will agree that most all name brand strut bars are waaay overpriced for what they are. Just my personal opinion, and good luck with whichever one you choose to go with!

 

exactly my thought. my other option was the paranoid fabrications bar (which is no longer in stock indefinitely), or the generic sti replica that paul sells (primitive). at what point do i say a bar is good enough or not?

another thought for those who are against ebay bars... would an ebay bar be better than no bar at all? would a brand name bar provide $100 more stiffness?

 

THey dont matter unless you get a good under brace. Like hte M1

 

+1

The bar itself is not the problem, it's the end plates. I had a Type R replica bar on the front of my Civic and compared to the Cusco equivalent, the end plates looked like toy car parts. All the metal on the Cusco plate was over twice as thick as the replica as well the welds were much beefier.

scsi, if you're going to be pushing your car to the limits in a rallyx, don't cheap out. Another option would be to buy the eBay bars and make your own end plates if you can.

 

ebay **** is quite cheap and yes it will break on you, but it does the job momentarily.

i would save up and get some of that good Sh*t but if your on a budget i found this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Strut...ht_5317wt_1165

 

even the price tells it all... low quality generic crap.

 

i ordered a gtspec bar and paranoid fab quick release bolts =)