Subaru Crew - Modifications II

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Comments

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    yep those front swaybars aren't fun at all with the wheels in the air. it's a ton easier if you drive the car up on ramps, or (yeah right!) have a pit.

    ~c
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Would Rhino Ramps give you enough room to work?

    I have a set if you ever need to do that again, loosh.

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I'd say yes. I changed the oil in my Taurus with them just last weekend and there was plenty of ground clearance. I plan to use them to install a downp... ah, nevermind. :-D

    Doubt he'll be switching front swaybars again anytime soon, though. :)

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I ain't THAT big a n00b. Yes longer bolts would have helped. No one has the kind of muscle strength required to smash the stock bracket around the aftermarket bushing. I had 3 people under there at one point and we couldn't get it done. That's when I dug out the jack and got a couple cinderblocks.

    RSB was easy. Hey Colin, I hope DSM isn't reading this thread! >8^D
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    Hold out your hand!SLAP SLAP! no mods on a new car EH!:-)

      Cheers Pat.
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    In fact I seem to recall a certain former Subaru owner swearing off the mod business and certainly would never mod a new vehicle ;-)

    -Frank
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I was just teasing. I will be modifying that car, sort of, by installing all my carfi gear. :)

    ~c
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    so says Colin, thinking that the Mitsu folks are monitoring this board ;-)

    -Brian
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Coming along, hopefully I'll have it back in a week and start painting it!

    If all goes well, we'll have it at the Tri-state Meet Aug 7 on display at the AZP Installs Booth.

    -mike
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Good to hear, Mike.

    I don't know when I'll get to see it but hopefully will see you before too long, when I make my appointment with Lee. ;-)

    Ed
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Cool cool, come out Aug 29 to Pocono and watch me in my first wheel-to-wheel race a 1hr enduro.

    -mike
  • andmoonandmoon Member Posts: 320
    What are the ill effects of overly large swaybars? I want to get the legacy gt but wife wants ob. I can live with dive and squat but would like to get rid of lean to wrx levels. If considerably larger swaybars are installed I may get rid of some of the lean but I'm afraid of the side effects. Suspension articulation is not a significant concern since we do next to no offroading.

    Thanks, Don
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    besides suspension articulation, tearing the stock mounts from the chassis is the only concern.

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    well Colin that's the FXT, so far. I don't know about the WRX.... heh.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Ok. So here are my options:

    1) Get a new lateral arm, and go back to the stock 17mm bar.

    2) Can this one be welded? I don't know. If so, have it repaired and maybe beefed up, and continue running this bar.

    3)???
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    1) Get a new lateral arm, and go back to the stock 17mm bar.

    That way no possible future warranty issues.

    Bob
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    3) Get a new lateral arm and try to get your money back from Cobb. Then get an STi swaybar after other users test them for a year or so.

    -Dennis
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Only a good welder can decide whether or not the part can be repaired. It looked dicey to me -- the eye is probably a stamped part, and there's not a whole lot of meat to work with there, especially since a good chunk of it tore off. But, it may be possible to fab a new eye and weld that into place. If the replacement link is less than $150 or so, that will probably be cheaper in the end. Hard to say without getting estimates.

    Craig
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Loosh,

    So what did Service tell you? Did they acknowledge something wrong with the stock design?

    If the 05s have this addressed, can you get the 05 lateral arm installed in your FXT under waranty?

    Ken
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    hotchkis makes adjustable lower arm bars, as do others. this is primarily to adjust rear camber, which is absolutely necessary when lowering the vehicle significantly for road racing or just pimpin'. ;)

    unfortunately, they're about $400 a set and up.

    go to the dealership or have someone with an STi measure their lower bar and if it's the same length you could use a stock STi bar instead-- I have a lead on a pair as of next week or so (owner is installing Hotchkis bars). the STi's double bracket should not fail at the loads you'll be putting on it.

    if you do option 2 instead I'd have a lower strap welded on to both sides. basically, curl around the bar instead of just mating with that little L shape. that's what should've been done in the first place, even on the STi.

    ~c
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    duh. Ken has a good option 3 also-- use a stock '05 Forester lower arm bar assuming it is the same length.

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Well of course they blamed the swaybar, so no love there.

    So I need to find out if:
    1) the STi arms and the XT arms are the same length
    2) if the '05 XT arms have upgraded brackets.

    I'm leaving for a business trip in CA tomorrow morning, so I won't be able to address this further until late next week. Anyone here live in Santa Cruz?
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Loosh,

    Sorry to hear about the dealer. At least you were honest and told them about the swaybar.

    Where in Santa Cruz are you going? I was actually just there this morning getting my LGT serviced. Hey, if you have some time, I could get some of the local Crew together if you'd like.

    BTW, the Subaru dealer there is top-notch. They had some LGTs on their lot -- you could take it out for a no-haggle spin around the Santa Cruz foothills. The service and sales managers there know me by name. Tell them I sent you and they'll take care of you.

    Ken
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    You don't think someone in Gunma doesn't know about this? Go to Nabisco, Vendor Classifieds, "Perrin STi Endlink and Swaybar Combo" thread by RallySport Direct. See that picture? That's a STOCK 2005 STi lateral link!! You'd have to drop that into Mount Doom to break it. I'm going to have to have a look at a 2005 FXT ASAP.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Hey, you should measure the XT's and STi's lateral links. Even if the '05 XT's links are different, I doubt they'll look that beefy. :-)

    -Dennis
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    holy carp those brackets are a lot different. I'm not sure if the FXT would have changed *that* much like the STi did, but I agree that it probably changed.

    ~c
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    That is some nice machine work!
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    I'm going to have to have a look at a 2005 FXT ASAP.

    I told you all I'd look and post pics as soon as I get mine, but if you can do the same before me, please do! :-)

    Ed
  • mruebuschmruebusch Member Posts: 25
    Has anyone had experience using an upgraded ecu on their subie. I've ordered an 05 legacy gt and am interested in chipping.
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Cobb might be a place for a new 'puter for 'em. But, why mess with it under warranty? Isn't it sweet enough in OEM form? ;-)

    -Brian
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    don't do it.

    ~c
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Yeah, I mean, if you're thinking of modding the computer right off the bat, maybe it isn't the car you should be looking at. Wait for the STi version would be the other choice.

    -Brian
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    it's just not a good idea anyway. I'd do downpipe, test pipe, full exhaust without batting an eye. screwing with the ECU or installing a boost controller is pretty dumb IMO if you place any value on the powertrain warranty.

    ~c
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    http://www.spt.subaru.com/microsites/spt/popup.sptaction?section=- - parts&id=ST2025088010

    -Dennis
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    at $480 I suspect that's more than he wants to spend... and even if not, I'd buy the Hotchkis adjustable links for about the same or less.

    ~c
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Maybe more than he wants to spend, but for the same price I would go with Subaru over any aftermarket part.

    -Dennis
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Hi all. (oooohhhh, new interface!)

    Back from California late last night. It was an o.k. trip. Hopefully I'll get this thing sorted out soon. I may go back to stock in the rear for now, if for no other reason than I don't have a lot of time right now to spend measuring parts and and asking vendors to do the same. I'd hate to drop $500 on STi links and have them not...quite...fit, ya know?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ed's gonna take pics for you of his, to see if it's any different.

    Can you just get a new bracket? Maybe it was a fluke and won't happen again.

    -juice
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Welcome back!

    I think they would fit because they are listed as a perfomance part for the XT. :-)

    -Dennis
    saving his Subaru bucks
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    you have to get a whole lateral link, juice.

    Those STi links are tempting since SoA lists them for the Forester. I'm hoping to hold out for a pic from Ed before making a decision though. I'm also tempted to just go back to stock and not worry about it; I REALLY don't like driving around like this.

    I actually think keeping the front bar and going back to stock in back might hande pretty well. Stock, the car was a little twitchy in back at the limit. The bigger front bar with stock rear bar might make for a nice neutral handler. *shrug*
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Are they welded together, or is that just how they package that "part"?

    I'm saving up Subaru Bucks, also, but for my Tribeca (or whatever they call it).

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Loosh, I'm not that familiar with the STi lateral link you're referring to. Is it the one on the JDM Forester STi? If so, doesn't that model also have a lowered suspension? The reason I ask is maybe there are more Forester STi suspension pieces involved? And maybe you need all those components in order for that lateral link to work, or to work properly?

    Bob (a firm believer in Murphys Law)
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Ah, just use a load of duct tape!
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I would likewise be concerned that a non-adjustable STi link would be a different length than the stock Forester one. If it were, it would work without the corresponding suspension (and ride height), but your rear camber is going to be off.

    However, even with the stock rear swaybar I wouldn't trust that mickey mouse '04 Forester swaybar mount. I can just see that failing again somewhere down the road; I mean, think about the force on it. No question it's higher with a thicker/stiffer bar but how much? 20%? 35?

    Fix it once, right.

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    yea that's my hangup, too. This bar was set to the mildest setting, and the bracket failed after 2 months. So how long would it have taken the stock braket to tank? 2 years? Five? Seems to me to be a question of when, not if.

    edit: that STi piece is listed for the XT on the SPT site, though.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Do you recall any teething problems with the installation? Perhaps it was weakened at that time.

    -juice
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    it was not easy to get the new mounting hardware on, but that was before the bar went on. Lends credit to the notion that this stuff is really for the STi, and not entirely a perfect fit for the Forester.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm just saying maybe it bent during the install, then it was prone to snap like it did.

    BUT ... that doesn't help you, same thing might happen next time.

    -juice
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Those STi links are tempting since SoA lists them for the Forester. I'm hoping to hold out for a pic from Ed before making a decision though. I'm also tempted to just go back to stock and not worry about it; I REALLY don't like driving around like this.

    I didn't get home until well after dark last night, and it was pouring rain, so didn't get under the car. I'll get some pics before the weekend's out.

    Ed
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