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New install

2K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  man show 
#1 ·
So I bought myself a couple christmas presents and my brother and I are planning to install this weekend.
After reading around on here I purchased a Whiteline 24mm front sway, but since I race I wasn't able to buy endlinks or anything else so that I could remain in my class. Also purchased a couple gauges which I have installed before.
My main question is anything extra I should be ready for or purchase from this install we have never done a sway bar so hopefully it goes well.!Thumbs Up
 
#4 ·
Great choice! I have a Whiteline 24 mm adjustable front sway bar on my 07 WRX and I decided to keep the stock front endlinks. The stock front end links are a fairly decent metal pillowball design and I'm pretty confident they'll hold up just fine. The rears are the ones you should be worried about - they are plastic.

The install is fairly simple. I didn't find it necessary to remove the entire front subframe, just the tiny almost triangular-shaped bracket that goes across the middle directly under the bar that's held on by 3-5 bolts or so. Be sure to use an allen wrench along with a box wrench when unbolting the stock front endlinks. If you don't use the allen wrench to hold the threaded section in place, the nut will spin with it around and around and around and it took me longer than it should have to figure that one out. A ratcheting (14 mm?) wrench makes things so much simpler too. Other than that, just fish the old bar out carefully and try not to scrape your wheels and fish the new one in. It's really a very easy install. I did mine with the front end of the car pulled up on race ramps, but a jack and stands would work fine too (or a professional lift if you have access to one). Good luck and don't forget to lube the bushings generously!
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the post. Glad its not to bad my brother is the family mechanic so he will be doing most of the work :) its my xmas present. After this season is when the real mods are getting put on. Plan on doing downpipe, rear sway, endlinks, coilovers, pro tune. Ill post some pics of the process next week.
 
#6 ·
Just FYI, when replacing only the front sway with the 24 mm sway bar, you're going to increase understeer in the car. Please be careful. Under extreme driving conditions you're promoting that by increasing the rigidity in the front end. I would personally hold out until you had the rear one as well and do it all at once.
 
#7 ·
I realize that it creates understeer, but from many posts ive read on here because of the way they are created stock. This will help reduce understeer from what ive seen, and as previously stated I cannot put a rear sway on my car and remain in the class im in. Seems like no one even reads the post
 
#9 ·
People are reading the posts.... they are just warning you is all.

If you are going to add a DP and all the other goodies soon... what makes adding the links any different now ?

I do know in the past if you had to replace a "faulty" factory piece, they wouldn't bump you a class....
 
#10 ·
The older school of thought was to only replace the rear sway bar and leave the front one stock... and, in fact, slap on the largest one you could find to drastically reduce understeer in these cars, but now, it's recommended to replace them both. It is generally best to have a slightly larger front bar than rear to help avoid snap oversteer in emergency situations and keep things balanced, while still maintaining some slight understeer characteristics that the car comes with from the factory in stock form. It is generally thought to be safer than having an insane amount of oversteer so the rear end won't whip around on you.

The stock front WRX sedan sway bar is 20 mm and the stock rear WRX sedan sway bar is 17 mm (both solid designs, not hollow). Increasing to 24 mm front and 22 mm rear would be an excellent choice for a daily driven car on an otherwise stock suspension. If you plan to go with springs/struts or coilovers, you can easily go much larger. It's usually a good idea to replace them both at once, but if you only replace one, you might experience some odd handling characteristics, so take it slow until you get used to it. You can always switch back to stock if you don't like it.
 
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