How do you measure your swaybar?

[Tolew45]

Hi, so I bought a car (1998 Legacy GT Sedan BD), and the previous owner said that there was a aftermarket Whiteline rear sway bar. Previous previous owner says that there were Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings. So it's been a while and I'm looking into mods, and I wanted to check if I really have a aftermarket rear sway bar. I look under and I see that the bar is black. I try to measure it with a crescent wrench (following this website http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/le ... o&optid=17 (http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/learnmore.asp?opt=Measure-Sway-Bar-How-To&optid=17) ), and the rear measures to be 20mm, and the front to be around 20mm as well. I look on the FAQ on this forum about stock sway bar sizes ( viewtopic.php?f=13&t=13924 (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=13924) ), and the stock bar size is suppose to be 20mm in the front and 16mm in the rear. Does Whiteline make any swaybars that are black in color? or are they all silver or grey or baby light blue? Here's some pictures.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/06/DSC00241-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/06/DSC00242-1.jpg

[rougeben83]

that looks like the stocker...from a WRX if its 20mm :smile:

[Tolew45]

Hmm would the WRX sway bar fit on a Legacy? on the sticky FAQ it says
"Impreza rear bars don't fit any Legacies
Our Legacies have a little bump that sticks out of the spare tire well and interferes with Impreza rear swaybars. So while a Legacy bar will fit perfectly on an Impreza, things don't work the other way around. This also probably applies to Forester swaybars."

It could be a WRX sway bar since a lot of the parts were from a WRX like brake lines, struts, stereo, steering wheel, among other parts.

But could someone confirm on this?

i confirm.

[Tolew45]

Ooops, may have missed this part of the Sticky, it could actually be a 02-07 WRX rear sway bar. thanks guys!

From the sticky:

Sizes

Okay finally we're here. Regardless of the car you have, there are different swaybars out there. Here's a list of sizes that came on different models of Subarus that will fit 1st and 2nd gen Legacies.
These may not all be correct and it would be great if people could confirm the stock sizes


Turbo Front
Legacy
91-94: 18mm
GC WRX/STi: ?
02-07 WRX wagon: 20mm

[hallowpoint]

just take a wrench and see what size fits around it.

[impreza_GC8]

That looks like a 20, just throw a 20mm open end wrench around it and see. But its not Whiteline.

ive seen electronic digital calipers at the dollar store..

[immortal1kon]

dude just take a open ended wrench and try till it fits and thats the size

[LiCelsior]

lol bumping a month old thread to say what 2 others have said.

[BG5guy]

whiteline come grey bar with yellow bushings. just fyi im sure you know this by now.

[Tolew45]

Hm... it is a 20mm, and looks like it's most likely from a WRX; but i resaw that the sticky says that it only accepts the swaybar from WRX for the front, but not the back. Where might this sway bar come from?

If I'm looking to upgrade swaybars for both the front and back, how do I know if it would fit on my 98 Legacy BD without having to buy it and try to install it? Should I not try to look for any used ones from an Impreza (the market is larger for the Impreza, that's why I ask)?

Thanks for the reponses

From the sticky:
Rear
Legacy
90-92 non-turbo sedan: 16mm
90-92 non-turbo wagon: 17mm?
92-94 L: n/a
92-94 LS, LSi sedan: 16mm
92-94 LS, LSi wagon: 17mm?
94 Ti/GT/Mi: 17mm?
91-94 turbo: 18mm
95 (all): 15mm
96-99 2.2: 15mm
96-99 2.5: 16mm
95-99 outback: 18mm
""Impreza and 00+ Legacy bars do not fit.""

[Grafton]

I'd like to know what rsb that is to, the 18mm SUS rear bar of mine is beginning to show it's tinyness plus i want something to keep up with the 25mm(23mm effective) tribecca bar i have for the front

[Reuben]

Except, see in the middle.... the bar drops down to go around the tow bar mount on the spare wheel well. Impreza bars are straight in the middle, and hit into that mount. It's either BG/BD legacy, or GD impreza. I am unsure if GD impreza bars are sraight, or bent like legacy, or even if they fit at all.

And FYI, BG GTB rear sway bars.... are 20mm.

[Reuben]

I'd like to know what rsb that is to, the 18mm SUS rear bar of mine is beginning to show it's tinyness plus i want something to keep up with the 25mm(23mm effective) tribecca bar i have for the front

Such an unbalance can't be good for understeer... jesus. How does it handle with the massive one up front?

[chuckthefuk]

With the extra bends in the tribeca bar it feels more Like 23.5 or some decimal point. I had this on my old bd. Felt stable entering turns.

-Chuck (tapatalk)

[Lone_legacy]

Im about to buy a WRX fitment whiteline 24 mm rSB. I know about bashing in the spare tire bump and I am fine with it. BEsides that I want to make sure that it will fit otherwise. My research so far says yes. Am I correct??

[rougeben83]

I'd like to know what rsb that is to, the 18mm SUS rear bar of mine is beginning to show it's tinyness plus i want something to keep up with the 25mm(23mm effective) tribecca bar i have for the front

Such an unbalance can't be good for understeer... jesus. How does it handle with the massive one up front?

really big front bars actually reduce understeer on subarus...the front macpherson struts tend to go postive camber on compression having a big bar prevents that and maintains the tire's contact patch. The downside is that you tend to degrade the ability of each wheel to act independently of the other (think more like a solid axle suspension). Not ideal but its the lesser of two evils.