RalliTEK sway bar

[TotalLifeForever]

So ive been on the hunt for a rear sway bar and ive been looking at the ralliTEK one

http://www.rallitek.com/RalliTEK-Rear-A ... 999/p-4370 (http://www.rallitek.com/RalliTEK-Rear-Anti-Sway-Bar-Kit-LegacyOutback-1996-1999/p-4370)

which is linked above ^

And i have a question, when i order that will i have to order all new bushings and mounts and all that for it?

[Reason]

I wrote them and asked about this 2 weeks ago. They said bushings and endlinks come with it, which in it's self a great value. I'm not sure about their endlinks opposed to other companies, but I bet they are better than the stock plastic ones.

[TotalLifeForever]

Oh really? well thats good news! Do you think i should feel a big difference from this sway bar over the stock one?

[Reason]

Short and sweet, yes

[TotalLifeForever]

Can't wait :grin:

[BG5guy]

That's a real good deal if they are included, when I got my whiteline sway bars I had to pay forthe bushings and all that jazz.

[TotalLifeForever]

Well its in the mail and on they way. So i shall post pix upon arrival

[B's Legacy Wagon]

Great cant wait to see it and if its easy to install/ how you like it afterwards. just curious are you getting front and back??
I know i just need to run down to there wharehosue/showroom and check them out they are just down the freeway from me wich should save some shipping costs? cant wait to look into these anti-sway bars and the http://www.rallitek.com/Skid-Plate-Lega ... 006/p-4452 (http://www.rallitek.com/Skid-Plate-LegacyOutback-2000-2004-Baja-2003-2006/p-4452) Skidplate possibly.

[TotalLifeForever]

I ordered one for the back. and the shipping was about 30 buxxxx i think. But yeah ill def take lots of pics. And oooo a skidplate. Id love to have one of those. What year is your legacy?

[99gtlimited]

I did this a couple months ago. Great deal, but just know you're actually gonna get an 02-07 wrx RSB, so modifying (removing) the bump on the spare tire well is going to need to be done.

That being said, this is one of the best and least expensive mods I have done to my car.

[Reason]

Boo, whiteline for me then.

[99gtlimited]

and pay double having to get endlinks too? no thanks...

just cut the bump off the spare tire well, it's really not that hard...

[Reason]

I rather not cut into my car, I'll pay a little more to have it done right. Cutting into my car is a last resort... After all the money I put into this car I'm not going to worry about saving $100 or so.

[99gtlimited]

Yeah, I understand that.

I'm an unemployed college grad, so my financial situation is somewhat dire, hence DIY FTW...

You could always pound the thing flat as well.

Either way, a thick RSB is definitely a good thing...

[Reason]

Yeah, I understand that.

Either way, a thick RSB is definitely a good thing...

Agreed

[TGX4776]

Boo, whiteline for me then.


Same here. Do you get deals on the whiteline stuff?

[Reason]

Yes I can, send me a pm on what you are looking for and I will get prices.

[TotalLifeForever]

So i got the sway bar in and it is SUCH a huge difference lol. I can definitely feel it. But a day later and i decided to check up on it and it looks like its having some teething problems
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/07/kdk_1251-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/07/kdk_1250-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/07/kdk_1245-1.jpg

Do you think this is anything to worry about? like could it cause problems in the future do you think?

[BG5guy]

the last 2 pics scare me a lil. The bar is rubbing on the underside of the car which worries me cuz one big bump and some body bend and that bar might crack. The bushing looks like its falling apart. But i dont know, might wanna have someone check it out, or it might be fine. I 2nd reason, go whiteline. Yea its more spendy, but its th crem de la creme. I got the whiteline on mine and noticed an even bigger difference from my wrx bar.

[TotalLifeForever]

Do you think i could like sand that area down a bit to make some more room for the bar?

[BG5guy]

u could try, but im not sure how mutch of a bleatch that would be. My buddy notched that section out of his subi, but like i said, might be better to just get the white line bar.

[TotalLifeForever]

Well we went through a lot of effort to get that one on and i spent good money on it so I reckon I'll keep it for a while. I may just try to make some room for it. But thanks for the help!

[BG5guy]

understandable, like i said my buddy notched about an inch outta that part on the underbody to make room for his bar. He only had the car for like 3 months after that so i dont know how well it held up, but it worked and drove good for those 3 months. That would be a ton easier then trying to sand that section down for sure

[Reason]

Just shows that you get what you pay for. Looks like their bushings are trash, what do they use plastic?? Anyway the hump people notch out, which I wouldn't do personally.

[Airgne]

they are poly. i have them. there endlinks i think blow. i have kartboy. also there is suppose to be a washer in between the bar and endlink.

[BG5guy]

ya, i wouldnt recomend it because that thing is there for a reason, i woudlnt on my car but if u really wanna make that bar work thats what you should do

[Huffer]

I'm betting if you pound the wheel well flatter, you'll have more room for that bar to move when under load. That's probably why the endlink bushings tore up. You'll have to replace them, after you modify the underside of the trunk.

You should also remember that with any suspension component, if you daily drive it you ARE going to need some flexibility somewhere as driveways, parking lots and just the road in general will cause the car to flex more than you think.

[TotalLifeForever]

So new bushings are a must? And i think ill try to make more room in the wheel well for it and just keep the swaybar. Also do you think its dangerous to be driving around with busted bushings :neutral:?

[Reason]

You are lacking a few washers too. They need to sandwich the bushings and 1 at the nut.

[TotalLifeForever]

Where would i be able to get new brushings that would fit? I checked kartboy but i dont think they have brushings for my year of legacy

[TotalLifeForever]

Would these fit?

http://www.fredbeansparts.com/index.php ... g-kit.html (http://www.fredbeansparts.com/index.php/whiteline-legacy-gt-20mm-sway-bar-bushing-kit.html)

[99gtlimited]

those are bushings for the sway bar, not the endlinks...

contact rallitek, tell them yours didn't last well at all, have them send you new ones, install them with a washer, all will be fine.

I've had this set-up for months with no problems at all....

[TotalLifeForever]

Allrighty will do. And in the near future i am gonna hammer that part of the wheel well in to make room for the bar. Should i wait for the new bushings or should i take care of the wheel well hump ASAP?

[99gtlimited]

I'd do it sooner than later, the bump is rather stiff so heating it up might be a good idea.

I just cut a notch out of mine, then sanded, primed, and painted it. I'm honestly not worried one bit about losing any structural integrity and they don't use salt here so corrosion isn't a serious issue either. I just used a die grinder and cut-off wheel to make room, it was easy enough, and the clearance is much better.

BTW, my endlinks and bushings are holding up just fine, not sure why yours ate themselves up so quickly... Did you install the bar wit the wheels on ramps (suspension loaded)? It's also possible you over-torqued some of the bolts connecting the bar to the endlinks.

Here's a look at my final product
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/04/0422001504-1.jpg

[TotalLifeForever]

That looks great! I think i may just cut if off like that. But we had it on jacks during install. So we may of over torqued them. I'll be mindful of that when we do it again. And ill see how long rallitek takes to respond and if they send me new ones. But till we do operate on the hump im driving like a grandma just put as little stress on it as possible

[StatGSR]

be sure to use a washer between the bar ad the bushing next time around and u should be good...

[TotalLifeForever]

So did i have the bushings on the opposite way then?

[Reason]

Again, your problem was lack of washers.

[TotalLifeForever]

Allright. Ill have to hunt down another pair of washers to put on when the new bushings arrive

[TotalLifeForever]

ALLRIGHT! swaybar has been mended folks. New bushings, new hole sawed into the hump. And since it has more space we got to put the swaybar on the middle hole and not the outter one. And oh man what a difference. Its a whole different car lol. But while i used to get a knocking every now and then from the rear of the car coming from something having to do with the swaybar, like when i would go over bumps and what not. The knocking has gotten much more frequent. Could anybody diagnose this? Also should i have washers between the bushing and the endlink mount on the car's suspension? updated pics below

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/08/kdk_0052-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/08/awdad-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/08/dddd-1.jpg

[Airgne]

no washers need ed. those endlinks look cheap. if they are group a sorry. the clunking will go away with time.

[TotalLifeForever]

You think it'll go away eventually? i hope so

[Airgne]

You think it'll go away eventually? i hope so


i know it will. i have rallitek sway bars with kartboy endlinks. had the same clunk after intall. what rear bushing did you use? did you use the big one or the stock one?

[TotalLifeForever]

I just used all the poly bushings that came with the swaybar

[99gtlimited]

I have the exact same set-up and have never heard a clunk even once. my bushings didn't eat themselves alive either... not really sure why this is acting up for you...

[Airgne]

it should have come with a extra bracket set. did you use it or the stock one?

[TotalLifeForever]

like the kinda U shaped bracket where the swaybar gets attached to the top of the car? I didnt get new ones for that so i just used the stock bracket and the new poly bushing. This is pretty odd.. the knocking bugs me, like it does not sound pretty :-( Ill just hope for the best

[Airgne]

ok.

[Reason]

Use washers for the bottom end too.

[BG5guy]

Did u put greese around the bushings that hold the sway bar to the frame as well as tr ones on the endleaks. Lack of grease will causethem to make a thuddu squishy noise on every bump. Sorta sounds like blown struts.

[TotalLifeForever]

I used lube there but not quite as much as the other places. Ill have to add more there and see if it helps

[TotalLifeForever]

Do you guys reckon white lithium grease would work well as a substitute for the lube that came with it? As im all out of that. It should work right?