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Payback45
10-15-2006, 09:50 PM
I want to buy a strut bar for my 02 Legacy GT, I was wondering if I will need to buy a new rear sway bar or a new front sway bar? Or can I just add a strut bar and not worry?

Wiscon_Mark
10-15-2006, 09:54 PM
I would spend the money on a RSB first. Strut bar has more bling factor than function with the strut towers directly attatched to the firewall.

Payback45
10-15-2006, 10:09 PM
Sorry RSB?

Wiscon_Mark
10-15-2006, 10:14 PM
Rear Sway Bar

Huffer
10-15-2006, 11:04 PM
Mods in this order to achieve biggest improvement on handling performance:

1. bigger/thicker rear sway bar
2. upgraded shocks
3. upgraded springs
4. tinted windows
5. strut braces

seriously.

Payback45
10-15-2006, 11:25 PM
OK. I have number 2,3,4 done. Do you have any brands in mind that will work for my car?

Wiscon_Mark
10-15-2006, 11:36 PM
:lol:

Don't think too lowly of the strut braces though. A front one doesn't do much unless you're doing a lot of track, but the rear one on a wagon does a ton.

Plays_with_Toys
10-16-2006, 01:24 AM
Tinted windows?

Wiscon_Mark
10-16-2006, 01:26 AM
Tinted windows?

Makes the glass 100x stronger!

Reduces the drag coefficient too ;)

badbasser98
10-16-2006, 08:42 AM
tinted windows > strut braces

seriously.
:lol:

I've heard that the front strut brace helps the BE's out a lot... I can't say from experience though.

Payback45
10-16-2006, 12:10 PM
So basically a rear sway bar and a front strut bar is what I need. Anyone know what will fit my car???

Wiscon_Mark
10-16-2006, 01:03 PM
I would skip the front strut bar until you've done everything else on suspension.

Seriously.

Put the money into bushings/endlinks for the swaybars first.

Huffer
10-16-2006, 01:06 PM
GC Impreza stuff will fit the front bolt pattern ok, only some though. Make sure the one you get has low-profile "arms" or mounting points like this:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2006/08/050928_EngineBay-1.jpg

Not like this:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2005/09/Intake0sml-1.jpg

The Cusco one rises pretty high, and on BC/BD legacies will prevent the hood from closing - not sure about BE's though.

I do know that my no-name brand (1st pic) will fit fine on the BE, mrtsb4 was going to buy it off me awhile back.

I think the carbon fiber GC STi strut braces will fit also.

pdawg
10-16-2006, 01:09 PM
IPD make a pretty good RSB. I have a CUSCO strut brace. I also have white line ALK. I really have to be careful when I drive the wife's car. Sometimes i forget I can't go into on ramps at 60. :shock:

I didn't know the tinting helped handling. I thought it only added about 5 -10 hp. :grin:

JPaul99GT
10-16-2006, 01:43 PM
Makes the glass 100x stronger!

Reduces the drag coefficient too ;)


I didn't know the tinting helped handling. I thought it only added about 5 -10 hp. :grin:

but the added strength of the windows supports the body reducing flex....

scottzg
10-16-2006, 02:01 PM
you can add a strut tower bar without doing anything else. They really don't do much (anything?) to benefit how the car handles though.

Swaybars DO change how the car handles, and a slight change can profoundly alter the nature of the beast. If you're just going for bling, probably wiser to just paint the stock ones. 1 big bar and you've created a monster.

Payback45
10-16-2006, 07:40 PM
Well if you all say that a strut bar wont really add to my car then it looks like I am going to look at front and rear sway bars.

Wiscon_Mark
10-16-2006, 07:43 PM
That'd be the way to go.

Cusco makes a front & rear set.

Payback45
10-16-2006, 07:44 PM
Is Cusco a good brand? Quality product?

Wiscon_Mark
10-16-2006, 07:46 PM
I haven't heard anything bad about it...most people like their cusco products.

Payback45
10-16-2006, 07:49 PM
Is it a bad idea to get one with out the other. Ssay the front with out the rear and vice versa

Wiscon_Mark
10-16-2006, 07:51 PM
It really depends. It depends on your abilitys driving, it depends on your tires, your camber, how you want it to handle, etc.

No it's not bad to do a rear bar alone, and some people have even done front, but I suggest you do a ton of research in the suspension forums on Nasioc before you go slapping bars on your car.

scottzg
10-16-2006, 09:31 PM
money is better spend destroying a set of tires learning how to really drive the car. Hell of a lot more fun, too :twisted:


have you seen this? https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=3033

Huffer
10-17-2006, 09:22 AM
Is it a bad idea to get one with out the other. Ssay the front with out the rear and vice versa

Ideally you want to keep the proportions the same until you learn to handle it.

Hence why adjustable rear sways are more common, people tend to graduate from 18mm, to 20mm, to 22mm. Each step "up" makes the car more rigid and less forgiving (tail happy).

Front swaybars are great for increasing turn-in - many autox-ers use upgraded sways because they are typically looking for the quickest response time around a set of cones. Be warned, upgrading everything without learning how to control it can result in a wipeout.

I definitely agree with scottzg though - a good set of tires and some driving school (advanced driver training) lessons is possibly a better investment - at least you can use those lessons in ANY car.

Payback45
10-17-2006, 12:20 PM
well I think you guys have convinced me that I probably dont need sway bars or a strut bar. Let it be known that I am not a racer and never plan to race my car. I just want it to be the best it can be.

Wiscon_Mark
10-17-2006, 12:46 PM
well I think you guys have convinced me that I probably dont need sway bars or a strut bar. Let it be known that I am not a racer and never plan to race my car. I just want it to be the best it can be.

You don't have to be a racer to want your car to handle well, nor are we trying to talk you out of it, but a good driving class and some understanding as to what you're doing when you stiffen a swaybar up is what we ask you do before you slap some on your vehicle.

Payback45
10-17-2006, 03:44 PM
Understood.

scottzg
10-17-2006, 05:15 PM
You don't have to be a racer to want your car to handle well, nor are we trying to talk you out of it,

I am kinda talkin him out of it. A 'good handling fwd/awd car' has less traction in the rear than in the front- on neutral throttle, it wants to spin. Someone who isn't accustomed to a car that likes to spin can discover that it spins accidently, and thats bad. You can make the suspension firmer, but that doesn't necessarily make it handle better.


My car is fairly conservatively set up (although more oversteerish than any stock fwd car ive driven) and ive had a few occasions where i had a load of junk in the trunk and went around a bend on the hwy and had the rear slide. Its a lot of fun to drive, but it's not for everyone.

Yeah, im a nanny. :-(