Doing a lift, got most of the stuff, but I have a few questions.

[1996BlackBauer]

Alright guys let start at the top, I have the Forester struts, I have the trialing arm brackets, I have the rear sway bar brackets. So 70% of the stuff I already have, the two things I have questions on hopefully are easy ones. 

 

1. Has anybody successfully transferred the tops hats off of the Impreza Strut, and put them on the Forester Strut?

 

2. Do I really need to buy $120 Kartboy Rear End links for the front? I can get factory replacement links for under $50 for the pair, I am just not sure on the dimensions for both. I drive pretty hard, So I would really like to keep the sway bar operation intact. 

 

Thanks for any input guys, it is greatly appreciated. 

[Uberoo]

Just ditch the swaybar. The ride will be smoother, it will offroad better, AND it will handle better on gravel,snow, or rough roads. Better yet, remove the swaybar and set your front wheels to -.5 to -1* of camber.Body roll is not a bad thing provided you have enough camber change and suspension travel to go with it.

[1996BlackBauer]

Just ditch the swaybar. The ride will be smoother, it will offroad better, AND it will handle better on gravel,snow, or rough roads. Better yet, remove the swaybar and set your front wheels to -.5 to -1* of camber.Body roll is not a bad thing provided you have enough camber change and suspension travel to go with it.

That makes sense, BUT I do play on Rally Crossing my car, plus I also plan on doing some time attach asphalt events as well, so I would like to keep the on road handling as god as possible.  

[subarubrat]

Just make a quick disconnect swaybar link, that is what I did, works great and gives you the best of both.

[1996BlackBauer]

Just make a quick disconnect swaybar link, that is what I did, works great and gives you the best of both.

Do you have any pictures on how you did that, I am willing to do something like this. 

[subarubrat]

I'm at work and can't snag a pic but here is one that is nearly identical to what I built. http://www.rangerovers.net/rrupgrades/suspension/qd4.jpg

 

It is very easy, you just need two heim joints or similar and thread them together, attach one end with a bolt and nut, the other end with a pin. Also do a google image search for quick disconnect sway bar and you will see dozens of easily built versions.

[Uberoo]

You could get stiffer springs.That would lift it and provide the better handling of no swaybar. No sway bar has better handling because each wheel is allowed to work independent of each other(one of the key benefits of independent suspension I might add). Having a swaybar induces under steer on that end because the sway bar acts like a direct link between the wheels.So if one wheel hits a bump the other wheel similarly reacts, and thus reduces traction as a whole on that end of the vehicle. Thats the reason why no swaybar gives alot better handling on dirt/gravel or bump roads, however, manufactures discovered they could reduce body roll by designing suspensions that used soft springs for ride compliance while using swaybars to control body roll. Just taking the swaybar off will lessen the effective spring rate, the stock bars on subarus adds up to ~200 in/lbs per side, so an equivalent spring rate without swaybars would be 3-400 in/lbs depending on application.It would ride about the same and have about the same sway resistance as stock, while alloying the wheels to work independently as designed.

[1996BlackBauer]

You could get stiffer springs.That would lift it and provide the better handling of no swaybar. No sway bar has better handling because each wheel is allowed to work independent of each other(one of the key benefits of independent suspension I might add). Having a swaybar induces under steer on that end because the sway bar acts like a direct link between the wheels.So if one wheel hits a bump the other wheel similarly reacts, and thus reduces traction as a whole on that end of the vehicle. Thats the reason why no swaybar gives alot better handling on dirt/gravel or bump roads, however, manufactures discovered they could reduce body roll by designing suspensions that used soft springs for ride compliance while using swaybars to control body roll. Just taking the swaybar off will lessen the effective spring rate, the stock bars on subarus adds up to ~200 in/lbs per side, so an equivalent spring rate without swaybars would be 3-400 in/lbs depending on application.It would ride about the same and have about the same sway resistance as stock, while alloying the wheels to work independently as designed.

OK, that makes complete sense, but what do I have to work with on Springs? Like WRX springs? It actually kind of funny, because I have been toying with the idea of ditching the sway bar, but don't want to for the fear of more body roll, and possible roll overs and such under hard cornering. Then again, I don't want to go too crazy on the car, because after all it was a free car, And dumping money into might not be the best idea.

[Uberoo]

then pull the swaybar and drive it around the the block a couple times.It is still possible to rally it around.It just kinda drives like an old truck.

[ferp420]

ive noticed that with out a sway bar on hard corners at speed the front inside tire lifts and looses traction causing the car to slow down thats the only differance ive found between having a sway bar on or off i used to unbolt it when i went offroad but ive found it dident hurt my traval at all so i dont disconect it any more its not a rock crawler and dosent have crazy articulation so if your planning any high speed cornering on pavement i would keep the sway bar and just leave it if your not driving on the road you probly wont notice any differance with it on or off

[Uberoo]

I thought you took your car offroad?removing the sway bar entirely gives you most of the "suspension travel" that is possible out of the front.With it connected, or with one end disconnected you have only about 2" max of suspension travel-IE lifting a tire if you go over a curb into a parking lot. Unless, of course all of your bumps hit both front tires at the same time.

 

Removing the swaybar is usually one of the first mods I do to any vehicle that has even the remotest chance of seeing uneven ground.

Both of my current dodges didn't even come with a swaybar from the factory, my 94 cummins has really stiff springs to support the weight of the engine and I haven't really noticed any sway with it.My 87 2wd dakota has soft springs to give it that "car-like" ride,even it doesn't sway much.

 

Even the shortest vehicle of the bunch the 90 geo tracker rides and handles so much better without a swaybar,turn in is improved, and nothing short of a boulder in the road disturbs the thing going down the road.

 

Seeing as this is a subaru forum,not one of my subarus has ever retained the swaybar for more than 2 weeks after initial purchase-including my FWD 93 legacy.Just because they handle so much better without the swaybar because the front suspension can actually work as designed.

 

When your pulling the swaybar for testing remove the ENTIRE thing because otherwise it handles different from side to side because the swaybar binds up the wheel that it is still connected to.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Uberoo