BE/BH Sway Bars

[camber]

I got my adjustable Whiteline sway bar installed. I running the stock FSB and with stock endlinks all round. RSB set to highest setting.

 

POSITIVE

-turn in greatly improved

-body roll minimized

-neutral handling

 

NEGATIVE

-Found increased tramlining on highway ruts. Not a huge issue, it is just your more aware of ruts in the road.

-increased noise in some circumstances(more shaper thumps, probably from more solid bushings with Whitline kit). Although, you really only notice the noise with the radio off and fans off.

 

Comments:

 

I took my car out last night for the first time. It was raining on and off.

 

I'm still getting used to the bar and only driven only for 20 min.

 

I didn't find any snap oversteer even with the bar set in highest level. I consistently found the car getting into a neutral drift. This was even on damp streets.

 

Intial turn in is great but I'm still getting used to it. I found with the old RSB I would enter turns with a high entry speed find the limit(car rolled over to the side tires howling ) at the beginning of the turn and modulate the throttle and let the AWD do its thing to get the best line.

 

Right now with the bigger RSB I find I'm entering turns a little slower(probably because of the increased turn in speed). However, it is much easier now that understeer has been eliminated to keep geometrically correct lines without stabbing the throttle or throttle modulation to get the car to rotate. I'm finding my apex to exit speeds have gotten a nice boost(where it counts) instead of fighting dreaded understeer through the whole turn.

 

Also, I noticed during cornering the rear feels nice and planted but the front is moving around(feels like it still wants to roll and puts the work back onto the rear). I getting a Whiteline FSB we will see if this cures this issue.

 

Next upgrade will be a strut tower bar and FSB. Probably will install the strut tower bar early next week and the FSB next week.

[rougeben83]

I got my adjustable Whiteline sway bar installed. I running the stock FSB and with stock endlinks all round. RSB set to highest setting.

 

POSITIVE

-turn in greatly improved

-body roll minimized

-neutral handling

 

NEGATIVE

-Found increased tramlining on highway ruts. Not a huge issue, it is just your more aware of ruts in the road.

-increased noise in some circumstances(more shaper thumps, probably from more solid bushings with Whitline kit). Although, you really only notice the noise with the radio off and fans off.

 

Comments:

 

I took my car out last night for the first time. It was raining on and off.

 

I'm still getting used to the bar and only driven only for 20 min.

 

I didn't find any snap oversteer even with the bar set in highest level. I consistently found the car getting into a neutral drift. This was even on damp streets.

 

Intial turn in is great but I'm still getting used to it. I found with the old RSB I would enter turns with a high entry speed find the limit(car rolled over to the side tires howling ) at the beginning of the turn and modulate the throttle and let the AWD do its thing to get the best line.

 

Right now with the bigger RSB I find I'm entering turns a little slower(probably because of the increased turn in speed). However, it is much easier now that understeer has been eliminated to keep geometrically correct lines without stabbing the throttle or throttle modulation to get the car to rotate. I'm finding my apex to exit speeds have gotten a nice boost(where it counts) instead of fighting dreaded understeer through the whole turn.

 

Also, I noticed during cornering the rear feels nice and planted but the front is moving around(feels like it still wants to roll and puts the work back onto the rear). I getting a Whiteline FSB we will see if this cures this issue.

 

Next upgrade will be a strut tower bar and FSB. Probably will install the strut tower bar early next week and the FSB next week.

 

What's the max setting on the Whiteline bar? Is it 22mm like the IPD? I couldn't have put it better myself. I've found that on sweepers that the rear end is indeed much more planted. The turnin is slightly better - more responsive. I think you will start noticing how stiff/soft the sidewalls of your tires are now with the bigger swaybar.

 

With the old 13mm bar, I found it hard to keep a line as well - it was brake turnin, steering correction, apex steering correction, power out. Now its the same but being smooth around the bends is much more easier. Slight neutral drift is pretty amusing too if you goose it after the apex :icon_mrgr

 

Oh yeah, being in NYC, pot holes and other street obstacles are met with some clanks in the back; even when I've put my new exhaust on (Muffler from and STI with mandrel bends to the cats). I don't think the bar is hitting the exhaust anymore - maybe clanking the A-arms or something? I need to look into this.

[camber]

I think the noise I'm experincing is more from bushing then anything. I haven't heard anything like the bar is touching the chassis or suspenision pieces but I'll have to look under the car to make sure.

The Whiteline bar has two settings 20 mm and 24 mm. I'm not really finding the snap oversteer that people say when the upgrade the RSB on the BE/BH.

 

I think the snap oversteer people have talked about can be attributed more to those respective peoples driving style.

 

Anyways, the RSB makes the car much more enjoyable. Nothing feels better then getting in a nice neutral drift from one turn to another!

 

I haven't noticed any sidewall flex but I've always kept my tires overinflated over the Subaru's recommended rating because of the issues with the crap RE92 tires. Right now I'm running Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S which are a great tire.

 

I'm probably going to pick up some endlinks, steering rack bushing kit and maybe some lowering springs. A Canadian vendor at NASIOC is having a GB on whiteline product and this is very rare!

Expect those items to be installed by middle of July.

 

Looking out for some 17 inch wheels as well.

[camber]

Today's update on RSB.

 

I was playing around more int the car today. I more comfortable with the bar and how it reacts compared to stock and now picking up my entry speed. The difference between stock and upgrade is night and day!

 

The car just feels more sports like then just "sporty".

 

Also, I think I may have not lubed the passenger side bushing for the bar well. I had the car in the parking lot and was jumping up in down in it to see if I had any clunking and noticed the passenger side had groan to it. I'll relube and see if that helps.