number 1 are a sway and a strut tower bar different things number 2 i was told that if i get a front one only that ill loose control of the rear end easier(i was told i would but i doubted it) this info came from a guy who told me that he wrecked his car because he got a front and didnt get a rear and thats why he lost control... number 3 if i need a rear where could i find a good deal on one
Number 1: yes. Sway bars are underneath the car and they connect the control arms. Strut bars are on top of the struts. These types of bars work in very different ways. Get SWAY bars first before thinking about strut bars. Anyone have some pics that will help explain? Number 2: I think most here on this board will agree that getting a bigger front sway bar (FSB) is good. Losing control is more an issue of the driver. Read these: http://www.wrxatlanta.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5406 http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1152714 Number 3: I would look for used ones (they go quickly though) or ask one of the vendors here like Sakari or Batlground (sorry if I forgot anyone) and see if they can hook you up. There are a LOT of options for sway bar setups but if you really want good handling, make sure you also get GOOD TIRES. I know this because I have done the suspension mods and still have stock type tires and they SUCK at taking corners. No matter how stiff I get my suspension I am limited by my non-sticky all-season tires.
Sway bars go underneath the car and effect the stiffness of the body, usually reducing body roll. Bigger bars = more stiffness. Now you need to find the right balance for what you want to do. A bigger front bar should give you a better "turn in" because the roll has been reduced, however I think it can also lead to understeer. Whereas a bigger rear bar will have the opposite effect by increasing the rears stiffness and the likelihood for it to slide. That's my interpretation and hopefully someone could come clear it up. What suspension setup are you currently running? If you have stiff coilovers then you won't need massive bars as much. Try and keep them within a few mm in size difference to obtain a neutral handling car. Mine are 19/20 but I have an RS. I think quite a few people go with 22/24 but I could be wrong. A strut bar is a bar which connects each strut tower in the engine bay, theoretically adding in increased chassis stiffness. They're mainly there to look cool though. The best deals to be had are always in the classifieds here are, or an Nasioc. And that guy probably understeered straight into something but says he lost the rear to try and sound like a drift extreme super cool guy. Any more questions?
The added stiffness of a strut bar only becomes noticeable after you have stiffened most of the rest of the car, just ask Wes (calmnothing). Or if you have a wagon, like me, where the back end is all open and stuff. I have an unorthodox sway bar setup with 27mm front and 22mm adjustable rear(set to stiffest setting) and it is VERY tail happy. But I also have stock springs and struts, where most people here have upgraded their springs or have coilovers. Also, don't forget ENDLINKS, these make turn in crisper, especially the front links. Tell us what your current setup is and what you goals are. Your goals make a big difference in what path you should take with modding.
BTW if you're looking for a cheap strut bar setup, I've heard some good things about the ebay combo. Or again, the classifieds tend to have them quite often.
ok so can i get a list of the parts i need in order of how i should get them and about how much they should cost so i dont get ripped off
Check several different vendors and get quotes if prices aren't listed. From my experience Turn in Concepts has some of the lowest prices on Whiteline brand stuff. http://turninconcepts10.chainreactionweb.com/ Also, there are LOCAL guys who can get parts Sakari http://www.sakarimotorsports.com/sakari/index.php?cPath=23_35_117_296 BatlGround (Call them for pricing) http://www.batlground.com/ However, you can almost always find them used for less. You shouldn't worry TOO much about buying this kind of stuff used as it doesn't wear like moving parts. If you are patient you can save a bit and still get good stuff. Before you go make a list or buy parts, you should determine what you are trying to do with your car. Then read up in the FAQ's to learn more about what these bars actually do. http://www.wrxatlanta.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191&highlight=wheel+sway) "Which bars to get" gets asked a lot and there are many opinions based on different goals http://www.wrxatlanta.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15244 I know it looks like I am giving you homework, but this will be more helpful than me just telling you what to get based on my goals not yours. But if it were me, I'd get a fat from bar: Whiteline 27/29mm adjustable and a small or medium adjustable rear bar like 22mm adjustable. I wouldn't pay more than 200 for a single brand new bar either. And buy endlinks, Kartboy links are good and cheap.
And there is this option as well: a 25mm FSB from a Tribeca, and cheaper than most other new FSBs http://www.wrxatlanta.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15632&highlight=tribeca+front+sway+bar
on the impreza sedans, the strut towers are very close to the pillars, meaning that they are pretty much for show. get a sub-frame brace instead/before a strut tower bar. and def get sway bars long before either of the previous. front sway bar will dial OUT understeer(less), rear will help dial IN oversteer(more). you should have no control problems whatsoever with just a front bar... or with both bars if they are set up properly now i believe on the evos and other cars where the strut towers are closer to the front and rear ends of the car (respectively) that's where a strut bar would actually be effective. unless you're building a time attack car in which case, stiffen EVERYTHING lol.
IIRC the front endlinks on WRX's and STi"s are already spherical type, and are a decent design so its kinda pointless and not recommended to change them at all unless they have tons and tons of miles on them or are broken. i had a 24mm whiteline rear sway and endlinks and loved them. my next move was to get the 27mm front from whiteline and keep the stock front endlinks. i also had an ebay rear strut tower bar, and to tell you the truth i felt ALOT more stifness after i put that on then when i put my sway bar on.
Lucky bastard, I had the weaksauce plastic wagon links. And +1 on the rear strut bar, although I would say get the Sway bars first.