Would putting front/rear strut bars on an STI make a difference?
08-01-2004, 10:42 PM
#7
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he means rear strut, the wagon doesn't have the crossmember thing that sedan guys call "trunks", and ofcourse with it the metal frame structure that is between the cabin and the trunk, with the top part of that ring being shoulder height behind the seatbacks.
Ofcourse the rear sway also helps, but the wagon has less rigidity in the back compared to the sedan. How much, i have no idea, but the rear strut tower bar in a wagon does more in a wagon than a sedan. Obviously the effect of the front is the same on both, just slapping strut tower bars without tieing the bottom part of the suspension will yield minimal improvments in handling, but as alex said, there are improvements, and depending on what else you put on with it, it could make a big difference overall.
Ofcourse the rear sway also helps, but the wagon has less rigidity in the back compared to the sedan. How much, i have no idea, but the rear strut tower bar in a wagon does more in a wagon than a sedan. Obviously the effect of the front is the same on both, just slapping strut tower bars without tieing the bottom part of the suspension will yield minimal improvments in handling, but as alex said, there are improvements, and depending on what else you put on with it, it could make a big difference overall.
08-01-2004, 10:59 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by Seraph
he means rear strut, the wagon doesn't have the crossmember thing that sedan guys call "trunks", and ofcourse with it the metal frame structure that is between the cabin and the trunk, with the top part of that ring being shoulder height behind the seatbacks.
Ofcourse the rear sway also helps, but the wagon has less rigidity in the back compared to the sedan. How much, i have no idea, but the rear strut tower bar in a wagon does more in a wagon than a sedan. Obviously the effect of the front is the same on both, just slapping strut tower bars without tieing the bottom part of the suspension will yield minimal improvments in handling, but as alex said, there are improvements, and depending on what else you put on with it, it could make a big difference overall.
Ofcourse the rear sway also helps, but the wagon has less rigidity in the back compared to the sedan. How much, i have no idea, but the rear strut tower bar in a wagon does more in a wagon than a sedan. Obviously the effect of the front is the same on both, just slapping strut tower bars without tieing the bottom part of the suspension will yield minimal improvments in handling, but as alex said, there are improvements, and depending on what else you put on with it, it could make a big difference overall.
08-01-2004, 11:18 PM
#10
just get them if you are asking if they will improve handling..
its no night and day difference but im sure your brain will notice something changed...
I have a wagon with f+r strut bars and I can tell a difference without the them on.. i have never rid with just a front or a rear.. .always both.. So i can't tell u which one does more.
but if your on a budget, I would say a larger rear sway bar (22mm) does a lot more than strut bars
So I would buy that first
its no night and day difference but im sure your brain will notice something changed...
I have a wagon with f+r strut bars and I can tell a difference without the them on.. i have never rid with just a front or a rear.. .always both.. So i can't tell u which one does more.
but if your on a budget, I would say a larger rear sway bar (22mm) does a lot more than strut bars
So I would buy that first
08-01-2004, 11:26 PM
#11
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Originally Posted by razorlab
I don't see how a rear strut bar would do ANYTHING on a sedan when that whole area including the rear strut tops are attached to the big chunks of metal that already span the width of the car that makes the sedan what it is. Sedan people got a strut bar for free from the factory.
I can attest that they do help improve in handling over stock. I have both front and rear GT-Spec bars (Cusco replicas). They help in making the car corner more flatly and not list so much into turns, by keeping the chassis from flexing as much. I put them in all my cars, Subaru or otherwise. I'd recommend them to anyone who drives agressively.
Last edited by DomozitoLK; 08-02-2004 at 07:16 AM.
08-02-2004, 12:41 AM
#13
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Suspension braces mounted to the bottom of the car, front & rear, in addition to F&R strut tower braces, is a more thorough way to stiffen your chassis.
Cusco for instance, makes 2 different front lower braces, and they're both meant to work together.
If you want to upgrade your sway bars, to reduce body roll, get the Hotchkiss set, as they're hollow, lightweight bars.
If you have the stock STi suspension, get a set of JDM "pink" springs, as your struts are meant to have them.
This will all help your STi handle much better.
Cusco for instance, makes 2 different front lower braces, and they're both meant to work together.
If you want to upgrade your sway bars, to reduce body roll, get the Hotchkiss set, as they're hollow, lightweight bars.
If you have the stock STi suspension, get a set of JDM "pink" springs, as your struts are meant to have them.
This will all help your STi handle much better.
08-02-2004, 01:09 AM
#14
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Originally Posted by dahveed
Cusco for instance, makes 2 different front lower braces, and they're both meant to work together.
08-02-2004, 01:14 AM
#15
Dahveed aka Robin Hood
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gotcha Alex, my bad!
I used to have a Benen front lower brace, and it was like the Tanabe brace.
It connected the Subframe to the Frame rails, whereas the Cusco V2 brace connects to the ALK's.
I used to have a Benen front lower brace, and it was like the Tanabe brace.
It connected the Subframe to the Frame rails, whereas the Cusco V2 brace connects to the ALK's.