View Full Version : Wagon sway bar mounting?
wleehendrick
12-31-2013, 01:08 AM
Apologies if this has been discussed before...
Has anyone successfully mounted the swaybar from a wagon? Mine is from an 06 WRX wagon donor.... I got it positioned and the end links installed without problem, but the brackets have no chance of bolting up where they should (see photo). I there a documented solution? Any suggestions for brackets that will work, or should I just get a swaybar and hardware from a sedan?
24833
Thanks,
Lee
RM1SepEx
12-31-2013, 07:52 AM
Most of us have had problems with the sway bar mounting. I found that generic mounts and bushings lined up just fine. Prothane PN 19-1116 17MM Universal Sway Bar Bushing Kit Type A Bracket. The setup work was done with the stock 17mm from the sedan so it may be worth picking up a cheap, used stock sway bar and bushings, mounts. Be prepared for those to not fit either...
wleehendrick
12-31-2013, 06:20 PM
Thanks for the info Dan! The wagon bar is also 17mm, and it seems to line up fine at the frame mounting points, but the brackets are at ~45deg, and the mounting surface is flat. No way was the wagon bar taken into consideration. I'll just get new bushings/brackets and hopefully that'll do the trick.
JeromeS13
12-31-2013, 07:38 PM
My '06 sedan brackets were not flat, either. I ended up buying the aftermarket bushings/mounts.
RM1SepEx
12-31-2013, 08:18 PM
my 05 sedan were angled, 17mm, even bent flat didn't line up
some wagons are 14mm
some have angled tabs with hole on one end and a tab on the other
I'm pretty sure none are flat and line up, stock
wleehendrick
01-01-2014, 12:26 AM
I figured that the sedan must have a flat bracket and I was having issues cause the wagon donor, but it appears no stock bar will fit with donor hardware, I would think there would be mention of it in the manual, but this isn't the first discrepancy, and I'm sure wont be the last. At least it's an easy fix... I don't mind spending a few extra bucks, just wish it was documented. FFR has built a few of these things, right?
RM1SepEx
01-01-2014, 07:37 AM
yes, Tony told me that the wagon they used had the one angled, one tab, 14 mm bar setup (FFR green RHD)
Glad to see you guys are having to scratch your heads with all of the undocumented issues a bit too. I thought this was one of the easier ones though. I just put the end the bold goes through in the vise and bent it back until it fits flush. Took a couple of minutes though.
Ive struggled with several other things that I am sure you guys figured out quickly-- hope this helps.
JeromeS13
01-03-2014, 08:20 PM
Glad to see you guys are having to scratch your heads with all of the undocumented issues a bit too. I thought this was one of the easier ones though. I just put the end the bold goes through in the vise and bent it back until it fits flush. Took a couple of minutes though.
Ive struggled with several other things that I am sure you guys figured out quickly-- hope this helps.
When I did that, it opened up the bushing and it was only contacting the bar about 50% when mounted.
RM1SepEx
01-03-2014, 09:16 PM
mine were too short, couldn't line up unless you re-drilled the frame. I'm tired of messing up my powder coated frame for stuff that doesn't fit!
wleehendrick
01-03-2014, 10:30 PM
I ordered the Prothane parts Dan mentioned from Amazon, other than that, my front suspension is done... still need to clean up the steering rack and put in.
Yeah, this ones pretty minor, but when the manual says 'use the OEM hardware' (like it does a lot) and it clearly doesnt fit... grrr!
Xusia
01-03-2014, 11:30 PM
I was told that stock '02 bars were 19mm. Am I screwed? Because an OEM replacement is what I just got...
RM1SepEx
01-04-2014, 07:50 AM
some of it is more variation than they thought or expected... other stuff... I'm not sure how it happened. At least newer builders have some history of what other people did! We got there blind
Xusia
01-04-2014, 10:43 AM
What about the handling? Will a 19mm bar make the front too stiff?
wleehendrick
01-04-2014, 12:07 PM
What about the handling? Will a 19mm bar make the front too stiff?
A bigger front sway bar will shift the balance from oversteer to understeer. Having not driven my 818 yet, it's hard to say, but if it's tail-happy, this would help to tame it. It it well balanced, then it will make it it push a bit.
That happened on one for me too. In this case we were bending the entire bracket and not the tab. I used some really large channel locks that would fit around the entire bracket/u shape and made sure i was only bending the tab. Worked great!