Front Lower Control Arm rear bushing mount.

[freds]

Have I got this wrong?

On the 818 the higher mounting "pad" is on the wheel side. On the sedan it is on the engine side.

If it is reversed....any opinions on if it will be easier to reverse the bushing (with one nut, which can be a bear) or the mounting steel support with two bolts (into the aluminum on an 06). I'm in favor of the one nut approach.

[longislandwrx]

I would remove the one nut and press out the bolt from the bushing... the other two bolts are factory torqued and have a thread locker most likely... not worth breaking that if you don't have to.

[BrandonDrums]

Have I got this wrong?

On the 818 the higher mounting "pad" is on the wheel side. On the sedan it is on the engine side.

If it is reversed....any opinions on if it will be easier to reverse the bushing (with one nut, which can be a bear) or the mounting steel support with two bolts (into the aluminum on an 06). I'm in favor of the one nut approach.

If I'm understanding your question correctly: YES, the 818 has the mounting reversed for the front control arm's rear bushing from what I can tell. You're also correct, it's far easier just to swap left to right than try to press those suckers out. The stock bushings aren't solid but have fluid in them to reduce NVH. You can press them out but you need a good press with a set of press cups with one the right size to avoid putting pressure on the rubber portion of the bushing and cracking them.

If you want to upgrade the bushings to harder energy suspension ones, for instance (http://www.carid.com/2002-subaru-wrx-suspension-systems/item-1466692.html?CAWELAID=1771763748&nid=PLA&%22cagpspn=pla%22&gclid=CKnD-4PBkLYCFc1QOgodCEMAfQ) which are far cheaper than buying new OEM bushings which come in new housings, you can actually get the old ones out by burning the old rubber bushings (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153365) out then hack-sawing the metal retainer so it comes out if you didn't want to spend the 15 bucks a piece to take it to a machine shop. Then the new energy suspension bushings slide right in.

Also, that retainer nut isn't that hard to get off with the right tools or at least some ingenuity with a hydraulic jack. If you have the box wrench in the right size, I think it's 22mm or at least a decent adjustable wrench .you can break the thread locker while it's still on the car by using the car jack to turn the wrench and break through the thread lock goop. Or you can clamp the control arm once it's out of the car and torque it off on the bench with a breaker bar (you need a good clamp and be careful not to damage the arm) or with an impact gun. It's only the thread locker that's the PITA.

Lastly, people might chime in asking about anti-lift kits and castor kits. Don't get them for the 818 because the suspension geometry is actually completely different since the 818 will have a fully adjustable upper control arm which allows you to dial in camber and castor and the chassis mounting points on the 818 will likely tilt the lower control arm to a better angle.

On the 818 - Wheel side mount high
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af89/BrandondrumsWRX/2013-03-22_0949_zpsf4167b00.png

On the WRX - Wheel side mount low
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rNSi5pkCVDI/Tp9nxH8IxKI/AAAAAAAAN-8/9PtR-cp7CD8/s640/DSC_2225.jpg

[freds]

The nuts were tight, but not a problem. The bushings were tight on their spindles, but not a problem either.
As you see in the photographs the spindles are stepped.

Spindle
16297

So you cannot just take say the RH bushing assembly and reverse it for 818 use.
You have to swap the bushing assembly from the original LH LCA to the RH LCA....and visa versa. No problem since you have them both loose anyway.

WRX configuration
16298

818 Configuration
16299

[longislandwrx]

thanks for catching this... just one more thing I can do before the kit comes.