Cusco Sway Bars

[astrae]

Hi,

I've seen some Cusco Sway bars advertised which will fit my BL5 Legacy GT Spec.B.

They are a 23mm Front and 21mm Rear.

My legacy has factory bilstein suspension. I'm looking at reducing the body roll the car suffers from.

Will this be a good upgrade? Are a 23mm Front and 21mm Rear about right?

cheers

[smokn4]

should notice some improvement on your current handling, as for sizes ??

[Guest]

Yes, they are definitely worth getting. That sizing will work well as you won't want to go much bigger with the OEM struts/springs.

Go for it, you won't regret getting them.

[8e4r]

 astrae said:

Hi,

I've seen some Cusco Sway bars advertised which will fit my BL5 Legacy GT Spec.B.

They are a 23mm Front and 21mm Rear.

My legacy has factory bilstein suspension. I'm looking at reducing the body roll the car suffers from.

Will this be a good upgrade? Are a 23mm Front and 21mm Rear about right?

cheers

Genearl rule of thumb: Increasing front anti roll bar diameter = increase in understeer and increasing rear anti roll bar diameter = increase in oversteer.

You will most likely find with this 23mm F and 21mm R setup that it will induce even more understeer than you currently get. Factory setup on a Subaru is predominantly understeer so by increasing the front anti roll bar to an even larger diamter will mean more understeer!

You might want to try leaving the front standard and get a slightly larger diameter rear anti roll bar (or even an adjustable one so you can fine tune it to your liking) which will reduce the understeer and provide (should ) better overall balance. Though increasing the size of both roll bars will result in a "firmer" driving feel.

One more thing, the linkages and bushes should also be looked at as they play a major role in improving handling as well.

[astrae]

Thanks 8e4r

I did wonder about the larger front bar as every other set I've seen had a larger rear bar vs front.

I think I might leave it and save some cash

[Guest]

Hey 8e4r,

Just out of interest, what diameter bars/bar settings have you run previously on your STi?

[Guest]

Hey guys,so if I'm running a 22mm adjustable on the rear what sort of size should I go up front?

[funkytown]

 250T said:

Hey guys,so if I'm running a 22mm adjustable on the rear what sort of size should I go up front?

that totally depends mate, what other bits are you running, what are you trying to acheive over all?

[Guest]

 astrae said:

Hi,

I've seen some Cusco Sway bars advertised which will fit my BL5 Legacy GT Spec.B.

They are a 23mm Front and 21mm Rear.

My legacy has factory bilstein suspension. I'm looking at reducing the body roll the car suffers from.

Will this be a good upgrade? Are a 23mm Front and 21mm Rear about right?

cheers

Its hard to say as with that car you have a rear multi link suspension which is different from most of the older subs. So the sizing of the bars will be different.

What i suggest you do is measure your existing bars to see what the difference is.

In the real world increasing the front bar increases front grip

[Guest]

Hey funky,I just need to be able to stick to the hills like sh*t to a blanket,I push her as much as I can aye. At the mo I've only got the KYBs with lowered springs and front strut brace but got the Whiteline 22mm coming (my factory rear sway is 14mm) and the rear composite linkage. I don't even know what coilovers to look into-one of my mates has Teins and hates them and Bilsteins are a bit out of my reach...so any suggestions would be most welcome mate

[astrae]

I've had a look at the whiteline site.

Interestingly enough whitelines front swaybars are also larger in the front then the rear. With both Cusco and Whiteline having larger fronts, does this mean the car is best suited this way?

Whiteline do a 22mm front and 20mm rear for the BL legacy.

[Guest]

 astrae said:

I've had a look at the whiteline site.

Interestingly enough whitelines front swaybars are also larger in the front then the rear. With both Cusco and Whiteline having larger fronts, does this mean the car is best suited this way?

yep

[Guest]

 250T said:

Hey funky,I just need to be able to stick to the hills like sh*t to a blanket,I push her as much as I can aye. At the mo I've only got the KYBs with lowered springs and front strut brace but got the Whiteline 22mm coming (my factory rear sway is 14mm) and the rear composite linkage. I don't even know what coilovers to look into-one of my mates has Teins and hates them and Bilsteins are a bit out of my reach...so any suggestions would be most welcome mate

If your not tracking the car more than 75% of the time don't go down the coilover route. You'll regret it, I sure did.

A big majority of cars you see around running coilovers are on cheaper ones which lack proper dampening and travel. (BC, Megan, Ksport, Tein, etc..) Even if you can stand the shitty ride, a strut/spring combo that costs similar will perform better on the street. So unless its basically a track car that is street legal and you want to spend $$$ stick with strut/spring setup.

As for swaybar sizing definitely try to get something adjustable for the front. By the looks of your avatar you have a BD?? The Whiteline site is all buggered up for me so I can see what sizes they offer but something like a 22mm Adj. would be ideal.

[Guest keltik]

Standard BHE H6 setup is a 21mm front and a 17mm rear. That car has a beautiful cornering balance. Rolls like hell but will step the tail out with ease.

[BC5RA]

 stance']

[quote name='250T said:

Hey funky,I just need to be able to stick to the hills like sh*t to a blanket,I push her as much as I can aye. At the mo I've only got the KYBs with lowered springs and front strut brace but got the Whiteline 22mm coming (my factory rear sway is 14mm) and the rear composite linkage. I don't even know what coilovers to look into-one of my mates has Teins and hates them and Bilsteins are a bit out of my reach...so any suggestions would be most welcome mate

/quote]

If your not tracking the car more than 75% of the time don't go down the coilover route. You'll regret it, I sure did.

A big majority of cars you see around running coilovers are on cheaper ones which lack proper dampening and travel. (BC, Megan, Ksport, Tein, etc..) Even if you can stand the ****ty ride, a strut/spring combo that costs similar will perform better on the street. So unless its basically a track car that is street legal and you want to spend $$$ stick with strut/spring setup.

As for swaybar sizing definitely try to get something adjustable for the front. By the looks of your avatar you have a BD?? The Whiteline site is all buggered up for me so I can see what sizes they offer but something like a 22mm Adj. would be ideal.

Tein (and I'm not just saying this because I run them in my own car) are not considered cheap, or to be compared to the new wave of cut price coil over suspension that you have miserably tried to name.

They are a Japanese suspension specific manufacturer, and their gear is very high quality.

[WRXER]

+1 to above, I run teins on the track and I would rate them highly personally.

[Guest]

Thanks guys,awesome advice and I really,really appreciate it!! So who does a decent shock (don't really want to go down the KYB or Monroe path)

[dubbedup]

 BC5RA']

[quote name='250T said:

Hey funky,I just need to be able to stick to the hills like sh*t to a blanket,I push her as much as I can aye. At the mo I've only got the KYBs with lowered springs and front strut brace but got the Whiteline 22mm coming (my factory rear sway is 14mm) and the rear composite linkage. I don't even know what coilovers to look into-one of my mates has Teins and hates them and Bilsteins are a bit out of my reach...so any suggestions would be most welcome mate

/quote]

If your not tracking the car more than 75% of the time don't go down the coilover route. You'll regret it, I sure did.

A big majority of cars you see around running coilovers are on cheaper ones which lack proper dampening and travel. (BC, Megan, Ksport, Tein, etc..) Even if you can stand the ****ty ride, a strut/spring combo that costs similar will perform better on the street. So unless its basically a track car that is street legal and you want to spend $$$ stick with strut/spring setup.

As for swaybar sizing definitely try to get something adjustable for the front. By the looks of your avatar you have a BD?? The Whiteline site is all buggered up for me so I can see what sizes they offer but something like a 22mm Adj. would be ideal.

Tein (and I'm not just saying this because I run them in my own car) are not considered cheap, or to be compared to the new wave of cut price coil over suspension that you have miserably tried to name.

They are a Japanese suspension specific manufacturer, and their gear is very high quality.

I also agree with this statement! very nice to drive on a tein coilovers than a set of HKS or similar.

[Guest]

Didn’t really want to say because I believe it will start a war but, KW Variant 2 or 3 Coilovers for me far superior then the tein coilovers IMO, your subaru will thank you come track day, EDIT Forgot to mention they are an everyday driving coil over as well

[Guest]

 BC5RA said:

Tein (and I'm not just saying this because I run them in my own car) are not considered cheap, or to be compared to the new wave of cut price coil over suspension that you have miserably tried to name.

They are a Japanese suspension specific manufacturer, and their gear is very high quality.

You're right I meant specifically the lower range of Tein coilovers are included in that group - Basic's, Super Street's and Flex's (which are also the most commonly used). I haven't had experience with higher end systems from Tein but I personally have run Flex's for over a year and overall I am disappointed with them.

The lack of travel (especially droop in the rear) is my main issue with them but the valving isn't great either. The build quality is good but the painted finish is a joke. These are coilovers that are advertised as something that will function on the street and track and they don't really deliver on either. The lack of travel and harsh dampening lets them down on the street and the spring rates aren't aggressive enough for the track.

What other suspension have you run to compare it too? What makes you so happy with yours?

[Guest]

 WiLd02StI said:

Didn’t really want to say because I believe it will start a war but, KW Variant 2 or 3 Coilovers for me far superior then the tein coilovers IMO, your subaru will thank you come track day, EDIT Forgot to mention they are an everyday driving coil over as well

^Have a drive on a set of KW's and you'll see what a proper performing coilover is.

[Guest]

Precisely

[Simon C]

Zerosports on mine. Daily driven, predictable and balanced on the track

[BC5RA]

 stance said:

You're right I meant specifically the lower range of Tein coilovers are included in that group - Basic's, Super Street's and Flex's (which are also the most commonly used). I haven't had experience with higher end systems from Tein but I personally have run Flex's for over a year and overall I am disappointed with them.

The lack of travel (especially droop in the rear) is my main issue with them but the valving isn't great either. The build quality is good but the painted finish is a joke. These are coilovers that are advertised as something that will function on the street and track and they don't really deliver on either. The lack of travel and harsh dampening lets them down on the street and the spring rates aren't aggressive enough for the track.

What other suspension have you run to compare it too? What makes you so happy with yours?

I have had 2 sets of Teins, the first were Type HA's and the current set are Super Streets with adjustable camber tops and pillowballs all round.

What makes me happy with them?

The current set has seen duty in two cars consecutively; overall covering about 80,000km's without any failure, I don't track the car and so find the spring rates more than adequate for road use and not at all harsh, I would say reliability is the main reason.

Interesting that your opinion is one of a (I guess) a few; I have never heard anybody say that they are unhappy with any of Teins products.

I've not needed to compare them to anything because (as stated) they have never needed replacing, I can say that I have driven many different Subaru's equipped with HKS Hipermax, JIC, Bilstein as well as Ksport's, besides various stock type Macpherson strut setups with supporting suspension modifications, that would be the only comparison I could confidently speak of.

To be able to say whether they are better/different or worse than the Tein's in my own vehicle would require a bunch of Bull****; Besides the spring rates on a few of the sets being rated too high for the road, I can't say.

After saying all of this, when the time comes for a replacement, I would do my research accordingly and not limit myself to the one brand.

Were your Flex's new?

[Munkvy]

BC5RA - have you had any problems with rust on your Teins? As that seems to be a common issue with them (Ive got it on mine).

Also I have now busted 3 of my Teins. However events like gravel autocrosses and cutting corners at sealed sprints etc means they do get a hard life in my car. I litterally had one of my front ones start spewing oil all through the guard last weekend.