I'm curious as to why, when you have a lift, you would want to add a stiffer sway bar and potentially reduce articulation? Many of us with lifts actually disconnect sway bars when we are offroading. As I say, just curious?

 

I'm not OP but I do have a larger rear sway bar of my lifted Outback.

20mm STI bar from 16mm factory size.

My thoughts are: The lift introduced some sloppiness while slaloming above 60 mph and the stiffer bar brought it closer back to factory feel and drive.

Off road capabilities aren't changed too much since VDC/X Mode cars don't suffer from diagonal spin. It's always fun party trick to have a wheel a few feet in the air and still move forward.

Of course having a wheel on the ground is better than not having a wheel on the ground. But I only measured about 2 inches more travel by disconnecting the bars.

I currently do have them disconnected for some testing and am working on a quicker way of removing them than unbolting the end link.

I've considered something like a cam lock on a bike wheel for the bolt or turning the entire end link into sort of a turnbuckle and leaving part of the end link in place.

 

I honestly think you're overblowing the whole outcome of the sway bar, and it being "unsafe". It won't make the car handle like it's on ice, it will just be slightly more susceptible to oversteer vs. understeer. If anything, being slightly better balanced with the mild increase in rear sway bar rigidity may make handling more predictable. Upgrading the front sway bar would negate any benefit of the rear sway bar that you added.

Subaru tuned the WRX and the Forester differently because they're for different purposes; one isn't "less safe" than the other. Remember, you also have ABS, TCS, and stability control to back you up. I highly, highly doubt that a 4mm increase in rear sway bar sizing is going to upset anything that much, especially with so many STi's running around without any ill handing.

 

@Brucey

Thanks, this is helpful too. What about endlink upgrades?

 

Elf,
My Fozz isn't lifted but it is a '17 XT and I have replaced my front and rear sway bars, so I have first hand experience with the handling changes. Swapping the rear bar from 16 to 20mm is a very well known and accepted change. Easy too. Onroad, your car will handle noticably better everywhere, at all speeds. It is the best $100 you can spend on a Forester.

But, that added stiffness will "slightly" limit your flex on trails and fire roads, so.... consider where you mostly want to drive. Like Kevin said, serious offroaders remove the swaybars to get the most flex possible and keep the tires on the ground. My cousin's Jeep has quick-disconnect end links so he can disconnect the sways when he gets to the trailhead, and easily re-connect them for the drive home. Best of both worlds.

My XT is all onroad driving, other than gravel or occasional construction sites (work). So mine is set up for high speed highway and all around cornering. I first did the rear bar and it was much better on the highway, and balance like it SHOULD have come from the factory. Later I put a Whiteline 22mm on the rear and a Cusco 26mm on front. Stock sizes are 24Fr/16Rr. Note that a WRX front bar won't fit - you need one specifically bent for the Forester. The rears are universal fit (WRX, Fozz, Outback, Impreza, etc).

Don't go bigger than 20 in the rear without upgrading the front at the same time. 20mm rear is perfect if the front is left alone. 22mm rear with stock front makes the car SCARY responsive to steering inputs. Fun on country or city roads, but white knuckle on the highway. Putting the 26 on front balanced that out nicely, and my car stays flat changing lanes over 100mph. But, it's stiff, which isn't good for uneven roads. On hard corners at speed I'll "skip" sideways if the road is washboardy.

In short, put the 20mm bar on back and your car will be safer and more comfortable on the highway. Leave everything else alone.

 

If you're worried about safety above all else, ditch the Mall Crawler lift and go back to factory height. That will remove the largest amount of risk above all else, and probably net you some fuel mileage return as well. Right out the door, Fozzy models are plenty capable for light offroad adventures.

 

Yeah, hear you on that one. I might end up doing that given the lift that I have isn't sitting like I want it to atm.

 

^ agree

 

@elfnumber1 no need to upgrade your endlinks, unless you're installing much heavier sway bars.

This happened to my stock front endlink! Front passenger side endlink failure! :icon_eek:

Bobby...

['07 FSXT MODding Journal] ['03 X MODding Journal]

 

I recently swapped my rear sway bar from the stock 16mm to a 19mm. Mostly on road use vehicle.
I got to say that it is a measurable improvement.
Moving down the highway feels more controlled and cornering has improved.
I would recommend the 19mm.
As others have posted it is one of the best $100.00 you can spend on the car. kept the original endlinks. (great shape). Only 9K on the clock.

 

Thanks for the end links recommendation @Maxwedge I did not find Forester specific end links on their site but found these. Is this what you used?


https://swayaway.com/product/rear-endlinks-2015-2017-subaru-wrxsti/

 

Yep, those are the ones Jack. The front links have the "spacers" offset left and right so you don't need to get additional washers/spacers like you do with the typical dogbones.

 

If you look at the Pics of the sway bar upgrade it looks like they used the stock end links. Just saying.

 

Thanks @Maxwedge ! I upgraded our 17XT Touring rear sway bar to a 19MM Subaru STI version. Going to keep an eye on the stock end links and replace if and when needed by the Sway-a-Ways

 

Thanks @Maxwedge ! I upgraded our 17XT Touring rear sway bar to a 19MM Subaru STI version. Going to keep an eye on the stock end links and replace if and when needed by the Sway-a-Ways

 

End links= waste of money

 

I guess I will give a shout out for Energy Suspension greasable poly bushings. Many sizes available at most FLAPS you will find locally. OR they can order the ID you need.

 

I installed 20mm swaybar on my 16 premium(ebay kit, subaru parts). 52K.
I also had to replace front passenger control arm(bushing went bad, moog) and the sway bar link.
Everything was torqued while on the ground(on wheels)

In any case I drove it for a few miles and then had to get in reverse. Car made loud pop knock noise from the rear.
It was really damn loud.
Went for a drive for about 60 miles afterwards , twisty back roads and hwy as well. No more noise, handles better.
But still a boat compare to my 10 x3.

 

@Art666 How's the rear end wobble when driving over a bad road? I'm thinking of installed a 19mm RSB in my '15 Forester, in hopes that it'll decrease the wobble I get when I drive on bad roads.

 

I just upgraded my rear sway bar to the 20mm. I have to say that there is noticeable improvement at highway speeds and regular cornering (from a DD perspective). It is one of the upgrades that I have done so far. Traveling at highway speed with a rooftop carrier with the stock rsb felt dicey at times but with the beefier rsb, the car is less prone to crosswinds and feels less top heavy. Normal driving on windy roads also seems improved because the cars corners more balanced. I didn’t upgrade the end links. They seem to be fine the way they are for now.

Parts that I used are in the link.

Subaru Parts & Accessories | Subaru Online Parts

Buy discounted Subaru parts from SubaruOnlineParts.com. We offer only genuine Subaru performace parts & accessories for your Subaru vehicle. Shop now!

subaruonlineparts.com

 

I just installed the STI’s 20mm. I can’t feel the difference to be honest. I’m not sure why. Myb I have to drive faster and more aggressively. I drive pretty aggressive I should say. I live in a city that’s quite congested so perhaps I need to bring this car out on a highway. At what speed would you guys say it becomes noticeable?