[Josey]

Hi Forester know how I'm having a problem, I have bought a 1997 s/tb Forester recently which came with a WRX sti rear sway bar I don't know which year it came from but the endlinks were very close to the ground so I changed the bracket from the OEM Sf5 bracket to the 02WRX bracket to get more ground clearance. The problem is this, the bar is touching the spare tyre well underneath the car now that I have changed the brackets. The endlinks are pulled up a bit further which was my aim but please tell me anyone, if this will affect anything. I'm about to lower the ride so I had to get the endlinks up further for them not to be touching the ground while in the lowered process.
Pics to show the OEM bracket and the Sway bar touching the spare tyre well.

 

[Mann Engineering]

Hi Forester know how I'm having a problem, I have bought a 1997 s/tb Forester recently which came with a WRX sti rear sway bar I don't know which year it came from but the endlinks were very close to the ground so I changed the bracket from the OEM Sf5 bracket to the 02WRX bracket to get more ground clearance. The problem is this, the bar is touching the spare tyre well underneath the car now that I have changed the brackets. The endlinks are pulled up a bit further which was my aim but please tell me anyone, if this will affect anything. I'm about to lower the ride so I had to get the endlinks up further for them not to be touching the ground while in the lowered process.
Pics to show the OEM bracket and the Sway bar touching the spare tyre well.

Your endlinks are on incorrectly. they should be facing like a 'C' right side up. All you need to do is orient the endlink 90degrees forward and you should be ok.

Also, I think you would need a WRX rear swaybar and not an STI bar as the STI bars are too wide, but you will want to check with other forum members as I am not very familiar with the SF body styles.

Regards,
Gary

 

[Tau137]

Your endlinks are on incorrectly. they should be facing like a 'C' right side up. All you need to do is orient the endlink 90degrees forward and you should be ok.

Also, I think you would need a WRX rear swaybar and not an STI bar as the STI bars are too wide, but you will want to check with other forum members as I am not very familiar with the SF body styles.

Indeed, you need a 02-03 WRX sway bar, but that's for US market (i.e., might be different for other countries). However, the width seems OK in the pictures. The problem is that that the endlinks are upside down, as was pointed above.

P.S. If you keep WRX or STI (short) mounts, be aware that you may "flip" the sway bar if you catch air or go off-roading (in which case the bar will go forward or backward of the lateral links (as it is now) and may break the endlink(s) in process); if you keep stock (long) mounts, you will eventually break them, though

 

[FXTSPORTS08]

Indeed, you need a 02-03 WRX sway bar, but that's for US market (i.e., might be different for other countries). However, the width seems OK in the pictures. The problem is that that the endlinks are upside down, as was pointed above.

P.S. If you keep WRX or STI (short) mounts, be aware that you may "flip" the sway bar if you catch air or go off-roading (in which case the bar will go forward or backward of the lateral links (as it is now) and may break the endlink(s) in process); if you keep stock (long) mounts, you will eventually break them, though

I think his problem is that they have already "flipped" the end of the sway bar should be horizontal, not pointed down.

Just jack up the car so the wheels are a full droop and see if the lower and upper pivot point of the endlinks and the "arm" of the sway bar all form a straight line. If this is the case then your mounts are too short or your endlinks are too short or both!

 

[Josey]

I think his problem is that they have already "flipped" the end of the sway bar should be horizontal, not pointed down.

Just jack up the car so the wheels are a full droop and see if the lower and upper pivot point of the endlinks and the "arm" of the sway bar all form a straight line. If this is the case then your mounts are too short or your endlinks are too short or both!

Thanks guys I'll let you know how it turns out, have to work over the weekend so one day next week I'll sort things out and post the results.