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How much improvement is Whiteline's front sway bar

1.1K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  stevenva  
#1 ·
The stabilizer bar is $300 which is kind of a joke, but there's little competition. I'm just asking others if who have one it was a night and day difference, hardly noticeable, ETC
 
owns 2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 LL Bean
#2 ·
Hardly and perhaps it even somewhat defeated the gain against understeer that I was pursuing that I got out of replacing the rear sway bar with whiteline. I'd like to say replacing the front oem with whiteline made the vehicle feel somewhat tighter (which I wasn't pursuing), but that could also be because I replaced front end links and bushings with whiteline. Getting whiteline bushings together with a rear whiteline bar is pretty much mandatory due to the difference in diameter. You might be able to use oem bushings with a front whiteline bar because there's less of a difference in diameter with the front oem bar, IDK. When I recently replaced bushings and end links, both front and rear, I continued with whiteline bushings but went back to the oem end links on the front. Never had whiteline end links on the rear.

Just the other day/week/month I was considering going back to the oem bar on the front. In hindsight, having a thinner bar on the front and leaving the rear oem in place may have served me better against understeer, which I picked up on through some youtube video made by someone in Australia, which allegedly is how they counter understeer down under, at least according to the person in the video.

As an aside, the coating on my front whiteline bar is peeling around where the end links connect, showing signs of rust, which whiteline doesn't warranty (I contacted them). The coating on the oem front (sitting in my garage), which has about as many miles as the whiteline now has, shows no signs of peeling, which is arguably not an apples-to-apples comparison.

I have BSF35Z in the front. Not sure exactly which whiteline model number is in the rear (probably BSR39Z) but it has 2 end link mounting holes (19 & 21mm iirc) per side. Both front and rear bars are mounted to the end links using the sway bars' softer mounting holes.
 
#3 ·
The youtube video I was referring to. And the tuner is not from Australia ('just' California) but around 20 minutes into the video he refers to how in Australia they would counter understeer by downsizing the front sway bar.
 
#4 ·
I've got the rear already. It does handle pretty good for a raised wagon. I'm only having oversteer on gravel roads at higher speeds.
On my prior legacy, adding the front wl bar, after I did the rear, had little impact. That was why I was asking.
But, I never drove fast on gravel roads in the legacy.
I think I'm going to pass on the front after your comments. You confirmed my suspicion. I can still lose almost anything on gravel roads when I've got the studded winter's on. I really don't need to go any faster.
 
owns 2005 Subaru Outback 3.0 LL Bean