20mm US STi rear sway bar retrofit

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:16 PM

This is to swap the rear OEM 17mm sway bar and mounts on an 04 Forester XT with the US Impreza STi's 20mm bar. I suppose you can skip the mounts but the STi mounts appear a lot stronger.

Parts needed:

1@ 20451FE100 Sti 20mm rear sway bar
2@ 20466FE000 Bushing bracket (U shaped clamp)
1@ 20540FE200 Right STi mount
1@ 20540FE210 Left STi mount
2@ 20464AE050 STi bushing
2@ 902350013 Nuts

I got the bar from Lisa W. at Subaru of Gwinnett 800 584-8727

The mounting hardware came from Jamie (aka Subie Gal) 800.962.0822

Note: For this mod you must have the wheels with the full weight of the car on them. If you don't do this there will be force and weight on the sway bar and you can get hurt taking it off.

Tools:

Ramps - To make it easier to do the work.
Eye Protection - Lots of dirt under the car to get in your eyes
12 mm socket - for mounting brackets and bushing clamp
~10" extension - For socket to remove mounting brackets
14mm deep socket and wrench - for end link nuts
10mm open end - Remove nut that holds filler shroud
Phillips screw driver - Loosen hose clamp on Evap. Canister
Scissors or razor knife - To shorten evap. hose a little.

The removal and install of the bar is not too difficult and the pics walk you through it.

Get the car on ramps.

Take off the OEM Bar. I removed the 14mm end link nuts on each side first. I got lucky and the stud did not spin when I took the nuts off. But if it does, you can hold the back side of the stud to prevent that from happening. See pics for more detail. After the links are loose remove the bushing clamps on the mounting bracket. These are 12mm bolts (save the bolts you'll need to re-use them on the new mount) After you take one off and get to the second one make sure you or a helper is holding the bar so when the bar is loose it dosen't conk you on the head.

The bar needs to be turned a little to get it over the exhaust.

Now remove the mounting brackets. The left side is easy to get to with a 12mm socket on the end of a long extension. The right side is a little tricky to get to the mount. The two bolts you need to remove are tucked up in there. The front bolt is easier to get to if you move the filler neck shroud aside by taking one 10mm nut off and moving the shroud to one side. The back bolt is close to the Evap canister so you'll need to use an open end. Here a gear wrench really helps. Don't forget to put the shroud back in place with the 10mm nut.

Now install the new mounts, each mount has orientation marks that show which side and direction they need to face.

Install the bushings and clamps on the STi bar. You'll see some yellow paint marks that help you locate the bushings (see pics) the clamps also have arrows on them to show which way goes toward the front of the vehicle. Position the bar in place, it's a bit of a puzzle getting the bar over the exhaust. I had to twist it around some but it will go. Get the clamp nuts and bolts on each mounting bracket. don't tighten them down yet It's easier w/ a helper to hold the bar but doable by yourself. Get the end links on and tighten the nuts. Now get the bar centered, look at each side by the end links and compare how things line up. If you need to slide the bar right and left to even things out. After you do that tighten the nut and bolt on each bushing clamp.

You are almost done but there is one thing you really should do. There is hose on the evap. canister (see pics) that is too close to the bar. Just undo the hose clamp and take the hose off (nothing will come out of the hose) and just take a little off the end and re-install it. That will give more clearance between the bar and hose.

That's it you are done.

Peaty 1/17/04

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:17 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:18 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:18 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:19 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:20 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:22 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:25 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:26 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:27 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:27 PM

Notice the mount goes under the evap canister bracket not on top of it.

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:31 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:33 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:34 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:35 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:36 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:36 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:37 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:38 PM

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:39 PM

20..................

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:40 PM

Some mounting hardware compares I forgot to put at the top

Peaty · 01-17-2004, 12:40 PM

Peaty · 09-17-2004, 09:05 PM

Info from Jamie (aka SubieGal)

Hi guys...

RE: the 20mm rear sway bar bolt on for Forester

as you may know some of you are on that "borderline" production date and may not know what model year impreza 20mm sway bar is the right one for your particular Forester Model

how do you know what 20mm sway bar to buy for your Forester?
doh! finally figured out the EASY way to tell

Measure the bar end to end!

approx:

44.5" = 2004 STi 20mm rear sway bar

42.7" = 20mm WRX or FHI rear sway bar

this should make ordering the correct bar a much simpler task!
hope this helps!!
cheers
Jamie
_________________
www.subiegalracing.com

Peaty · 02-11-2005, 11:50 AM

Along with the bar I suggest doing this too:

http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4214

Peaty · 02-25-2005, 11:50 AM

Please note the 2004 WRX STi rear sway bar is 20mm. For 2005 I understand but have not confirmed that they have increased the diameter to 22mm. A larger bar will increase the likelihood of the bar flipping (see link above for description of that) and there have been reports of the lower tab that holds the end link to the lateral link snapping with the 20mm (and aggressive driving) Mine has been fine so far. I would like to upgrade to the 20mm bar myself but not till I figure out a way to make the connection to the lateral link stronger. Just a heads up.

Peaty

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