xluben's 2011 WRX: Spec B 6 Speed and Rotated PTE 6266 by xluben

4 minute(s) of a 643 minute read

Yes, I ordered a 24mm Whiteline Front Sway bar from Import Image Racing and installed it on my car. I then noticed that the end links were at a 45 degree angle, instead of being straight up and down. After some more research I found that IIR had the wrong part number listed for the 2011 WRX, and sent me the wrong part. The bar I had was for the 08-10 WRX (non-widebody). The 2011 WRX needs the sway bar for the 08+ STI. IIR has since updated their website.

Import Image said they'd swap out the sway bar, and that they'd send me the new one once I got the wrong one off my car and it was in transit. So I took it off and shipped it back, but apparently Whiteline sold out of the last STI sway bar the day before (Import Image was just going to drop ship it), so there wasn't anything available for me! After the sway bararrived and cleared their incoming inspection I decided to just take a refund.

Then I called around to probably a dozen places and they all gave me the same story; Whiteline was out of stock and no one could get them for 8 weeks. After calling and calling I finally found ONE place that had a single Whiteline front sway bar in stock for the 08+ STI. It was a 22mm sway bar. Not what I originally wanted, but they gave it to me for a great price, and I've been very happy with it. I think it might actually give the car a more neutral feeling than the 24mm bar would have.

Now everyone has the Whiteline front sway bars back in stock, so I could try to sell my 22mm bar and get a 24mm one, but I think I'll probably just stick with what I've got. When I was on the road course I really liked how it handled, and I'd be worried that the stiffer front bar would cause the car to push through turns.

I did run the car with the stock front sway bar and upgraded rear sway bar for a while. It's not something I would recommend. I'm no expert driver, but this is how I would break things down in a highway on-ramp-type test (ie. drive around a curve at a speed that pushes the limits of traction and see how the car reacts):

• Stock front sway bar, stock rear sway bar: Car is predictible and the front slides out very easily. Classic understeer. Hard to hold speed because you're basically sliding off the road.
• Stock front sway bar, 22mm rear sway bar: Car holds together for a while, but once you push the speed up enough it will snap it's tail end out rather unpredictably. Not something I would consider safe. I never spun out or anything, but when pushed to the limits it will be very tough for an inexperienced driver to control.
• 22mm front sway bar, 22mm rear sway bar: More neutral throughout. Easier to hold speed.  Tires break loose predictably. Understeer is possible if on power during a turn, but oversteer is also possible if you really toss it in hard.

A 24mm front sway bar would probably feel similar. I really have no idea if the stiffer front sway bar would actually be faster around the track or not, but I do like how I have it set up now. I supposed I could play around the with adjustment holes on the sway bars, but I don't think I'm a good enough driver to feel the slight differences.