ifbiker

That's them. Make sure you note where the cut outs are in the OEM bushing, the new bushings cut outs must align to the same spot. While you have the lower control arm off the car, I'd replace the front most bushing with an STi part. The LGT bushing has two slots vertically for compliance, the STi bushing is solid and helps with steering response.

Did you give Rallispec a call, that's where I got mine. From the time I made the original post to now, there is a slight bushing tear but no where near the magnitude of the original bushing. I would also recommend replacing the front most LCA bushing with one from an STi. This will stiffen up the entire LCA mount.

Check out post 63 in this thread for pics of the bushing. There is no difference in appearance between a LGT, STi and Group N LCA bushing.

The difference between the stock bushing and the STi is a big jump considering the stock bushing has cut outs and the STi bushing is solid. Both Group N and STi are solid bushings so I suspect the difference is much smaller and less noticable which is why I went with STi over Group N. If you plan on tracking the car or some other servere duty then I would go with Group N all the way around. When you install the rear bushings be sure to mark its orientation in the LCA. The new bushing needs to be pressed in the same orientation. When you do the final torque on the front LCA bolt, do it with the car on thr ground, this way you are tightening the bolt with the LCA in its "home" position. If you torque the bolt while the car is in the air you will bind the bushing when the car is on ground.

Offset bushings will require a new alignment. The proper alignment sequence is caster, camber and toe. Usually caster isn't adjustable but in this case its has been moved so an alignment is required.

IMHO I would wait to get the Group N bushings especially if you live in a state where it snows. Poly is going to squeak and doesn't work best when loaded off axis. Most importantly be sure to replace the front bushing in the LCA. Since you will have to pull the LCA to replace the rear bushing you might as well replace the front on too. Plus you will be amazed at who compliant the stock bushing is.

I would go to the Subaru dealer and pick up the 08/09 Sti bushing. Its harder than stock but not as hard as Group N. Still better than poly.

Nice picture. Fortunately the parts guy at Dunning expects this kind of behavior and just orders it. The STi bushing is solid compared to the LGT and is worth replacing once you spent the time removing the arm. You will need a press with a lot of room so that you can position the bushing under the press. We have a fairly large press at work so it wasn't to bad to do.

Sorry, no offense. Factory being supplied by Subaru on the WRX and not being avalable in the aftermarket by Whiteline or AVO. Does it seem plausible that the reason for the spacer on the WRX is for anti lift or do you think I'm way off base? I can't really see any other reason for it as it seems the chasis and LCA mounting points are dimensionally similar.

Anti Lift Kit. They were available for the previous generation WRX through Whiteline. They are also made for GTIs as well.

"Front" Bushing Part Number 20204AG040 Self Locking Nut Part Number 902350023 If you are feeling frisky and want to try an experiment buy the 08/09 "Rear Bushing" spacer, it can't be any more than a few bucks a piece and pick up up the off set mounting plate. I believe this is a factory ALK. Other ALK kits that I have seen push the rear of the lower control arm down. I don't know the geometry behind this but its supposed to reduce pitch under acceleration. If the parts don't fit you can always take them back to the dealer.

I have the paperwork at work and I'll post the part number in the morning. The service manual recommends replacing the lock nut that secures the rear of the LCA. If you are going to buy the 08/09 STi bushing I would order 2 nuts as well.

We used a machinist's vice to start the bushing into the LCA. Our press at work has a floating head which made it impossible to start pressing the bushing squarely into the LCA. You also need to be sure you have the right size pusher and receiver tools. Subaru makes them, we used sockets which happened to be the right diameter. The first bushing we did the socket was size for size with the bushing, we pushed the bushing about 1/8 of an inch out before checking to see if the socket would pull out. It would not and we spent another hour trying to pushing the socket out. The other thing you could do is remove the LCAs and take it to a local machine shop and have them press the bushings out.

Nope. We were just playing around with the front most bushing and noticed how much you could move the inner cylinder by hand, replacing both bushings on the LCA is the way to go.