2006 2.5i -- endlink / swaybar question

Hi all. I think I've searched exhaustively without finding a good answer to this question, so hoping maybe someone can advise me.

I have a 2006 2.5i Legacy wagon (stock, non-GT, non-SpecB, just boring vanilla) to which I'd like to add the nice Rallitek F/R swaybar kit. Everything I've read on this foum says not to upgrade the swaybars without also upgrading to stronger aftermarket endlinks. But, Rallitek doesn't sell any after-market endlinks to fit a stock 2.5i (I just called and confirmed this), and I can't find anyone (AVO, Kartboy, etc.) who does.

The folks at Rallitek advised just using the stock endlinks with their swaybars, but I'm skeptical. Has anyone done this? Or has anyone with a vehicle same as mine found after-market endlinks that fit? Thanks for any advice!

I can say with complete confidence that the rear endlinks are the same and are totally compatible with GT endlinks, aftermarket or not.

I've never read anything about the fronts being different either, but I know the GT/2.5i sways are shaped differently up there. Nevertheless, endlinks aren't that complicated, and I don't think they're different lengths.

You could also just get the rallitek bars and not worry about your factory links. IF one breaks, you could replace it then, but the rallitek bars aren't extremely aggressive - you'll probably be fine on stock links.

I can say with complete confidence that the rear endlinks are the same and are totally compatible with GT endlinks, aftermarket or not.

 

I've never read anything about the fronts being different either, but I know the GT/2.5i sways are shaped differently up there. Nevertheless, endlinks aren't that complicated, and I don't think they're different lengths.

 

You could also just get the rallitek bars and not worry about your factory links. IF one breaks, you could replace it then, but the rallitek bars aren't extremely aggressive - you'll probably be fine on stock links.

Co-signed. I bought the Cusco RSB off a LGT owner and installed it on my 2.5i wagon using the stock endlinks. DO buy a rear swaybar reinforcement kit like the AVO or Perrin kit though.

I have Rallitek's 19mm RSB and Avo links (one stock link went bad, so I replaced with AVO).

At our power levels, you don't need reinforced brackets.

I have had my rear on for 3 years and no issues with endlinks.

Put your bracket money elsewhere.

O.

Co-signed. I bought the Cusco RSB off a LGT owner and installed it on my 2.5i wagon using the stock endlinks. DO buy a rear swaybar reinforcement kit like the AVO or Perrin kit though.

NOPE, unless ur car's going to see the track, nope, you dont need to

Power level has nothing to do with the need for the reinforcement bracket. Its all about how hard you push it through turns. If you're doing a lot of autocrossing or aggressive street driving, it would be in your best interest to get the reinforcement brackets.

I can tell you right now from personal experience that they're a pain in the ass to put on after the fact unless you take the whole sway bar down and basically reinstall it. You have to do a lot of muscling and playing around to get them to fit with just the brackets loosened and the endlinks still tightened down. So if you're on the fence about the brackets, which are only like $80, go ahead and get them or be prepared to completely reinstall the bar at a later point in time.

I believe Subietonic never put on any bracket and has been using his stock endlinks for at least couple years w/o any so call "breaking"

and I followed his path

NOPE, unless ur car's going to see the track, nope, you dont need to

That has everything to do with how you drive on the street, not whether you go to the track or not. I'm happy for the guy who skipped the brackets and hasn't had anything break (yet), and I hope you have the same luck. For the $80 they cost, it's cheap insurance IMO.

And your power level has ZERO to do with your rear swaybar and whether you need reinforcement brackets or not.

That has everything to do with how you drive on the street, not whether you go to the track or not. I'm happy for the guy who skipped the brackets and hasn't had anything break (yet), and I hope you have the same luck. For the $80 they cost, it's cheap insurance IMO.

 

And your power level has ZERO to do with your rear swaybar and whether you need reinforcement brackets or not.

did I mention anything about the powahh??

TRACKING means INTENSIVE CORNERING, for daily driving, nah, waste of $ and effort

if you learned bout steel like I did, you will be amazed by how much load they can take lol

It was osei that mention power levels, not you boymk.

The consensus is that there is no consensus on whether or not to get the reinforcement brackets. If you have the extra $80 to spend and track the car or drive aggressively on the street, go ahead and get them. If its just to stiffen up the daily commute, probably not a big deal. But if you're a worrier $80 is pretty cheap insurance against warping the mounting brackets or even the subframe.

I have talked to two different guys that have done $400-500 worth of subframe damage via a beefed up rsb and no reinforcement bracket. But they were both auto-xing with 25mm rears. A 19mm rallitek bar on a DD probably won't need them.

did I mention anything about the powahh??

 

TRACKING means INTENSIVE CORNERING, for daily driving, nah, waste of $ and effort

 

if you learned bout steel like I did, you will be amazed by how much load they can take lol

Have you seen the mounting point in question, and taken in just how flimsy it is? If you push your car on off ramps, etc, it can easily see the kinds of loads needed to trash those mounting points. Get it or don't, I don't care, but careful about what you tell others to do.

Hi all. I think I've searched exhaustively without finding a good answer to this question, so hoping maybe someone can advise me.

 

I have a 2006 2.5i Legacy wagon (stock, non-GT, non-SpecB, just boring vanilla) to which I'd like to add the nice Rallitek F/R swaybar kit. Everything I've read on this foum says not to upgrade the swaybars without also upgrading to stronger aftermarket endlinks. But, Rallitek doesn't sell any after-market endlinks to fit a stock 2.5i (I just called and confirmed this), and I can't find anyone (AVO, Kartboy, etc.) who does.

 

The folks at Rallitek advised just using the stock endlinks with their swaybars, but I'm skeptical. Has anyone done this? Or has anyone with a vehicle same as mine found after-market endlinks that fit? Thanks for any advice!

As already mentioned by other posters, everything that fits the Legacy GT fits the 2.5i sedan, wagon, and outback. I've got a 2007 Outback 2.5i, so can personally confirm this after having fit all the parts.

The common issue with finding parts for the 2.5i is all the listings are for Legacy GT, so it's assumed that they won't fit a 2.5i. Even my own website is at fault for that, I need to update it - will get that done today.

Regards,

Paul Hansen

http://www.avoturboworld.com

It was osei that mention power levels, not you boymk.

 

The consensus is that there is no consensus on whether or not to get the reinforcement brackets. If you have the extra $80 to spend and track the car or drive aggressively on the street, go ahead and get them. If its just to stiffen up the daily commute, probably not a big deal. But if you're a worrier $80 is pretty cheap insurance against warping the mounting brackets or even the subframe.

 

I have talked to two different guys that have done $400-500 worth of subframe damage via a beefed up rsb and no reinforcement bracket. But they were both auto-xing with 25mm rears. A 19mm rallitek bar on a DD probably won't need them.

that was my point,

You don't need to be "mad track racing" to break the stock rear mounting points with an upgraded bar. I'll not comment on the legality of such driving, but some people are fairly aggressive on the street.

Even if you don't break the rear mounts, you can easily bend and warp them - most of the issues with fitting rear bracket reinforcements have to do with the stock mounts already being bent. And if they are being bent, that means they are flexing under load. And since the job of the swaybar is to resist the flex under load - then you are losing that much percentage of operation with your bigger swaybar, because while it may be flexing less, your mounts are taking up that slack and flexing instead.

And honestly - if it's really a DD that *only* commutes, why would a person be upgrading their rear swaybar and endlinks?

Regards,

Paul Hansen

http://www.avoturboworld.com

Here's a quote from another member who does not autocross or track his car, TSi+WRX:

^ Like the above two brothers have said - yes, yes, and yes.

 

Believe me, addison, if the typically sedate driving I do can bend one, nearly to the point of breaking, after some 5 years of driving, anyone can and will do the same, eventually.

 

Yes, I was on the stock rear bar.

 

And trust me when I say that you want to get this addressed *BEFORE* anything happens to that mount.

 

It took me literally 10 times as long to put in the reinforcements on my damaged side than it did on the side with no damage.

 

What took me 10 minutes to do on the un-damaged side, to fit *BOTH* the Perrin and the AVO reinforcements onto that area, took me well over an hour and a half, on the side that suffered damage (mount was bent and half-way torn through - remember, metal never really goes back to the shape it was, once that limit has been exceeded, so I had to get creative, and "creative" takes time).

 

I put my front bar in in less than a half-hour.

 

I'm almost certain that I could've put in both reinforcements on the rear of the vehicle and popped in the bar, including taking off and putting back on the rear section of my CBE, in well less than an hour, had nothing been damaged.

 

Do this before you *need* to do this, addison. It's money well spent.

No particular reason at all - just wanted to be extra-beefy. I've read some past posts where others have the same kind of "doubled" setup (the brands/manufacturers vary), and I thought "heck, why not."

 

Like I said, I'm a really sedate driver, and I don't engage in any autosports, so this is purely overkill.

 

The consensus, from all the threads that I read (and believe me, I read nearly *all* of them ) is that either one or the other is more than capable of doing the necessary job - and that the AVO is the preferred item.

Both from this thread:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/stout-mounts-139427.html?t=139427&highlight=reinforcement+brackets

ok, after reading that thread, I ordered a pair of the brackets,

edit:

found a even cheaper insurance here: http://www.fredbeansparts.com/index.php/suspension-parts/progress-subaru-legacy-gt-rear-sway-bar-reinforcement-brackets.html

but I +1 for the AVO for the look

You've finally seen the light

Now, I wonder where the OP has been...

You've finally seen the light

 

 

 

Now, I wonder where the OP has been...

I can say my street driving is fairly aggressive, I like to push the car to the limit at every corner

so thanks for freaking me out and making me waste my money again (j/k)

but your avatar looks convincing lol

ok, after reading that thread, I ordered a pair of the brackets,

 

edit:

 

found a even cheaper insurance here: http://www.fredbeansparts.com/index.php/suspension-parts/progress-subaru-legacy-gt-rear-sway-bar-reinforcement-brackets.html

but I +1 for the AVO for the look

Doing the install will really drive home how needed those brackets are, it is some flimsy-ass metal that is expected to deal with the forces related to bodyroll, they need some help.

Doing the install will really drive home how needed those brackets are, it is some flimsy-ass metal that is expected to deal with the forces related to bodyroll, they need some help.

true, I crawled down under my car last night to get the feeling of the mounts,

and I didn't feel quite good, they are just a plain sheet of metal, dunno if they are carbon alloy steel? the massive torsional shear stress from the after market sb will tear that thing apart...

So yea, I got the damn brackets on its way home,

now the bolts worry me!! is there any better bolts??

where is the OP?

true, I crawled down under my car last night to get the feeling of the mounts,

 

and I didn't feel quite good, they are just a plain sheet of metal, dunno if they are carbon alloy steel? the massive torsional shear stress from the after market sb will tear that thing apart...

 

So yea, I got the damn brackets on its way home,

 

now the bolts worry me!! is there any better bolts??

 

where is the OP?

which bolts? the 2 12mm sway bar bracket bolts are fine, keep them.