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Old 02-14-2008, 02:47 PM   #1
Skin Irritant
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Default Front and rear upper strut bars.

Just a quick question...

Do they make that much of a difference?? I have heard that they stop front and back glas squeak (never had that to begin with) but what I want to know is if they really reduce body roll that much??
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Old 02-14-2008, 02:58 PM   #2
stimko68
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There has been much debate over this topic, and everyone will tell you something different. The general consensus (from what I have read, anyways) is that a rear strut brace is worth the money and will give you increased handling performance, however the front strut brace does little and is not that noticeable. The idea is that these strut tower braces are supposed to reduce the amount of body flex which occurs when cornering agressively, but many argue that the front of the Impreza is stiff enough and does not require extra support. I can speak from experience that a front strut brace did not give me a noticeable increase in handling, but I cannot comment on the rear brace since I've never owned one.

If you want to significantly increase your car's handling performance then invest in some sway bars. They go underneath your car and WILL make a noticeable difference. There are many brands, but the most popular ones seem to be Cobb and Whiteline. I owned the Cobb swaybars and they were one of the best bangs for the buck IMO. If you do choose to buy sway bars then invest in the aftermarket endlinks as well because the stock ones are not designed for the increased stiffness of aftermarket sway bars.
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Old 02-14-2008, 03:01 PM   #3
Mechie3
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Do other suspension work first, then get these. They're a piece of the puzzle, but a smaller piece that will show more benefits when the rest of your suspension is stiffened up.
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Old 02-14-2008, 03:06 PM   #4
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i noticed a slight difference with the rear strut brace. the rear definitely feels like it comes around better. i have the el-cheapo ebay strut braces and i felt a difference with them.

there are far better options to start with though.
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Old 02-14-2008, 03:07 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stimko68 View Post
There has been much debate over this topic, and everyone will tell you something different. The general consensus (from what I have read, anyways) is that a rear strut brace is worth the money and will give you increased handling performance, however the front strut brace does little and is not that noticeable. The idea is that these strut tower braces are supposed to reduce the amount of body flex which occurs when cornering agressively, but many argue that the front of the Impreza is stiff enough and does not require extra support. I can speak from experience that a front strut brace did not give me a noticeable increase in handling, but I cannot comment on the rear brace since I've never owned one.

If you want to significantly increase your car's handling performance then invest in some sway bars. They go underneath your car and WILL make a noticeable difference. There are many brands, but the most popular ones seem to be Cobb and Whiteline. I owned the Cobb swaybars and they were one of the best bangs for the buck IMO. If you do choose to buy sway bars then invest in the aftermarket endlinks as well because the stock ones are not designed for the increased stiffness of aftermarket sway bars.

VERY GOOD ADVICE!
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Old 02-14-2008, 07:27 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skin Irritant View Post
Just a quick question...

Do they make that much of a difference?? I have heard that they stop front and back glas squeak (never had that to begin with) but what I want to know is if they really reduce body roll that much??

They will have zero impact on body roll. If you want to reduce that you need bigger sway bars and/or stiffer suspension.

That said, what stimko68 said is pretty much dead on. They reduce chassis flex, much more noticeable on the back of the car (especially wagons) than on the front. If you are not getting squeaks from chassis flex you probably won't notice any difference.

Note: I have both front and rear bars, only noticed a difference with the rear.

Last edited by seattle944t; 02-15-2008 at 01:12 PM.
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Old 02-14-2008, 07:35 PM   #7
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Same as whats already been stated. To get rid of body roll you need sway bars and should get endlinks for the rear at a minimum. The strut braces help eliminate chassis flex. So, up front the turn in is a bit quicker, especially when combined with an H brace. The rear definitely is noticed on a wagon, which I have, it really helps get the back end to rotate around...sort of neutralizes the handling.
Another good benefit to strut braces is to help preserve your cars life. Metal has a fatigue life, as your car gets older and especially if it's been driven hard you'll start to hear more squeaks and rattles. The strut braces help keep everything tighter.
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Old 02-14-2008, 08:02 PM   #8
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Another great affordable rear sway bar (makes a huge difference) is the CUSCO bar. Many people think CUSCO must be bank, but at a retail price of only $170 brand new, you can't really go wrong. It is also adjustable with 3 points and installs like a breeze. They include new bushings and the blue is pretty.
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Old 02-14-2008, 09:23 PM   #9
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$170 isn't exactly affordable

there are a lot more names out there in terms of strut bars. find the one you like and look for the best deal either used in the classifieds or new in the vendor for sale classifieds.

i paid $20 for my ebay rear strut bar and i noticed a difference
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Old 02-14-2008, 09:32 PM   #10
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Strut bars make a noticeable difference on wagons.
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Old 02-15-2008, 12:18 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nhat View Post
$170 isn't exactly affordable

there are a lot more names out there in terms of strut bars. find the one you like and look for the best deal either used in the classifieds or new in the vendor for sale classifieds.

i paid $20 for my ebay rear strut bar and i noticed a difference
I am talking about a sway bar, not a strut bar. Some of us were recommending a sway bar over a strut tower bar.
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Old 02-15-2008, 06:14 AM   #12
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fender braces ppls!! fender cowl braces!!

they make 10x more diff than strut bars imo. I have front/rear on my wagon.

fender braces>rear stb>front stb in terms of effectiveness
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Old 02-15-2008, 11:01 AM   #13
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Rear strut bar definitly worth it you can really feel the different

front will depend on the car, the nearest your front strut tower are from the firewall, the less you will feel the effect
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Old 02-15-2008, 04:44 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by littlewhitewagon View Post
I am talking about a sway bar, not a strut bar. Some of us were recommending a sway bar over a strut tower bar.
Ther are E-Bay sway bars for 20 bucks too bro
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Old 02-15-2008, 07:44 PM   #15
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^^^ Where are you finding 20 dollar brand new sway bars for Imprezas on eBay?

And would you want to be on the track with it?
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