Has anyone tried to use Energy Suspension 20mm anti-sway bar bushings on their 1st gen Q45?



http://www.corsportusa.com/02-06-wrx-en ... gQodVKAAXw

I used these on my 94 Base model when I put on a rear bar from an A. Also nylon end links front and rear. OEM bushings on front with Base front bar. I'm happy but not really performance driven, I wanted more crispness.

Thanks for the tip. You are describing my setup except I'm moving away from stock A model bushings for the 20mm rear bar to the ES versions in the picture. Those are actually listed for a Subaru WRX rear 20mm bar.

What are you trying to change with the new bushings? Are those grease fittings?

Q451990 wrote:What are you trying to change with the new bushings? Are those grease fittings?

One of the OEM rubber bushings I purchased and installed a few years ago ( ) with the A model bars split open and worked its way out of the housing. I found it hanging from the bar about 2 inches from the housing. In winter the bushings would get noisy and make a "creaking" noise that I managed to remedy a couple of times by removing rubber bushing and applying some grease to the bar. As soon as the weather warmed up, the creaking sounds would disappear.

Last fall I didn't do my annual grease application ritual. So about a month ago I heard the creaking noise then a metal-to-metal scraping sound that turned out to be from the bar rubbing against the bushing housing. That must have been when the bushing split.

That grease fitting looks like a good deal to me.

I use the poly end links from ES, and I like them. My suspension is in shambles right now so I'm a terrible example..

Here's trouble in paradise.

The ES bushings do not look anything like the picture. I received a set of smaller rounder bushings. There was no metal bushing housing or anything like the picture. I plan to return those bushings.

As a backup plan I ordered a set of Q45A bushings from Rockauto. Those bushings also arrived today. There is no issue with the Rockauto bushings.

To my surprise and SHOCK when I started changing the bar bushing, I found the anti-sway bar end had snapped off. It snapped off in the area that is flattened and drilled for the end link. It looked like metal fatigue had finally took its toll on the flattened area (specifically the narrowest point) where it just snapped. I don't recall hitting a hole or anything where it would have caused the end to snap off. So I removed the anti-sway bar for now.

Wow... I've never heard of that before!

There's another A at the pull-a-part. Want me to pull it for you?

Q451990 wrote:Wow... I've never heard of that before!

There's another A at the pull-a-part. Want me to pull it for you?

Thank you Heath. PM sent.

Here's a picture of the broken bar end. Gotta love the sleet..

Brrr.