Replace front or replace front and rear swaybar(s)?

 

I snapped the front swaybar on my 2000 outback in the same place everybody else does doing something inoccuous...like almost everybody else who has done this. Happily, this is the excuse I've been looking for to upgrade to bigger bars.

 

The question is, I can easily justify the front bar. The Rallitek front bar and the OEM front bar are virtually the same price. Is there a handling consequence from putting on a beefy front bar and leaving the little dainty bar in the rear? Or, do I replace them as a matched set? I'd prefer to spend half as much money but also want to be safe.

 

thanks all!

Uprating the front will give you more direct turn-in, and more self-centering on the steering. Regardless of what you do on the rear.

 

However, the in-turn handling balance will move toward understeer.

 

So, uprating both ends would be smart. If you want to keep your present balance, you must find a pair of bars that have the same ratio front-to-rear of anti-roll effect.

Going for stronger bars, with the same ratio will keep your balance and still give you flatter cornering. (Although the car will become more edgy near the limits)

Uprating the rear a little, will move the balance toward neutral (I like!) and uprating it a lot will result in more oversteer, particularly when you step off the gas (I don't like too much of this.).

Ordered front and rear bars from Rallitek this morning. They should arrive tomorrow or Wed.

 

I also went to take off the dangling chuck of swaybar (and the end link). I discovered that I did not just break the drivers side...I also broke the passanger side! I took both end links off and will take the middle piece off when I install the new bar.

 

I'm very impressed with the level of damage I appear to be capable of inflicting.