What to do... (trailing link bushing replacement options)
 

Well I think my trailing link bushings are shot. Probably a result of abuse, combined with more abuse along with Egans whiteline control links :p
Anyway, I dont know what I should do... There arent alot of vendors with the aftermarket bushings for it, www.rallispec.com has the individual group-n STI bushings, which would cost $70, and there are the noltec ones for a little more like $85 from oakes automotive, but im not a noltec fan. Whiteline ones dont seem to exist, and the other companis are like energy suspension who carry them and superpro but I cant find anyone that has the superpro stuff. http://home.att.net/~teaguesauto/suspension.htm has a pre-assembled one for $140, but thats an aweful lot for just one bushings, but I think my trailing links are possibly out of shape anyway... The STI ones are like $250+ (aftermarket trailing links are even more expensive).
Keep in mind I just spend a grand on a EJ25 that is on its way for the track day, and i'm also rebuilding the '78 which is costing a bit of money, all on $8/hr pay (ya, i got a raise! :roll: )
I also think my strut tops are shot... Which sucks even more, but I could use STI ones (another $220)

Ideas?

Unfortunately, there aren't too many choices. What about just getting some new-to-you control arms? Do WRX lateral links fit on your car? There are a bunch of people w/ adjustable lateral links that might be willing to sell their stockers, right?

If you need these ones:

RST-2023 -- Trailing Link, Front Bushing Pair -- $36
RST-2024 -- Trailing Link, Rear Bushing Pair (in knuckle) -- $36

I'd say the least expensive way to go about it is definitely those. You'll have to pull off your trailing arms and take them somewhere to be pressed (I'm not sure if Nate has a press yet) but that's not difficult if the wagon is running well enough by then. Pressing 4 bushings won't be much since they won't have to do any assembly or disassembly.

As for your strut tops, you would be better off with camber plates than the STi tops. Do you need all 4 or just the rears? I thought you had front tops already. Anyway, having the GC sleeves makes camber plates more useful for you than people with normal size springs like mine. Plus, it's not like NVH is a problem for your L at this point.

Well I think partially the better bushings on the whiteline links helped end the stock bushings. An upgrade is definatly needed.

Ya, those two bushing sets were what I was looking into... I'm just worried ill pull off the arms and they will be tweaked. These bushings are aparently somewhat hard to install, each in its own way. I checked some of the NASIOC posts about it, chisling is involved for the fronts, while the rears are attached to the hub and thus complicated. But I do need both.

I thought about camber plates, but the price turns me away. I'd have to save up another month or so to get those. And no, I dont have sti tops... (seems like I do, but I dont)

It didn't make them worse, just made it more obvious. Probably all the original bushings on your car are poop by now, considering the age, mileage, and -ahem- "use" add up. You definitely want to upgrade the bushings though, rather than use new-to-you OE Impreza ones. Maybe try asking around to see if someone can get you some used STi trailing arms from Japan.

I'd seriously consider the extra month of saving. On your car, it's a bit out of place to use STi tops instead of camber plates. The difference is significant.

Adjustable camber via plates isnt a big deal for me, as this is my daily driver I dont need any more camber really, and so far its doing fine in track situations with what I can do with it alignment wise. I dont think I need camber plates yet until its like my secondary driver with expensive coilovers and when I have enough money to afford spare track tires.

But ya, I do think just about every bushing needs replacing... However, I dont have much left to do :p The STI engine mounts are going in with the engine, and after the trailing arm bushings I dont think there is an OG bushing left back there (minus the strut top)

Camber plates have an additional bonus over STi tops when using GC kits; the GC top hat/spring retainer puts all the suspension forces on the rubber center of the OEM top hat, instead of just the strut damping. Having springs pushing on that (as opposed to the outer metal spring perch which rests on the strut tower) weakens it more quickly, not to mention giving a little bit of bounciness.

It'll be considerably better with STi tops, becuase they're much stiffer, but there's more benefits than just the camber adjustability.

Nate doesn't have a press currently, but let me find out what he did on the coupe, because I'm pretty sure he replaced the trailing arm bushings, if not the whole unit, and it was all done in-house.

Ok, that does make sense... The GC's do sit a bit differently. I managed to get some of the hub bushings already via private sale, ill have to wait a little while before doing them since the engine is in route, and im working on the wagon quite a bit right now.

Cool. I talked to Nate. Only real way to get the old bushings out is by burning the damn things out (if you don't want to take them to a machine shop to be pressed out) then you can whack the new ones in with a deadblow or something.

Ya, thats what I was seeing, that they needed to be burninnated... Good thing i'm going to have to get a blow torch to get some broken bolts out of the wagon.