Hey does anyone know...
 

where to find 21mm rear sway bars for an RS in Reno or any place cheap on the interweb? :?:

Why 21? The 20mm bugeye WRX/STi RSB works great and doesn't require upgraded mounts.

Cash money. You can get them for like 20 bucks round the web. EASILY the best bang for the buck mod that is on my car.

Actually, I might do that then. It will still give me oversteer right? That is what I am looking for.

Yes, it will give you much oversteer. The stock RS sway is 13mm, so it's a big difference.

Sweet, now all I have to do is find a bug eye rsb.

Careful, especially with Winter coming and all.

No, it won't give you "oversteer" but that's not actually what you're looking for anyway. don't listen to the dweebs on the internet who think you solve understeer (a front end grip issue) by reducing grip at the rear end.

Now, a rear sway bar is a good mod but it will NOT suddenly transform your car into an awesome corner carver. It just helps a bit. The real solution to your ishty stock handling is proper springs, or better yet coilovers.

In fact, counterintuitively, a stiffer front bar also tends to help understeer due to the better dynamic camber on the front end.

The general rule of thumb, if the car pushes add front grip, if the car's loose, add rear grip. Taking away traction is what you do when you've tried everything else. 'Course, on a street car, there aren't a ton of things to try...

Now, a rear sway bar is a good mod but it will NOT suddenly transform your car into an awesome corner carver. It just helps a bit. The real solution to your ishty stock handling is proper springs, or better yet coilovers.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I don't expect it to be a awesome corner carver, I just want a little bit better handling characteristics. I will eventually get some coilovers. When i get the money of course.

A bugeye 20mm will help with overall balance, though, since the front is 19mm. Good bang for 20 bucks.

A more expensive (and more effective) alternative is to replace both bars. I'm looking at Rallitek 22mm front and Cusco 22mm adj rear bars. I figure the combo will help front grip, and let me adjust rear balance for street and autox.

As far as front grip goes, there are some options available - such as anti-lift kits and front roll-center adjustment kits - that will definitely help but unfortunately bump you into SM at autox since they alter suspension geometry. . . and the only SM-competitive RS that I've seen is Cory's. :D

And you really don't have to go as far as coilovers to get better handling. A good spring/strut como would do you just fine for daily driving and autocross.

Skip the Cusco if you're buying new, you pay a premium for the name. Also, the ALK bumps you past SM and into Prepared. Roll-center adjustment is SM legal AFAIK though.

That's right, I had forgotten the ALK wasn't even legal in SM.

I think both Rallitek and Gruppe-S have the Cusco RSB for ~$150, which pretty much matches it with the other usual brands. . .

Hey J, check your PMs. :) And $150 is still significantly more than other 22mm adjustables.

It's always seemed to be about average when I shop around. . . Rallitek sells the Cusco for $150, Whiteline for $170, AVO for $190. Boxer4racing and rallysportdirect's prices are about $10-$20 higher, comparatively. Cobb's bar goes for about $180, and includes new mounts.

Unless we're talking about used vs. new, or comparing to something like Progress or Hotchkis, I think $150 for a Cusco bar is pretty good. . .

Wow, I didn't realize Whiteline had gotten so expensive, but I haven't been shopping for sway bars for a while. Damned exchange rate.

Yeah, back in '02 you could get front and rear WL bars for $170. :(

Sweet, thanks for all the information guys.