Ok todays story
The guys at the workshop couldnt get it to fit either, their setup went hard into the shocks. They phoned whiteline for me, whiteline emailed them some photos and theirs went clean around the shocks. We measured them up and both bars matched. Theirs was fit to a 2010 mines a 2011 so maybe theres some variation between the years? It all looked the same but who knows. Theyve kept the bar and are going to continue com with whiteline and keep me posted as they know. The verdoc was it needed a different bar but ill keep you posted as i learn. Doesnt make any sense to me to be honest
Whiteline rear sway bar and links ordered.
Yea specially considering it only came from like half an hour away!
Phoned the shop at 830am today and asked if it was ready as they didnt call me yesterday to tell me it had come in as they said they would, they said it was in and they'd call me when they had it out and ready for pickup - never got a call back. Tried calling and got voice mail and i worked late so i couldnt drop by so i wasnt able to check it out today, ill try tomorrow but i dont think it will fit, even if the other bar was bent the blade adjustments were too long. If it fails ive been told to take my car to whiteline and theyll measure it all up for parts again, should get a free bar out of it but at the moment im just pissed. If I do end up going to whiteline ill enquire about a strut brace aswell. I dont really want them pulling my suspension apart to measure up for coil overs so i think thats as far as i will go but maybe it will get another strut bar commercially available if they agree (the guy at pedders seems sure that they are interested in measuring up for kizashi parts as whoever the last person was only wanted a rear sway bar).
Ill follow up tomorrow on whats actually happening.
Phoned the shop at 830am today and asked if it was ready as they didnt call me yesterday to tell me it had come in as they said they would, they said it was in and they'd call me when they had it out and ready for pickup - never got a call back. Tried calling and got voice mail and i worked late so i couldnt drop by so i wasnt able to check it out today, ill try tomorrow but i dont think it will fit, even if the other bar was bent the blade adjustments were too long. If it fails ive been told to take my car to whiteline and theyll measure it all up for parts again, should get a free bar out of it but at the moment im just pissed. If I do end up going to whiteline ill enquire about a strut brace aswell. I dont really want them pulling my suspension apart to measure up for coil overs so i think thats as far as i will go but maybe it will get another strut bar commercially available if they agree (the guy at pedders seems sure that they are interested in measuring up for kizashi parts as whoever the last person was only wanted a rear sway bar).
Ill follow up tomorrow on whats actually happening.
2011 Premium Silver XL
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Ok so FINALLY the stars aligned and i got this thing installed.
Whiteline sent out another bar so today I went to the shop and got the guys at pedders to fit it, the last bar was damaged, pretty twisted and warped compared to this new one and sat in a lot closer to the body. The new bar was still too long, however, it was level and symetrical.
As I said, still too long. The blade on the bar that the links connect to is about an inch too long, this one sat wider than the old bar but still hit the shocks. Whiteline wasnt willing to redeem this problem so the guys at the shop shortened each blade, cutting off the end hole making it 2 point adjustable. Pretty bad for something thats meant to fit straight on but i didnt plan on using the longest hole anyway. Fits perfectly now.
At first I didnt notice any difference (just on the drive home, nothing exciting) but then I changed lanes. The car reacts instantly now, steering feels way more precise for small moves. After I got off the highway, onto a winding road it just got better. My car has forgotten the meaning of understeer. No matter what speed I went into a corner it went around it no probem, no screeching, way less body roll than before. You dont get that clinging for grip feeling.
Ill upload some photos etc later of how the bar had to be modified and how it fits in now. In theory the installation is so so simple. If your small enough you dont even have to jack up your car or put it on ramps (sadly im not), but it was a pain in the arse having to a) cut the links and b) trip the adjustment blades, but in the end its been worth it. Im off to go try it on some real roads now
Whiteline sent out another bar so today I went to the shop and got the guys at pedders to fit it, the last bar was damaged, pretty twisted and warped compared to this new one and sat in a lot closer to the body. The new bar was still too long, however, it was level and symetrical.
As I said, still too long. The blade on the bar that the links connect to is about an inch too long, this one sat wider than the old bar but still hit the shocks. Whiteline wasnt willing to redeem this problem so the guys at the shop shortened each blade, cutting off the end hole making it 2 point adjustable. Pretty bad for something thats meant to fit straight on but i didnt plan on using the longest hole anyway. Fits perfectly now.
At first I didnt notice any difference (just on the drive home, nothing exciting) but then I changed lanes. The car reacts instantly now, steering feels way more precise for small moves. After I got off the highway, onto a winding road it just got better. My car has forgotten the meaning of understeer. No matter what speed I went into a corner it went around it no probem, no screeching, way less body roll than before. You dont get that clinging for grip feeling.
Ill upload some photos etc later of how the bar had to be modified and how it fits in now. In theory the installation is so so simple. If your small enough you dont even have to jack up your car or put it on ramps (sadly im not), but it was a pain in the arse having to a) cut the links and b) trip the adjustment blades, but in the end its been worth it. Im off to go try it on some real roads now
2011 Premium Silver XL
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Nice that you got it fitted. Poor show from Whiteline though- there are no excuses for selling a custom fit bar that won't fit the vehicle it's made for!?
I'd be interested in seeing those pics when you get a chance to upload them.
I'd be interested in seeing those pics when you get a chance to upload them.
David
Yea its rough, im glad i bought it through pedders and not whiteline directly. Pedders has sent them the dimensions from my rear end and the end result measurments of how we had it set up and some photos etc. so they can redesign it but it doesnt make sense to work of numbers and not the actual car, chances are theyll end up with the same problem, however, hopefully it means if any of you guys buy one in the future itll bolt straight on.
Had a good drive with it on then, handles incredibly. So far i've been reaching my limit before i reach the cars limit. And my limit isnt too low. I drove a windy road i normally do at 80km/h at 100 and it was easy, did it a bit faster on the way back and still it just took it. Only thing i noticed was the front end feels a bit sloppy, a strut brace would fix this up easly. paired with a front bar youd be unstoppable.
I'll upload some photos tomorrow
Had a good drive with it on then, handles incredibly. So far i've been reaching my limit before i reach the cars limit. And my limit isnt too low. I drove a windy road i normally do at 80km/h at 100 and it was easy, did it a bit faster on the way back and still it just took it. Only thing i noticed was the front end feels a bit sloppy, a strut brace would fix this up easly. paired with a front bar youd be unstoppable.
I'll upload some photos tomorrow
2011 Premium Silver XL
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Nope 17's, I was going to get the XLS 18's off ebay for $800 but Id prefer 19's so im saving my money until im more decided. I wish the XL wheels just came in 18s theyd look great.
If its any easier I can measure anything you want on mine now that its off, I presume it would be easier to measure with it off. Im keeping it to swap back for services to save my warranty. I doubt theyd notice the change given what theyve missed on past services but not worth the risk.
Not sure how accurate this is but the guy at pedders said changing the links alone would make a pretty big improvement because theyre shorter and fatter also quite a lot stiffer in the joints. I dont imagine they wouldnt cost too much.
If its any easier I can measure anything you want on mine now that its off, I presume it would be easier to measure with it off. Im keeping it to swap back for services to save my warranty. I doubt theyd notice the change given what theyve missed on past services but not worth the risk.
Not sure how accurate this is but the guy at pedders said changing the links alone would make a pretty big improvement because theyre shorter and fatter also quite a lot stiffer in the joints. I dont imagine they wouldnt cost too much.
2011 Premium Silver XL
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat
Learn. Do. Break. Fix. Explore. Save. Repeat