Forester 2011 Subaru SH lifted 2 inches/50mm but got major problem - SOLVED

davidaga

davidaga

Forum Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2021
Messages
11
Location
Waikato NZ
Car Year
2011
Car Model
Forester SH
Transmission
4EAT
I lifted my 2011 Subaru Forester with 2"/2.5" SLO. It looks awesome but I have a major problem which prevents my car to be not road legal.
My tie rod fouls against my sway bar at full droop and full turn.

steerrubswaybar-jpg.5647.jpeg

I have tried both Whiteline KLC144 and OEM end links. No win.

Plugging in my rego in carjam gave me my chassis number SHJ-009100.
Then plugging in my chassis number into partsouq.com showed my front suspension part numbers.

Looking at my sway bar part number 20401SC200 it doesn't appear to be a regular sway bar found in other 2011 SH or SH XT?

1649916775520.png

I bought a standard sway bar 20401SC000 just to try it out but it didn't fit my 2011 Subaru Forester.
I'm stumped! I don't know how to resolve this issue.

Car is 2011 Subaru Forester XS2.0 A/T with FB20 engine.

Help please?
 
@davidaga Have you contacted Matt at SLO @NachaLuva about this problem?


I'm wondering if you can add spacers to the sway bar mounting points?
 
At least now we know why it's rubbing, because the swaybar is different. I'm just wondering why it's different

Kevin said:
I'm wondering if you can add spacers to the sway bar mounting points?
Click to expand...
Yes that might fix it by lowering the pivot points. @davidaga try some 25mm thick flat alloy with 25-30mm longer bolts. I'm not sure what those bolts are because I've never had to do this before
 
My front swaybar broke many, about 15, years ago and I removed it completely. No problems at all and it has been over many rough tracks and roads. It was a SubaXtreme bar with , about 40 mm, extension swingers/spacers. I guess that you would not attempt extreme front wheel lifting or dropping over obstacles as the half shaft would not like it.
 
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NachaLuva said:
At least now we know why it's rubbing, because the swaybar is different. I'm just wondering why it's different


Yes that might fix it by lowering the pivot points. @davidaga try some 25mm thick flat alloy with 25-30mm longer bolts. I'm not sure what those bolts are because I've never had to do this before
Click to expand...
Created this video just now to possible effects of dropping the sway bar mounting bracket.
 
If I fit shorter strut assemplies, I reckon that should fix my problem.

From what I know Foresters are built from the Impreza platform? So does that mean the Impreza struts will fit directly to my SH? I am assuming Impreza struts are shorter compared to Forester's?
 
Rear swaybar with links never fits anymore after you lift obk . Thats just how it is. Never even thought about it. Its so thin in rear there you dont feeling any major diff between its on and off
 
scalman said:
Rear swaybar with links never fits anymore after you lift obk . Thats just how it is. Never even thought about it. Its so thin in rear there you dont feeling any major diff between its on and off
Click to expand...
I took out the rear completely.
My problem is the front sway bar.
 
Some ppl here put there longer links. Some universal links that have same size just longer
 
From your initial pic it almost looks like you need shorter drop links to help the sway bar clear the tie rods.

Odd issue. Anyone else heard of this occurring on other units of the same model (@NachaLuva)?

Cheers

Bennie
 
El_Freddo said:
From your initial pic it almost looks like you need shorter drop links to help the sway bar clear the tie rods.

Odd issue. Anyone else heard of this occurring on other units of the same model (@NachaLuva)?

Cheers

Bennie
Click to expand...
As far as I can tell lifting JDM Foresters SHJ and SH5 with sway bar part number 20401SC200 will manifest this issue. I have yet found a solution to my problem.
 
Hey @davidaga - what did that set you back? It doesn’t sound cost prohibitive which is a good thing!

Whole sway bar or just the end links?

Cheers

Bennie
 
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