Installing Whiteline rear swaybar on VR6.....

[sukebe]

Anyone done it?? The 2 U-bolts provided measure internal sizes of 75 x 90mm. I'm told by Whiteline that this is the correct size, but from my reckoning they need to be 85-90 x 100mm. After calling their service centre I was told that they were a tight fit and may need to be bent a bit. Well, I bent it enough such that I could get it on, but now its 90mm wide and the mounting plate won't fit (holes are only wide enough to fit 75-80mm width). In addition, with the U-bolt on, albeit 20mm too wide, the internal length of 90mm is too short to be able to bolt the mounting on, as well as being too wide .
Has anyone else had this problem with Whiteline parts? The U-bolt measures what they say it should, but theres buckleys chance of fitting it to my car. Maybe my car is odd???

[Green Mk3]

Yes when i bought mine, the u bolts were wrong i rang whiteline and they insisted they were right.. i went to coventry fasters bought some booker rod and made u bolts myself it was much easier than arguing with them. i would suggest u do the same

[sukebe]

After they insisted the parts were right, I told them this:

Me:

"If you supply a technician to fit it, and the U-bolts fit, I will pay for the fitment. If it does not fit I get the swaybar for free. Otherwise, provide me with the correct mountings and we will both be happy".

Whiteline:

"We'll get back to you".

1 day later, call from the Autobarn dealer where I bought the bar:

"Nathan, we have a new mounting set for your Whiteline swaybar"

The *new* set, for which I provided the correct measurements, fits perfectly. I still have the old ones, and a spare set of bushes.... I guess I came out of that OK

[Golf Loon]

Nice work mate, victory for people power

[Tim]

impressions on the car after installing it? I reckon its one of the best bang for buck mods u can do on a VR6

[sukebe]

Took it for a spin last night down Yarra Blvd. Had an empty road so was able to be quite "spirited". Turn-in is much more direct, more stable in-corner, but the difference is closer to subtle than drastic. Having 3 people in the car may have had a little to do with it... I got the adjustable one so I may change it to the 'hard' setting and see how that feels. Also, in a straight line normal road bumps/speed humps seem smoother and the car feels a little more 'solid'. It doesn't really make sense that the normal straight-line ride would be improved (does it?), but my girlfriend mentioned it too and she is not too attuned to vehicle dynamics.

[lyle-act]

mmm, i've been meaning to look into getting a rear swaybar for my VR. So obviously you guys think its fairly worth the money? May i ask how much you paid for one and where from?

[sukebe]

Whiteline swaybar, $209 from Autobarn. I think it was the price for the fixed one, but I got the adjustable one (I think Autobarn guy stuffed up). If you go Neuspeed expect to pay more than double this. For what it is, and how it works, I cannot see how the Neuspeed one could be "more than twice as good". Be sure to specify that you know of another customer who recently bought one for a Golf III VR6 and the U-bolts were the wrong size (though it may have been updated in their system as a result of me).

[BlackVr6ix]

being an X autobarn employee.... i highly doubt it

[Tim]

there is a big difference in the quality of the neuspeed and whiteline products. Im sure the difference in performance isnt that great tho. But the bulk of the price difference comes from the fact theyre made in the US. It costs money to get them here.

[Green Mk3]

When i went to get mine from autobarn they stuffed me around and ordered the wrong part twice. I bought mine from wholesale suspension and i think i paid all up $175 the guys there were great if anyone wants one i would give them a call..
The biggest difference i noticed was in the wet going around a corner and getting over steer and drifting the rear wheels across 2 lanes it was one of the better mods i have done.. Has anyone purchased a front sway bar ?? i want to stiffen up the front of my car and wanted to know of any experiences??

[sukebe]

there is a big difference in the quality of the neuspeed and whiteline products. Im sure the difference in performance isnt that great tho. But the bulk of the price difference comes from the fact theyre made in the US. It costs money to get them here.

I don't disagree with you, except in this instance (swaybar) we are talking about powdercoated hardened steel bar, with high tensile bolts and nuts, and polyeurethane bushes. These are pretty low tech bits and the quality of these parts could not possibly vary in quality equal to double the value. In the context of time of use and purpose of use I can't see how they can be much different. The only real variable is quality of fitting, and after I had corrected whiteline on the bolts, fitment was perfect.

[Tim]

for instance. the neuspeed one doesnt come with anything as simple as a U bolt. It has a proper clamps designed specifically to fit the rear beam and it has rose joints at the end links. Im not bagging your choice. Just saying that there is a substantial difference in quality. I also need to justify my neuspeed bar in my own screwed up little mind

[sukebe]

Fair enough. Yours probably looks neater, and you can be proud in saying its Nuespeed. I'm really not fussed on design as long as it serves its designed purpose, and I can't see any particularly weak links in the whiteline design (except maybe the endlink bushes, but I would need to replace them 10 times before the nuespeed is financially justified).

At the end of the day, we a talking about a $10k car. For me, slightly lower design/performance quality is easily outweighed by the cost difference, and I think in the case of a swaybar this gap is enormous (not so with springs, struts, tyres and other highly engineered parts). If it were an R32 I was modding, my attitude would be quite different.......

[syncro]

After they insisted the parts were right, I told them this:

Me:

"If you supply a technician to fit it, and the U-bolts fit, I will pay for the fitment. If it does not fit I get the swaybar for free. Otherwise, provide me with the correct mountings and we will both be happy".

The *new* set, for which I provided the correct measurements, fits perfectly. I still have the old ones, and a spare set of bushes.... I guess I came out of that OK

You are now the Whiteline designer.
The customers design the swaybars for Whiteline.
Except for maybe Fords & Holdens, there is no R & D provided by Whiteline.