[AnorexicSTI]

Well JUST as I was about to order Kartboy endlinks for my COBB swaybars, I ran into this:

COBB vs. Kartboy Endlinks - pros and cons?
Post 47

Looks like the KARTBOY will not work with the front... so that is out... I COULD get COBB front and Kartboy rear but it doesn't seem to make sense to save a few $$$ when I can just go COBB all around... especially since they have resolved the loose nuts issue by supplying locknuts now.

but I'm open to letting you guys talk me out of it before I order in a day or two... are there better options out there? Remember, they MUST work with COBB front and rear swaybars.... which is what ruled out the famous Kartboy ones in the first place.

[DVN428]

I had spherical bearing endlinks before with my hotchkis swaybars.... and let me tell you. Unless you want your car sounding like a wooden ship, you might want to consider the bushing type endlinks (aka Kartboys)

I had the hotchkis endlinks up front (which were spherical) till the noise drove me nuts. I then switched to kartboys and I and VERY happy with them.

You have the Cobb swaybars which are pretty much the same as the Hotchkis swaybars, and the kartboys fit perfectly fine for me. So I', not sure why it wouldn't fit on yours.

I cant say whether the rear will fit since I use the C shaped endlinks on my (non-STI) WRX.

[spazegun2213]

Why will KB's not work for the front? and why do you want fton endlinks? I've yet to see anyone mess up a front sti endlink.

The KB's are cheaper, stonger (or at least beefyer).

also lock nuts dont solve the shotty build quality. Nor does it solve the fact that their bearings suck in their endlinks.

[kts262]

Since you're trying to keep the weight down in your car - the Kartboys weight less.*

The bushing type endlinks will also make less noise in the long run.

* I have no scientifice proof of this. I'm just guesstimating since the Kartboys using a bushing instead of a heavy metal bearing. YMMV IANAL OMGWTFBBQ WAPCE

[AnorexicSTI]

Originally Posted by DVN428

You have the Cobb swaybars which are pretty much the same as the Hotchkis swaybars, and the kartboys fit perfectly fine for me. So I', not sure why it wouldn't fit on yours.

I cant say whether the rear will fit since I use the C shaped endlinks on my (non-STI) WRX.

1. Was the noise constant or just when cornering?
2. Well, according to that guy in post 47, the Kartboys won't work... weird because I thought the COBB were identical to the Hotchkiss bars just a diff. color.
3. Are the C shaped ones only for WRX?

[AnorexicSTI]

Originally Posted by kts262

Since you're trying to keep the weight down in your car - the Kartboys weight less.*

The bushing type endlinks will also make less noise in the long run.

* I have no scientifice proof of this. I'm just guesstimating since the Kartboys using a bushing instead of a heavy metal bearing. YMMV IANAL OMGWTFBBQ WAPCE

I was actually gonna go Kartboy because of the weight... u read my mind!!! But after reading that fitment issue, it made me rethink... ok now I'm gettin' confused... one guy says they don't work... another guys he has hotchkiss and they work.... which is it? argghh...
What does "IANAL OMGWTFBBQ WAPCE" stand for?

[tom@kartboy]

What was the problem with our front links? i've personally installed at least a dozen of the front links with the COBB bars. no problems i can think of.

Tom

[Tomerville]

I have the Hotchkis spherical endlinks, and the noise is driving me absoultely crazy. I plan on switching to KBs ASAP.

[AnorexicSTI]

Originally Posted by tom@kartboy

What was the problem with our front links? i've personally installed at least a dozen of the front links with the COBB bars. no problems i can think of.

Tom

http://www.cobbforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31609

If you can convince me this isn't a problem you got my business. I wanted yours in the first place due to the lighter weight.

[DVN428]

Originally Posted by STIGUY88

1. Was the noise constant or just when cornering?
2. Well, according to that guy in post 47, the Kartboys won't work... weird because I thought the COBB were identical to the Hotchkiss bars just a diff. color.
3. Are the C shaped ones only for WRX?

Whenever the suspension compresses.... it makes the creaking noise. so if you hit a bump.... you'll here it.... if you take a hard turn.... you'll hear it.... if you go over an uneven surface.... you hear it.... believe me its something that I think is unbearable. And this is coming from someone who is now driving around with no rear seats on a catless setup, and has all the NVH associated with the Rear diff bushings, outrigger bushings, engine and tranny mount, and cross member bushings. The creeking of the spherical bushing is by far the most annoying of them all.

[Z1 Performance]

sounds like their sway bars have some big QC issues as far as length. That is half the reason companies use threaded endlinks to begin with - let's them make adjustments for length as needed.

Measure your stock swaybar length, measure your Cobb swaybar length, and if they match, you can use the Cobb. I'd also go ahead and measure the rear to be safe as well.

Any swaybar designed to use a stock endlink should be able to use any bolt on endlink

The other option if you find the swaybar too short is simply to use 2 sets Kartboy rear endlinks since the rear is slightly longer

[70s-gearhead]

Originally Posted by tom@kartboy

What was the problem with our front links? i've personally installed at least a dozen of the front links with the COBB bars. no problems i can think of.

Tom

Tom, you can read the whole story here
http://www.cobbforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31609
but the short version is: I went to replace the stock links with the Kartboy links and found that the gap between the control arm mounting point and the end of the bar was about 2 inches per side. The Kartboy endlink with the supplied washers is 1.5 inches wide leaving me with a 1/2 inch gap on each side between the bar and the link. The supplied bolts are long enough to get everything connected so I tried tightening each side evenly to see if the bar had some give but it didn't so I had to put the stock endlinks back on.
The Kartboy endlink was the same width and length as stock so I knew it was the right part so I followed up with cobb to see if there was a problem with the bar.

[70s-gearhead]

Originally Posted by krazyk1371

It does sound like a swaybar issue to me. I've had and installed many different KB endlinks on many different bars on many different cars. I've never had one issue.

I'm on my second KB enhanced Subie and I love them.

I agree - if the sway bar fit correctly so would the Kartboy's. But, if you already have the tubular Cobb bar and then decide to get new endlinks you can't be sure that the Kartboy's will fit. It is easier to choose another endlink than to switch bars.

[70s-gearhead]

Hey STIGUY88 - Why not take the Kartboy front endlinks off my hands - I will give you a good deal :-) They were only out of the bag for about 30 minutes and are as good as new. I will even toss in one of those nice kartboy decals.

[70s-gearhead]

Originally Posted by Z1 Performance

sounds like their sway bars have some big QC issues as far as length. That is half the reason companies use threaded endlinks to begin with - let's them make adjustments for length as needed.

Any swaybar designed to use a stock endlink should be able to use any bolt on endlink

Threaded endlinks would not have helped - neither the stock nor the cobb are threaded and they both fit.

It is not always the case that if the stock endlink fits that any endlink will work. The type of bushing used in the endlink will effect the fit. The stockers have ball joints at the top and bottom and the Cobb have spherical bushings, both of which can accomodate variences in sway bar length and side to side motion. An endlink with a solid bushing requires that the replacement bar is exactly the same length as stock and the endlinks can not move from side to side.