That Awkward Moment When...

"E30Joe drives a Subaru" (325joe)
07/31/2014 at 19:54 • Filed to: None

So I'm at my buddies place in Utah and somehow working on cars can't escape me. A 2013 STI Hatch rolled up and it was a couple of my friend's friends. They want to throw a little tow hitch on to this STI so I offered to help. (They don't really know much about whats going on here.)

So far just from being under the car for 5 minutes pulling exhaust hangers on the muffler I found:

Completely missing Rear Sway Bar, Sway bar endlinks, and brackets

Missing two exhaust hangers

One bolt that holds the muffler to the midpipe (also missing gasket between axle back and midpipe)

Leaking CV boot on the passenger side rear axle.

All from a 2013 STI bought from a dealer. I pointed all this out and told them they might want to get the car checked out before they do much more driving to look for any other issues.

DISCUSSION (14)

Brian Silvestro > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/31/2014 at 19:57

Wait....what??

Kinja'd!!!

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Brian Silvestro
07/31/2014 at 19:58

Literally no sway bar at all. I thought it was just tucked up somewhere in the guts at first on the new STI then I googled an aftermarket Whiteline bar for the car and noticed it bolted right up to these brackets by the muffler, nothing was there at all.

Brian Silvestro > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/31/2014 at 19:58

That....can't be good....

GeorgeyBoy > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/31/2014 at 19:59

Weight savings bro

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Brian Silvestro
07/31/2014 at 20:02

After I pointed it out and explained it's function he said "It still corners pretty tight"

I told him get a sway bar and see how tight it corners after that.

Brian Silvestro > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/31/2014 at 20:04

FAIL

OPPOsaurus WRX > E30Joe drives a Subaru
07/31/2014 at 21:46

Did u get the hitch on? is the hitch hard to install? I have that project coming up soon

E30Joe drives a Subaru > OPPOsaurus WRX
07/31/2014 at 22:25

I pretty much did the whole thing, all I did was drop the muffler (two bolts 4 exhaust hangers) and unbolt some misc. stuff from the bumper cover and it bolts right in.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > E30Joe drives a Subaru
08/01/2014 at 00:24

I was under the impression that Subaru's came from the factory like that.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/01/2014 at 04:29

Yes that is correct, for more weight reduction

OPPOsaurus WRX > E30Joe drives a Subaru
08/01/2014 at 08:57

I've read you have to remove the bumper cover. Is this true? Did you have to trim it at all. I have a 2014 WRX with the quad exhaust. What brand hitch did you use. Howd it look ? (not aesthetically but functionally) will it fall apart or was it a quality piece?)

E30Joe drives a Subaru > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/01/2014 at 12:42

Not sure what brand it was, but I thought we were going to need to remove the bumper cover. We didn't have to however. We did have to cut a very small piece off the bumper cover right where the hitch comes out. It felt really sturdy when everything was put back together and it was pretty hidden, you could only see the receiver.

OPPOsaurus WRX > E30Joe drives a Subaru
08/01/2014 at 12:55

I've installed 100 hitches but only on truck/suv's. I was nervous because I read I would have to take the bumper cover off.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/01/2014 at 12:57

It was pretty easy, without instructions or any proper tools I did it in about an hour.