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Time to read 17 min
Superior handling and cornering are two of the most important goals an enthusiast will set when planning an upgrade project for their vehicle. Subaru owners who have invested interest in attaining the highest performance for their daily driver or for a weekend racer are always looking for the perfect solution to deliver the most flexibility to address a wide range of challenges they may face in assorted environments. Enthusiasts dedicated to the WRX platform know that even though this brand is coveted for its well-designed and capable all-wheel-drive format, there is always a way to improve, enhance, and upgrade to take their vehicle to the next level and impress on the street or on the track. Researching the manufacturers and the products available within the aftermarket space, specifically for the 2022 Subaru WRX, is an important step in ensuring stability, safety, and top performance, but mostly will guarantee a longer and more satisfying experience under whatever level of performance the driver chooses to reach.
It is the ultimate goal of the Subimods staff to inform, educate, and assist their customers on their modification journeys. As we move forward through this article, we hope to give some insight about what components are found within the suspension system, why these components are critical to the vehicles stabilization under all driving situations, what manufacturers produce these components, and what level of financial investment should be expected when upgrading the vehicle to deliver the highest performance while meeting the driver's keen expectations.
Entering into a suspension modification or full upgrade should prompt a multitude of questions since the enthusiasts need to determine their ultimate goals and end game for their vehicle's performance profile. No matter how they want their WRX to serve, they must decide if they will be choosing coilovers or lowering springs as the baseline for their modification project. In planning any performance upgrade, there will always be pros and cons depending on the overall need and the amount of financial investment required to meet the specific expectation. The enthusiast should do the proper research and work with an experienced expert to learn the differences between these choices, guarantee satisfaction, and contribute to the mechanical longevity of the vehicle. First, the vehicle's Coilover System includes a heavy coil spring integrated together with a shock absorbing component to form one assembly. This assembly is tasked with a number of responsibilities including the enhancement of the vehicle's overall handling, dampening, allowing an adjustment of vehicle height, and sometimes giving the driver the option to adjust spring rate to give an additional level of fine tuning for specific driving scenarios. Coilover systems will prove to be the larger financial investment of the two upgrade options, but the enthusiast will gain extreme flexibility and a wider range of options to meet their unique needs with more convenience. Looking at alternative options, installing Lowering Springs appears as a second choice, but involves an entirely different mindset of benefit, but with some definite limitations. Lowering springs are another solution available for the WRX which are designed as an alternative to your vehicle's factory installed springs. This component will lower the ride height of the vehicle while helping to establish more aggressive posture. This is a more affordable solution compared to coilovers while providing a specific reduction of between 1 to 2 inches of ride height. The driver will gain a more stylish look while improving the overall handling by lowering the center of gravity, but not having the flexibility to adjust settings to fine tune performance will prove limiting with Lowering Springs. Again, depending on the actual goal of the driver, the choice between these configurations must be made carefully to deliver a satisfying experience and expected level of performance. Along with these primary items, getting familiar with some other important components is a necessary step during the upgrade planning.
Upgrading components to permanently change or have the flexibility to adjust the vehicle's height and aggressive profile is not the end of the road for the driver in this type of project. A few additional items must be seriously evaluated before checking this box and moving forward. Amplifying the cornering performance and stability of the 2022 Subaru WRX will come with the upgrade of the vehicle's Sway Bars which are also referred to as Anti-Roll Bars or Stabilizer Bars. The higher the level of performance the driver wishes to achieve, the higher the priority will be to include new Sway Bars on the list of purchases. A very critical part within the suspension system, the Sway Bars helps control the vehicle's body roll in demanding cornering situations. Choosing a more robust Sway Bar with a thicker design or one that was designed to be adjustable can provide a significant reduction in body roll, therefore amplifying stability and providing a more controlled experience while driving in challenging, more aggressive scenarios. End Links serve as the primary point of connection between the vehicle's Sway Bar assembly and its suspension. Including an End Link upgrade in addition to the components already mentioned will provide a solid, more robust improvement to your Sway Bar's effectiveness while reducing flex and delivering maximum performance. Again, it is wise to include both of these items when upgrading other components included in the suspension system to apply the highest level of enhancement in handling. In addition, deciding to include more components like Performance Control Arms and replacement bushings all around to your upgrade list cannot hurt one bit. It can only strengthen the vehicle, extend its longevity, and ensure that it maintains maximum stability and endurance throughout every motorsports challenge it confronts while keeping safety up front. It is important to be very familiar with the vehicle's Control arms since they can be considered the core of its front suspension system. The control arms are the primary connection between your front wheels and the car. One side of the control arm links to the wheel assembly, while the other side is the connection to the vehicle's framework. Upper control arms connect to the front wheel's upper section and the lower control arm connects to the lower part of the front wheel - then both arms attach to the vehicle's frame. Again, an incredibly important assembly whose upgrade to an extremely high quality component along with the inclusion and replacement of all factory bushings with performance alternatives during the overall modification can only contribute to greatness, satisfaction, and victory in the long run. Lastly, it is extremely important for the enthusiast to follow a proper maintenance plan to ensure proper alignment and suspension geometry to avoid potentially hazardous and compromising conditions that include uneven tire wear and unpredictable handling that can lead to dangerous and possibly fatal results during any challenging driving situation. Adjust alignment angles after suspension modifications is a critical, ongoing step to maintain efficient, appropriate handling dynamics and safety.
As an enthusiast begins their journey down the long road of researching, choosing, and upgrading the Suspension System for the 2022 Subaru WRX, there is no doubt that they will discover how many manufacturers contribute to producing products within this category. Subimods has seen a percentage of these companies along with their wide range of suspension system products become Most Wanted items to those who purchase from our online catalog. Many of the names are familiar, but the details behind their brands may have not been highlighted until now. First on our list is FactionFab , the Utah-based company run by real Subaru enthusiasts who have had both a personal and professional stake in the brand for over 30 years. In addition to their coilover products, they bring a choice of quality high performance components from many categories to the aftermarket world continuing to be a popular choice of Subimods customers. The impressive engineering team at the Australian manufacturer Pedders Suspension & Brakes has been a major player in the development and acceleration of the motorsports industry for 70 years and counting. They take pride in being the enthusiast's developer, with a concentration on building performance parts for the average consumer and driver who also has serious goals and vision to push their interests to the more extreme and challenging world of performance and track. Florida-based BC Racing entered the highly competitive aftermarket in 2006 quickly building an amazing motorsports brand with a vast collection and inventory of over 1100 suspension kits and related products. Their brand leaves noticeable impact proven by the popularity of their offerings which repeatedly rise to the top of our most wanted lists. Montana's own Revel Performance has been committed to enthusiasts and owners of modified Subaru vehicles by providing both the daily driver and those in pursuit of serious motorsports excitement, a wide selection of coilovers, control arms, lowering kits, sway bars, and other components while contributing to victory and satisfaction at every turn. Fortune Auto , out of Powhatan, Virginia, is another innovative organization who concentrates on skilled engineering, design and manufacturing to develop an amazing, multi-purpose line of custom coilover systems which have found success contributing their work to racing teams in numerous genres around the globe.
Much like Fortune, the Swedish pioneers Öhlins Racing have been leaders in suspension innovation for decades. This popular brand within the Subimods catalog has been providing high quality performance systems, components, and technical automotive solutions to multiple levels of the motorsports industry since the late 1970's. Japan's RS-R is an internationally known manufacturer of highly engineered, high-performance suspension components which have been a popular choice for enthusiasts interested in improving their daily driving and their weekend racing performance since 1980. RS-R brought distribution to the US in the late 90's and has been successfully building a popular brand presence for over 25 years. Another popular manufacturer, Whiteline , has built an impactful global brand by providing a wide selection of aftermarket replacement components to both enhance and amplify the suspension performance for enthusiasts within all genres of motorsports. Their expanding line of adjustable sway bars, lowering springs, and other products are on top of many modification lists throughout the industry. Westcoast companies like California's SuperPro and Cusco along with Oregon-based Perrin have also re-written the guidebook of modification by offering the Subaru enthusiast not only a high level of innovation through multiple products and suspension system components, but have continued to climb confidently into the widening aftermarket while brightening the eyes of drivers seeking a neighbor's turning head to the driver heading to the finish line. Lastly, dynamic producers from the east coast, to the upper midwest, and as close to the southern line as we can reach have covered the market very well by continually developing, designing, and implementing amazing ideas and capturing the hearts of drivers around all parts of the planet. Both New York's SMY and Indiana-based Verus Engineering , along with COBB from Texas, move forward with strength and vigor to supply quality suspension components, aftermarket parts, and other specialized accessories to creative Subaru enthusiasts - all while keeping their primary goal of positively building up the modification community top of mind as their pace of success and popularity continues to increase. As an enthusiast begins to research the many solutions on the market, they will see that these featured manufacturers are the providers of the best, most sought after products needed for a suspension upgrade. We will now break down the components, highlight their manufacturers, and outline the price ranges to hopefully help with the important choices ahead.
Now that we have established a clear understanding of the primary components which work together to provide a suspension system for your 2022 Subaru WRX , we can begin to outline specific costs per component you will find in the Subimods catalog, and also identify their individual manufacturers. We have compiled a list of "most wanted" components in each category to assist you with your first stages of research towards your upgrade. If you have begun to investigate a solution which requires a Coilover Kit, we hope this gives a clear view of what is available in your price range. First, from FactionFab , their F-Spec Coilover Kit for the 2022 WRX comes in at a very affordable price point right below $900 , if you are looking for a lowered look that is more aggressive, but maintaining an improvement in response with handling and steering. FactionFab has engineered these smartly, so the driver can upgrade their suspension efficiently without affecting the quality of the vehicle's ride. For the next level of investment, Pedders offers their eXtreme XA Coilover Kit for around $1100 giving the WRX owner a solution which will lower the car and deliver on expectations for more extreme performance when motoring on the street or opening up on the track. The Pedders product provides a great ride alongside enhanced handling. BC Racing brings an option to the most wanted list with their BR Series Coilovers priced around $1300 and offering both a standard and Extreme Low options hitting the list right under $1400 for the WRX platform. BC Racing has engineered these for street driving and road courses with convenient adjustment settings to fine-tune compression and select ride height making it the perfect driver-friendly solution at this price point. Revel USA also offers a coilover kit for under $1400 with their Touring Sports Damper Coilover Kit including Coilover Covers , while both Fortune Auto and Öhlins bring options suitable to support daily driving and challenges of the track. The 500 Series Generation 8 Coilover Kit comes in at under $2200 , and the Öhlins Road & Track Coilover System with DFV Tech allows the race-ready driver to customize their ride performance with extreme ease for under 2,500 .
Enthusiasts who have decided to pursue the option of installing Lowering Springs on their 2022 WRX, will have a number of options to review in the Subimods online catalog. RS-R , Whiteline , I SC Suspension , Eibach , and H&R all provide suspension modification solutions that are currently some of the most wanted products in our inventory purchased by WRX customers. Starting at under $250 , RS-R offers their Down Sus Series Lowering Spring Kit for the WRX platform giving the enthusiast seeking to minimize the gap between the fender-to-wheel both a mild drop and an improvement in the vehicle's overall handling profile. Two other popular manufacturers, Whiteline and ISC Suspension , also offer high quality lowering solutions for far under $300 . The Whiteline Lowering Spring Kit comes on the list at around $266 , while the ISC Suspension Triple S Lowering Spring Kit is available for right under $280 allowing an enthusiast to drop their vehicle while retaining their OEM shocks and dampers which equals a savings in their overall investment. Eibach entered the running at under $400 with a lowering product that lives comfortably inside Subimods' Most Wanted category. The Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Spring Kit, currently priced at $315 , gives the race-ready driver an aggressive and impressive look, extreme high performance handling at a lower center of gravity while allowing the vehicle to stop quicker and corner much faster in challenging race track situations. The last company to provide a product to help with a lowering modification is Germany's H&R , who always delivers a high quality, well-engineered solution to the driver with expectations for amazing handling at a lower drive height. The H&R Sport Lowering Spring Kit, which includes 4 stylish springs coated with a blue finish, will also add a nice visual component to your project while being affordable at a price a bit under $440 with the highest level of quality always proven by its performance. Choosing either an appropriate Coilover System for your upgrade, or going with a Lowering Spring modification will not be the final consideration while making your project plans. Important components like Sway Bars, End Links, Control Arms, and appropriate Performance Bushings should also be included during your search with the Subimods online catalog .
A number of these manufacturers provide additional products which are needed to complete your suspension upgrade whether you have chosen a Coilover System or decided on Lowering Springs . Offerings may consist of individual components designed for either the front and the rear of the vehicle which are available to be purchased separately. Some manufacturers provide fully outfitted kit including all the components for the upgrade for a bundled price, making it more convenient for the enthusiast while ensuring an efficient, accurate installation. We will list the most wanted components under this category which will include those manufacturers who offer both individual parts and kits to the WRX driver. Super Pro comes in at the top of the list with two solutions under the $200 price point, the Heavy Duty, 22mm, 3-Position Adjustable Rear Sway Bar at around $175 , and the Heavy Duty, 24mm, 2-Position Adjustable Front Sway Bar for right under $200 , both designed to provide the WRX driver with an increase in cornering capability while decreasing the vehicle's degree of body roll. Whiteline enters the list at around the same price range with their Adjustable 22mm Rear Sway Bar at under $190 , and the Adjustable 24mm Front Sway Bar available for under $207 . While Perrin offers their 22mm Sway Bar for the rear of the WRX at around $240 , SMY provides a performance solution for both the front and rear of your Subaru for a combined $500 investment. The SMY Stealth model offers a 22mm or 24mm Solid Heavy Duty Rear Sway Bar with 3 Points of adjustment , each for $245 while providing their 26mm Solid Heavy Duty Sway Bar with 2 points of adjustment for the front of the vehicle for just under $260 . The final under $400 option for individual components comes from Cusco , a manufacturer who has designed a product with extreme performance, stability, and safety as their top priority. The Cusco 21mm Rear Sway Bar is priced at about $300 , while the 26mm Front Sway Bar is available for an additional $36 and change. Both Whiteline and SMY offer customers popular Sway Bar kits which include End Links, another component available for individual purchase. For a larger investment, the Whiteline 24mm Front Adjustable and 22mm Rear Adjustable Sway Bar Kit with End links is available on the Subimods website for around $600.00 , while the SMY Stealth 26mm Front and 24mm Rear Sway Bar Kit which also includes Endlinks comes in under $750 , making this a great bundled alternative for the enthusiast who wants everything in one package.
Purchasing Sway Bars as individual components for your suspension upgrade is an obvious and available option for the enthusiast, but upgrading a vehicle's sway bars along with end links should be done hand in hand to cover all the bases and ensure your WRX handling performance is pristine, smooth, while maintaining ultimate stability for the vehicle. As we mentioned, two manufacturers offer Sway Bar Kit solutions with the End Links included in the package, but three companies who fall into the most wanted column provide this component for customers to purchase individually. As we look over the available options, we see that the COBB Sway Bar End Links are priced at $115 , and are engineered to increase sway bar effectiveness while providing the system with oil and grease resistance to avoid material breakdown. Again, SMY brings in three products to serve the WRX driver's need for stable handing with their Stealth Heavy Duty Adjustable End Link Sets for both the Front and Rear at about $120 , and their Stealth Heavy Duty Adjustable Rear Spherical End Link Set for an additional $60 investment. SMY has designed their Stealth Heavy Duty product to be a more robust solution to answer the call when demanding situations require improved handling and stability during extremely challenging scenarios during high-performance driving to prevent bending, breaking, and stress involved during off-road or abusive track conditions.
Finally, as we move towards the end of our investigative journey, we are also looking at every available component that contributes to the stability, cornering, balance, steering, and alignment details which will fully maximize the safest performance driving experience while behind the wheel of a 2022 Subaru WRX. Lastly we would like to review the most wanted Control Arms and associated Bushings provided by some of the previously mentioned manufacturers through our catalog listings to give a complete and accurate outline for an enthusiast's valuable modification research. Again, along with a long list of quality suspension system components, Super Pro also offers products under this category with their Rear Lower Control Arm Kit for under $260 , and an option which includes Adjustable Toe Arms for an additional $50.00. Whiteline returns with another quality offering to deliver an additional level of enhanced steering performance and cornering ability. The Whiteline Rear Adjustable Control Arms come in at the same $260 price point, while their Motorsports Series is available for under $320.00 , giving the WRX driver a little bit more durability for competition on the track. Cusco offers a Rear Lateral Control Arm for the 2022 WRX with both Manual and CVT Transmissions for between $500 and $550 , while SMY re-enters the room with their Stealth Pillow Ball CNC Aluminum Adjustable Rear Control Arms with or without Toe Kit between $440 and $620 , providing an alternative to the previously offered steel product with a newly engineered high-grade aluminum which makes this control arm configuration 2 lbs lighter while being just as robust. Verus Engineering moves in with their 7000 Series Rear Lower Control Arms at far under $700 to clearly show an overwhelming collection of options for the interested enthusiast. Not to forget the need to replace and upgrade all control arms and other performance bushings during this modification project, we need to include the products offered by Super Pro and Whiteline under this category. First, the SuperPro Front Control Arm Lower-Inner Front Bushing Kit is available for around $40.00, the Rear Trailing Arm Bushing Kits for both the Front and Back are priced between $48 and $56 , and the SuperPro Rear Upper Control Arm Inner Bushing Kit is listed for under $88.00 . At a higher purchase price of around $128 , they also provide a Rear Upper Control Arm Camber Adjustable Eccentric Rear Inner Bushing Kit as a smart upgrade from the WRX’s potentially worn, unsafe, stock bushings which can negatively affect the vehicle's handling, stability, and overall braking performance. The Whiteline Front Control Arm Lower Inner Rear Anti-Lift Caster Bushings are also available from our catalog for under $120, rounding out the list of most wanted products needed by our customers to include in the suspension and vehicle stability modification plans for their 2022 Subaru WRX.
For more information regarding aftermarket parts for your 2022 Subaru WRX , please visit our website and explore the section dedicated to your platform .
Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
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