Gauging Interest: Whiteline Adjustable FRONT Swaybars (Reign_Maker approved)

[ma71supraturbo]

Just to throw in my $0.02 on this thread.

Whiteline has been around for quite some time, and has a solid following. They probably would have a much larger following the US, but they are from Australia and used to have difficult time getting parts to the USA in a reasonable timeframe. This is because the cost of shipping from Australia to the US is quite high unless they could fill a shipping container. But up until a couple years ago, Whiteline really didn't have a big stocking distributor in the US, so if you were a vendor you had to go with a small unofficial distributor who made two or three orders a year. So you, as a vendor, would have to put up your money ~6 months before you get the part, then sit on the part in inventory until it sells. In the age of drop-shipping -- that really wasn't a policy that was popular with vendors.

However, a couple years ago a new company stepped up and really started to stock a ton of this stuff in the central US... The result is whiteline is making a US comeback...

anyway, just my opinion on why whiteline doesn't have as big of a name recognition now...


That aside, Whiteline's products are high quality and speak for themselves. And it seemed to me that whiteline stood behind their stuff (I had only come across one warranty issue with them -- a blown coilover from a kid known for his drifting into curbs... Whiteline still took care of it despite the sketchy circumstances).


Now, for Karaki -- I am curious as to how exactly you intend to make an adjustable front sway bar for the MK3... The rear can be easily made to be adjustable because the ends of the bar run front-to-back (so you can have multiple holes -- each with a different lever-arm to twist the bar). But the front sway bar flares outward where the end-link attaches. If you were to drill multiple mounting holes, they would not give any different lever-arm...

I don't have a good picture handy, but here's one from the EPC:

So -- are you planning on having multiple outward-flaring flanges for different lever-arms? Do you plan to try and convert to a straight bar (and then include different end-links with the kit)?

 

[ma71supraturbo]

With that picture its hard to see what's going on, so I've resorted to one of my world-renowned MSpaint pictures. Unfortunately, it isn't much better.


Edit: stole a picture from Dylan Wiggins and circled the swaybar. It's hard to see the orientation, but I think it gives you the idea

 

[Raptor Racing]

Jeff;

I see you're point and know exactly what you're talking about...attatched you'll find a slightly better picture of a front ST sway bar and the whiteline bar (whiteline bar is the grey one). I'd take a picture of the bar on my mk3 but unfortuately she's 1.5hrs away from me :cry:

The engineer's at Whiteline and I have not spent 2 minutes discussing MK3 sway bars yet. On November 20th we have a MK2 going in to get adjustables made so unfortunately that has been our priority.

Before an official thread even goes up we'll be chatting in detail about the Mk3 bar. The MK3 is not the only car that has this 'issue' (if we can call it that)...they have a couple of ways around this for the other applications.

Let me finish working with them on the mk2 then we can concentrate our attention on this. Either way not 1 post will be put up or $1 collected until we are confident the parts will be made.

BTW...I don't see you that much on the MK2 forums...where have you gone??

 

[Raptor Racing]

Cool, I look forward to seeing you work around it. I spoke with Tanabe about it when they first did their MK3 swaybars, but they didnt want to invest any more time into it since they saw Supras as such a limited market...


As for me, I'm still lurking. Just picked up my 6th? supra, an '88. Driving the '85 as the daily and finishing my BS in mechanical engineering -- then on to the MBA program...

Very cool...good luck with that.

I have been talking to Whiteline and Dobinson very heavily lately and have come to realize that both companies are willing to do almost anything. For vehicles like the MK2/MK3 they have a 10 part minium but for other vehicles the minimum for custom app's go to 20-25...as long as they get confirmed sales they'll do all the research; testing and building.

They are actually very curious to get a mk3 in there to see what else can be built. It seems to me they are really looking to expand their product line and realize the only way to do it is one car at a time.

In reference to your claim on whiteline not having a large distributor in the US I would disagree with that. I have been dealing with Global Performance for over a year now. On more than one occasion they have got me Whiteline Bars faster than I've been able to get my hands on the North American made ST's/Addco's.

I have ordered many parts from them for not so popular vehicles which have been in stock...they have a HUGE warehouse in Michigan and you wouldn't believe the amount of stuff they carry. After dealing with Addco customer support and ST's lack of customer support I have never recommended ANYTHING but whiteline to any of my customers. Sorry to blab but I have never come across a company that treats all their customers like they are their #1 customer...you know as well as anyone that is very VERY rare in this business from a large manufacturer.

 

[jdmk3_87t]

Keep us posted Karaki...I maybe interested if the price and supply is right.

 

[ma71supraturbo]

Just found out an interesting tidbit. Whiteline created their original MK3 swaybars in 1997 using IJ's car/swaybars.

What a small world

 

[Raptor Racing]

Just found out an interesting tidbit. Whiteline created their MK3 swaybars in 1997. Their original tester? IJ


What a small world

Hahaha...ya...he IJ pm'd me and let me know that too...pretty cool stuff.

 

[suprahero]

Thanks.

 

[Raptor Racing]

No Problem; we'll find out exactly how smooth this process is soon enough as we have a mk2 going into whiteline in less than 2 weeks.

Going by the 50% drop out rule we still need at least another 10 votes here to even consider this.

 

[Raptor Racing]

bump...

 

[GotToyota?]

Hard to keep track of all of these GB's lately.

 

[adampecush]

what is the story with the rear bar? I'd be interested in it in a few months (when i coincidentally return from australia - no, I don't have a supra here)

 

[Raptor Racing]

There is no story with the rear bar; it's been available in adjustable format for some time. Look me up when you're ready and I can surely get that for you.



For those curious please check out my 2 whiteline threads at toyota nation to see feedback from my customers:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/f31

 

[EdgeSupra]

I'm interested in front AND rear bar, I could be ready by next Thurs :icon_bigg

-Justin

 

[Raptor Racing]

Will take a couple more weeks before I even start talking to Whiteline about this. The MK2 goes in on monday to get adjustable swaybard designed...I got 33 interested there so they get first priority .

 

[Sawbladz]

This sounds like a very interesting product. People should jump on this, its not too often stuff gets custom made for our cars. Please keep us posted on the progress of the Mk2 and 3 bars.

 

[Boosted Supra]

What is the price for both front and rear bars? Thanks

 

[Raptor Racing]

Manny;

price is yet to be determined as we need to get a car to Whiteline first; my best 'educated' guess will give each bar an initial price of about $155 each. For that price the bar only comes with bar to chassis mount bushings. If this goes through I will also look into offering adjustable endlinks but lets just concentrate on getting the bar done first.

BTW; haven't seen you at the Toronto meet lately; hope to see you and your HOT MK3 at TO 2007!!

 

[EdgeSupra]

Can't wait for these. If you have a running list, put me down for both adj.

And if you can't offer adj. end links, everyone can always check out Randy's (becauseican) end links that he offers.
I'm excited for these.

-Justin

 

[Raptor Racing]

Can't wait for these. If you have a running list, put me down for both adj.

And if you can't offer adj. end links, everyone can always check out Randy's (becauseican) end links that he offers.
I'm excited for these.

-Justin

Took the words right out of my mouth; was thinking about contacting Randy about this to see what he can do.