Quote:
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Originally Posted by http://www.drivesubaru.com/Win04_WhatsInside.htm
The front sub-frame serves a number of purposes. It adds to the rigidity of the front body structure and supports the vehicle's engine and some chassis components. Most importantly, the sub-frame helps to protect occupants in an offset frontal impact.
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If you look at my attached image, the red lines are the directions in which I think the stock subframe adds rigidity to the front end. This especially important in that it ties the two mounting points of the main front suspension controls arms together, as well as tying those two points to the front end of the car (which is probably where the extra crashworthiness comes from).
I think you could achieve a stiffer and lighter front-end (at the loss of crash safety) by going to a lighter cross brace that triangulates better, and connects left to right as well as front to back. But I don't think I'd go without. Subaru certainly put a lot of engineering into that subframe, as it's a pretty high-tech chunk of hydroformed steel. (And there *are* 6-bolts on each side
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Of course all this is moot (at least for those who autocross), since you have to run the stock subframe in every class except Prepared and Modified... (yes, that's Modified, *not* Street Modified... it's gotta be there in SM too.)
Of course, I'd like to hear everyone's opinion, especially Austin's, regarding this. It would be awesome to be able to loose all that front-end weight, even at the loss of crash safety, since my car will eventually have a cage... but for now, I would suggest leaving it on.