Konis and Wheel Bearing installed!

SVXRide · #1 03-29-2005, 10:05 AM

Drove the SVX up to scenic Cumberland, Maryland yesterday to take advantage of Red Hill Auto Center's (14701 National Hwy. 301-689-0315) great hourly rates and Subaru technical skills (they're right next door to SVXFiles's Route 40 Auto Sales). Tom was nice enough to lend Austin and myself Nick's 4:44-equipped SVX so we could drive back into Cumberland while Troy worked on my SVX. Several hours later and my SVX was fully "Koni-fied"

(thanks again, Todd!!!) and no longer suffered from the dreaded "snow tire" sound. Two notes to add: (1) Red Hill actually removes the hub and sends it over to a machine shop that is very familiar with the "don't use that grease, it's just packing grease!" issue with the SVX wheel bearing, so they totally flush out the packing grease and repack the bearing with high temp grease before pressing the new bearing into the hub, (2) Even though I had had 4 brand new Subaru (Showa) struts installed (by a different shop) less than 5k miles ago, all but one of them was totally "shot" when Troy removed them!! Either they were defective to begin with, or my autoX suspension mods and driving were detrimental to their health

Thanks again to Troy and Tom!!
-Bill

mbtoloczko · #2 03-29-2005, 10:36 AM

How is the ride? What springs are you using?

Earthworm · #3 03-29-2005, 01:48 PM

Yeah, he should have had yours or any aftermarket springs installed to compliment the Koni's

GreenMarine · #4 03-29-2005, 02:10 PM

Let us know how they fair out at the next AutoX

.... I'll be AutoXing "Gumby" when I get it back... Should be VERY interesting

SVXRide · #5 03-29-2005, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbtoloczko

How is the ride? What springs are you using?

Can't give a full report on the ride yet, as I've only got roughly 3 hours of drive time so far and that was in the pouring down rain at night with numerous areas of extremely limited visibility. As to the springs.....as if you don't know....

-Bill

svxfiles · #6 03-29-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbtoloczko

How is the ride? What springs are you using?

Gee, Bill is using the stock springs, of course,

http://se30.dyndns.org:8080/SVX/svx_sport_springs.html

Subaru calls them "kit A"

mbtoloczko · #7 03-29-2005, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVXRide

.... As to the springs.....as if you don't know....

-Bill

Common, I wouldn't shamelessly plug my own product. Well, maybe I would a little. :-) Seriously, I thought you had switched over to the GC springs. Wasn't sure.

Phast SVX · #8 03-29-2005, 03:00 PM

the struts were bad becuase you overlooked an important fact.
....The svx didnt sell

Showa only did one or two runs of struts for subarus , so all the struts in storage are 15 years old. hence why it seems like you just get lucky if they are good or not. Luckily they should have been under manfucturing warrenty still right?

very jelous. i will get around to suspension one of these years :/
phil

immortal_suby · #9 03-29-2005, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phast SVX

the struts were bad becuase you overlooked an important fact.
....The svx didnt sell

Showa only did one or two runs of struts for subarus , so all the struts in storage are 15 years old. hence why it seems like you just get lucky if they are good or not. Luckily they should have been under manfucturing warrenty still right?

very jelous. i will get around to suspension one of these years :/
phil

Very good point. One I will remember when it comes time to replace my struts.

mbtoloczko · #10 03-29-2005, 06:43 PM

I've got 25k miles on new rear struts I put in over two years ago, and they are working fine. Replaced the front struts about 1.5 years ago (15k miles), and those are working fine too. So not all of them are bad. Would seem to be a crap shoot though. I would have been very unhappy if I had to disassemble my suspension after 5k miles to replace a blown strut.

SVXRide · #11 03-30-2005, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbtoloczko

I've got 25k miles on new rear struts I put in over two years ago, and they are working fine. Replaced the front struts about 1.5 years ago (15k miles), and those are working fine too. So not all of them are bad. Would seem to be a crap shoot though. I would have been very unhappy if I had to disassemble my suspension after 5k miles to replace a blown strut.

The interesting note here is that the car wasn't behaving as if it had blown struts (no bounce when you push down hard on the car and let go). I think the improved springs, urethane bushings, etc. were masking the fact that the struts were bad.
Excellent point on the Showa struts sitting around in storage - I failed to mention that the rear struts were the second set I had put on - the first set failed (can you say "puddles of fluid beneath each strut"?) after less than 1k miles - had them replaced under warrenty. This really plays to just going ahead and going with the Koni inserts and not even bothering with the Showa struts....

-Bill
p.s. GC springs will only happen if I use the strut housings I have now for a Koni/coil-over set up

wawazat?? · #12 03-31-2005, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVXRide

Several hours later and my SVX was fully "Koni-fied"

(thanks again, Todd!!!) and no longer suffered from the dreaded "snow tire" sound.
-Bill

Por nada Bill

Todd

Subafreak · #13 03-31-2005, 05:38 PM

Funny thing about Subarus is that they never seem to get that bouncing effect even with totaly blown leaking struts.

But you still notice a major improvement in handeling when done.

How is the Reading situation going?

Earthworm · #14 03-31-2005, 06:25 PM

They WILL bounce! Mine ended up bouncing "forcing" me to get the Koni's.

I knew the struts were bad for a few years but it didn't bounce until the end.

I have a 93 Justy that bounces in the back due to worn struts.

SVXRide · #15 03-31-2005, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wawazat??

Por nada Bill

Todd

Todd,
Spanish II this semester?

-Bill