STI Suspension Swap Project

[Crazy_pilot]

I posted this in the Megan Racing group buy thread, but thought I'd start a new thread to get more opinions. I'm planning on test fitting a v7 STi suspension in my SVX in the coming weeks. I've already found a way around the front sway bar endlink of the SVX. The rear endlink from an '05 Outback is the perfect length to fit a bracket welded to the control arm:



This removes the requirement to have the endlink attach to the strut. For the test phase I would just fabricate a bracket myself, but if this works I'll go to the machine shop and have a batch cut properly.

A member of the local Subie club has offered to let me borrow a spare v7 suspension he has since upgrading to coilovers. All I need it for is a mock up and fit test. He's confirmed that it uses the two bolt lower strut-to-knuckle mount in the rear (some Subies have a pillowball bushing in the rear).

To the best of my knowledge, if the lower strut will attach to the knuckle, this should work. If the top hat won't fit is it possible to swap the SVX top hat from a Koni/GC system onto another coilover system? If that's possible the only fitment requirement is the lower mount.

Is there any reason that the STi shocks won't work with the SVX's additional weight? I'm not worried about a two-year life expectancy or something, more a "will-this-thing-blow-up-if-I-hit-it-too-hard" sort of thing.

If this works I would like to go straight to an aftermarket STi suspension, coilovers etc. The heavy spring rates should help negate the extra weight, right?

I'm a rookie at all of this, so any of you more knowledgable types feel free to tell me I'm out to lunch.

[It's Just Eric]

talk to benebob.

[Hocrest]

You will need to use the SVX top mounts, or drill out different holes on the body of your SVX. If you decide to use the SVX top mount, you will find the top of the strut rod is slightly different. We used a small metal collar.

For the bottoms of the strut where they mount to the spindle. The spindle is thicker on an SVX than it is on the Impreza's. You will either need to spread open the flange on the borrowed STI struts or do what we did on the racer and use a grinder and remove metal from both sides of the spindle.

Looking at your picture posted, are you sure that there is enough clearance between the sway bar and the axle when the suspension drops? From that angle it looks fairly tight?????

[Crazy_pilot]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

Looking at your picture posted, are you sure that there is enough clearance between the sway bar and the axle when the suspension drops? From that angle it looks fairly tight?????

Cool, thanks!

That's the normal position of the swaybar. The other end is still connected to the strut with the stock SVX link.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by Crazy_pilot

Cool, thanks!

That's the normal position of the swaybar. The other end is still connected to the strut with the stock SVX link.

Ok, but in the normal set up, the sway bar is attached to the strut and won't be dropping any lower, the axle in relation will be dropping away from it.

With your set up, the control arm will be pulling the sway bar down as it does with the axle.

I'm not saying that there will be a problem, just double check before you weld things into place.

[Crazy_pilot]

The sway bar is connected to the lower strut housing, which does move up and down. The bracket I would put would make the sway bar follow the movement of the control arm at that point, and the control arm and axle should remain roughly parallel as the suspension travels, so the sway bar should not come any closer or farther from the axle than it is right there. That's what my metal picture of the situation tells me anyway.

Once the bracket's on and the strut is out I'll move the knuckle as far up and down as it will go to confirm clearance.