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#1
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STI suspension
Allrighty. Ive been wanting to post up on my suspension swap for a while. So, here we go.
As you all know, coilover and suspension upgrades for our cars are far and few between. And for some reason, the moment SVX is mentioned on a product, the price skyrockets! So, one of the simpler upgrades you can do to your car is install an adjustable STI coilover system. Its not as hard as it looks! Believe me. Here is the key. You need the suspension for a 2005 / 2007 STI. Thats because they have thicker uprights on the knuckles than a WRX. To do this proper, you WILL need the adjustable camber plates to get the correct alignment on the rear suspension. Start by creating a cardboard template. To do this, just jab come cardboard over the mounting brackets and then trace the plate out. Mark a center point on the template and what orientation the bolts are. Then simply place it ontop of the strut tower or inside of the tower. Align the bolt holes so they are in the proper orientation and your center mark is in the middle of the tower hole. Drill the 3 holes and and test fit the tophats. Install to the uprights: If you have the 05/07 sti coilovers, then the fronts will mount right up. Install the lower bolt into the coilover mounts. You will find that the upper mounting hole is apporx. .24" off where it needs to be for the SVX uprights. Just take a 1/2" drill bit and ream out the holes on the coilover bracket to match. Install upper bolts and your done with the front. For info on how to weld on tabs to keep the front swaybar, please refer to : http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=41831 As I simply removed the front swaybar for one that ill will be fabricating at a later date. The rear gets interesting. The template procedure is the same for the rear as it was the front. However the mounts for the uprights are too narrow and need to be widened to fit the thicker size of the svx knuckles. To widen them, I found it quick and easy to simply heat the coilover brackets with a torch and give them some quick love with a hammer to bend them outward just alittle bit. They then slide on nice and easy. The mounting holes are in the correct position on the brackets to mount with our uprights with out modifying them. Thats is it! In my case, it took approx. 4 hours for the install with a floor jack and a drill. Any questions, feel free to ask away. |
#2
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Re: STI suspension
What specific brand/set of coilovers did you use? And what camber plates?
This actually seems like less work than doing the Koni inserts. The only real issue remains the sway bar. Mounting the sway bar endlinks to the control arm will make the sway bar a little less effective. And it's already not doing that much.
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'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project '97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album |
#3
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Re: STI suspension
That looks pretty easy. Probably easier on the wallet than some of the other options, too!
How long have you had this setup? I'd be interested to see if there are any issues down the road (pun not intended ), like tires wearing funny. But I guess if you had the camber properly it would be fine. Isn't the SVX heavier than an STi? Did you have to get stiffer springs?
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Glen SOLD - 1992 LSL 180K #8588 with svxfiles' all aluminum radiator; Wolf's head synthetic ATF in tranny and power steering; lighted power mode switch; Mobil 1 10W30 motor oil with Bosch 72158 filter; ACDelco A975C air filter; Valvoline synthetic 75W-90 gear oil, Optima BlueTop battery 2002 F550 74K SOLD - 2000 F450 215K 1987 BMW 535i 209K 1999 Yamaha SRX 700 |
#4
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Re: STI suspension
Ive been running these for about 4 months. The aircraft landing struts (as to what my friends have lovingly called them ) I have Stance GR+PRO SSD coilovers. They are oversprung at this point, even for track conditions. 11k/9k for the coils. Ill be changing to Swift springs soon enough. Id imagine that they would even be stiff on a track prepped STI. Bouncy bouncy. I wanted to dampen my suspension, not cease its movement all together.
The camber plates are an option on the coilovers, and im glad that I got it. The valving is well suited to track conditions. There is next to no body roll, even w/o the swaybars. What little there is makes the car easy to flick around corners. The only down side in my case, it that the car it stripped of all the interior. Which makes is VERY nose hevy and throws the brake balance off toward the rear. Under hard braking, the rear locks up and induces copious amounts of oversteer. Aside from that, its a splendid suspension. http://stance-usa.com/sus/products/c...supersportplus |
#5
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Re: STI suspension
so are you suggesting the 11k-9k setup or
the 7k-5k one ? is there any other coil over setups that can be just as easily modified to fit ? obviously not that D2 brand on ebay ive heard of horrific breaks and lucky close calls in feather weight civics |
#6
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Re: STI suspension
Quote:
Thanks.
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'93 Anniversary Edition SVX 122k - 3.7 FD 5MT Swap, ECUtune 1a1, Bontrager RSB, Mad Restoration underway! '20 Honda Ridgeline Custom Oil Caps, Battery Bars, Phenolic Spacers for sale here: http://www.x35design.com |
#7
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Re: STI suspension
I think he means where it attaches to the spindle, since the tophat mount bolts are like M8, which is way smaller than 1/2 inch
__________________
Glen SOLD - 1992 LSL 180K #8588 with svxfiles' all aluminum radiator; Wolf's head synthetic ATF in tranny and power steering; lighted power mode switch; Mobil 1 10W30 motor oil with Bosch 72158 filter; ACDelco A975C air filter; Valvoline synthetic 75W-90 gear oil, Optima BlueTop battery 2002 F550 74K SOLD - 2000 F450 215K 1987 BMW 535i 209K 1999 Yamaha SRX 700 |
#8
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Re: STI suspension
In all honesty, its hard to say. In car with full interior and a passenger, it may well have a better ride than mine with the current 11k-9k. But this really depends on what you plan to do with your svx. Autocross? Track? Aggressive street? For autocross, You cant beat the 11k 9k. Braking is now stunning, even with stock calipers and rotors. Nice and flat. No dive when you slam on brakes. Cornering is excellent. But only on smooth surfaces. The suspension has enough give to keep you in contact with the road surface over smooth undulations, but harsh tarmac with ruts and ripples. Youll be hating it.
Autocross, the 11k 9k For open track and very spirited driving, the 7k 5k Mind you, every car is a little different, as is its driver. It all depends on what your looking for. In regards to the uprights, Im talking about the mounting on the knuckle to the coilover. |
#9
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Re: STI suspension
For reference, most of the ground control conversions that were done for track purposes used 450f/375r springs in lb/in. There were also some that used 350-375-ish ones in the front, with proportional rears.
11Kg/mm is 616 lb/in. That's really stiff. Like really stiff. No wonder, man. Here is a chart to help people with converting. I would also like to point out there should be a very wide variety of STi coilovers out there. So there are a lot of options for those considering this route.
__________________
'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project '97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album |
#10
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Re: STI suspension
Would the stock STi suspension work with this type of approach? And would the rears install with the same type of modifications?
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#11
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Re: STI suspension
Why havent people gone with this more? With a small amount of modification and less hurt on your wallet, it just seems like a good option.
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#12
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Re: STI suspension
Quote:
The coil weight im currently running would not be that bad IF they were a better coil. http://www.swiftsprings.com/products...r_springs.html Im thinking ill loose 100lbs in the front and 175 in the rear and ill be happy. But then again, I have VERY little track time with these to be certain. Only one open track day and Reno Fernly Raceway. And I was not pushing it at all. No cage, still and automatic and light in the tail. What I felt, I liked to a point. Ill know better for balance of the car once I get the cage in *stiffer chassis*, install a rear spoiler and swap in the 5mt. |
#13
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Re: STI suspension
Quote:
And in all honesty, I doubt anybody knew it would be this easy. |
#14
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Re: STI suspension
Quote:
__________________
'94 Laguna Blue LSi ~159k.......JDM ultra short-geared 3.900 STi Version 7 6-speed w/ Cobb shortshifter, ECUtune 244,8.1mm/256,9.1mm i/e cams, group N motor mounts, '97 grille, JDM clear corners, Momo JDM Legacy GT steering wheel, apkarian's LED tails, silver STi BBS wheels, PWR radiator, redstuff pads f/r, drilled/slotted rotors, bontragerworks rsb #18, Koni/GC 450f/375r coilovers, Megan Racing adjustable lateral links, KMac c/c plates, Stebro exhaust, ECUtune 1v5, Optima battery in the trunk where it belongs. Turbo project '97 Ebony LSi ~137k #036.......Power mode mod, JDM clear corners, BBS wheels. AUX/pocket mod Now a mod "over there" ............Photo album |
#15
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Re: STI suspension
I do believe that the stock sti suspension will lower you by about 1.5" or so as our strut towers are taller than theirs. This is all an assumption on my behalf, as the coils were set up for a STI lowered by 2" when I received them. Upon install, the svx had a drop in height of 3.5" or so. So it would stand to reason that the drop in height could be expected from the stock impreza coils.
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