My shocks + springs are on the way out. Started looking at replacement options. OEM NOS for my car is stupid money (2k) for something that'll probably die soon again. Gone into a deep dive into aftermarket coilovers and it seems like unless you want to go full stance-tard or like insanely hard rides for track days, the only good options are expensive.For context I like to drive hard on shitty pot-holed back roads on my way to hikes, something racing coilovers would probably be a terrible choice for. Anyone here have any recommendations besides selling a kidney for a set of Reiger rally shocks?>In b4 lmao looks at that wheel gap stancelet riceletAlso happy new year you /o/tistic bunch
get the oems or scrap the car if you cant afford them
Can you get bilstein sport level struts with lowering springs? probably a better bet for shitty roads you won't baby your car on. I went with h&r coilovers (which are essentially race springs with the bilstein kit and they're a tad too rough on shit roads, which are plentiful where I live
What car?Ironically the trackdaybro stuff is a lot more comfortable than given credit for if you don't load up the spring rates and keep them reasonable. The shock itself is meant for compliance under road imperfections (meaning jumping curbing on tracks) so often they can ride better than stock. I personally like FA510s for most cars but some cars have specific custom brands that work better (RCE/Feal for Subarus, Shaftworks, Ohlins, etc).
>>28185806Why are oems so expensive. Even the best aftermarket are 1/3 the price of OEM
>>28185818buy once cry once
>>28185806I can afford the OEMs. But from autistic car specific forum knowledge the OEM inverted mono struts apparently wear out due to a design flaw and stick due to loss of grease causing wearing of the internal bushings. Mines at 100k miles and has started the knocking noise in my offside rear and nearside front and essentially everyone says that basically means the bushings are gone, and SOL finding that specific replacement part>>28185814Recommended spring rates?>What car?GC8 (classic) impreza STiAgree with you about the trackbro stuff. But from my searching it seems like every mid range coil over comes with springs with minimum 10kg/mm / 560lb/in which seems hard as fuck, I'd thought front rear should be 8/6 450/446 spring rates>>28185815Are those Kw v3s? How do you rate them? Mine are >MacDonald struts but KW do have V3 club sports for my car >>28185818Tell me about it, epecially 25 year old stock OEM in a car where madmen are resto-ing for muh investment
>>28185812Yeah loads of people swear by Bilstein struts + spring setups. Pro drive did a collab setup with Bilstein but that inverted mono tube setup goes for an assload of money now. Bilstein new options are either b16 coilovers $2600 or some second hand stuff of unknown wear at 100-1500 for a whole set, which feels like a side grade given my original STi dampers are good but on the way out
>>28185820I buy OEM for literally every everything on the car but OEM shocks are a total scam
>Go on owners forums>See most posters have replaced their coilover setup>Despite being lower mileage than my car, and way under service period>Suspension kits can cost over €800What am I missing? Whats so great to justify the cost?
If you're going on the cheaper end, a decent set of traditional konis/bilstein shocks/struts are better than cheap coilovers. expensive coilovers would probably ride better but they're usually a bit more expensive
>>28185844I have bc racing coilovers on my 01 wrx, they ride fine if you dodge potholes, I'm waiting for spring to put kw's on my sti.
>coilovers for occasional spirited driving on twistiesoverkill imo. replace with oem spec and save up for better tires.
>>28185696kyb excel-g shocks? ran them on my old cressida. i wanted nothing more than stock suspension and those excel-gs did the job well.https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/subaru,1998,impreza,2.5l+h4,1317353,suspension,shock+/+strut,7556looks like you're in luck too, they have all four corners
What's the point of buying "good" shocks that aren't adjustable?
>>28185844Recommended spring rates you're better off contacting RCE or Feal or Shaftworks or FA and asking. It changes according to aero, weight, use case, and tire compound. Some high end shocks can handle high spring rates better. I have 11/13K on my Evo and it rides pretty well (other than the amount of sphericals/ball joints on the car from factory). But they're Shaftworks 1 Ways and have trucked through storm drains mid corner at 90mph without upsetting the car.Another factor is who is local to you. FA is in Virginia, Shaftworks is in SoCal, Stance is in Chicago (despite the name they're pretty good). Local = cheap and easy to service.
>>28185892Yeah I have looked at BC, Twin, or HSD coilovers. Unfortunately it's all potholes where I live. And I use the impreza for back country/winter driving on B roads which are poorly surfaced here in the UK. I don't really need to lower the car too, I'm already hitting the bump stops on some of the jumps/bumps on these roads.If I haven't figured out a replacement I might have to ask again how those KWs run for you>>28185900>overkill imo. replace with oem spec and save up for better tires.I'm already running cross climate 2s on the imp, which have been a bigger improvement. Stock engine at 280bhp with AWD is more than enough, don't care for drag racing. I just want better handling, it's preventing me from taking 5s turns at more than 60mph without confidence. And the sticking suspension is bothering me. Pardon my autism/hobby but instead of sinking my money into big power I just wanna have fun back roads. I will be the first to admit there's not much logic to itOEM spec are relatively beefy inverted mono tube dampers that are 2k...>>28185916Thanks for the rec. Excel-gs are unfortunately twin-tube, prone to foaming. Closest OEM spec I can see would be inverted KYB Ultra SRs but I can only see confirmed fitment for the later gen impreza (GD), was wondering if anyone has made that work for them>>28185882That's my conclusion so far..but with my budget of 2-3k max I can't decide if I've hit the "good" coilovers territory
What is the best way to get good suspension if comfort is the main goal? Can coilovers give a plush ride? My car has a lift kit and using stock suspension. Front macdonalds springs are too fuckin stiff the ride is so rough and jittery. I partly blame the bigger wheels+tires I put on which increases un-sprung weight that the factory setup is not designed for. But I dunno how to counter-act unsprung weight, is it a softer spring? stiffer spring? stronger shock? softer shock? Help mee.....
>>28185844>Are those Kw v3s? How do you rate them?Yeah V3s and they're really good. Going with KW, Ohlins, or JRZ for my MacPhetson strut car
>>28185941RCE Tarmac 2s are revalved KW V3s. FA, Shaftworks, Feal, Stance are all Taiwanese using BC Racing parts (not inherently a bad thing, their anodizing and machining isn't the issue). What you're paying for when buying a custom coilover is the valving and spring rate to suit that valving. They all buy the same parts from BC then suit the shock valving to what they want KYBs are a downgrade from what you have, lol. Those are OE replacements for 130hp Imprezas. They're not bad but not meant to go on a STi.
>>28185844>560lb/in which seems hard as fuckOn a 3500lb car at stockish height? No. Cranked way the fuck down? No. Cheap coilovers generally come with mono tube shocks, so if you are still running rubber suspension components you wouldn't even really notice beyond "It's firmer than stock"Spring rate will affect ride quality on poly bushings AND low profile tires.You can use nutjob spring rates and poly bushings and your tire sidewall alone will affect the ride quality.If your sidewall is stock and your bushings are stock and you are keeping the ride height close to stock and you are using cheap pillowball monotube shock coilovers off ebay, get any spring rate because it doesn't really matter with your application.I suggest maxpeedingrods, they're cheap, mostly steel, and you get the nutjob spring rates in case you want to upgrade later.
>>28185969>KYBs are a downgradeThis is never true unless you are rallye spec. I've seen 9 second drag cars running Gas-A-Just and GR-2s are hands down the best cupkit shocks in history next to Koni Sport shortbody struts.
>>28185974The KYBs in that application are literally meant for a 130hp economy car. Wrong valving. It's like taking factory Bilsteins off for DeCarbons.>>28185971Would sooner do FA500s if on that tight of a budget.
>>28185981>The KYBs in that application are literally meant for a 130hp economy car. Wrong valving.They are monotube Gas-A-Just, you don't know what you are talking about. The Excel-G is the wrong part number for the STI.>Would sooner do FA500s if on that tight of a budget.The Maxpeeding/ebay coilover set is $220 or less and comes with adjustable damping and camber plates. Spending more money than that is stupid.
>>28185696GAZ will build you a set of coilovers tuned for your specific application, and, being UK based, will understand what you mean when you tell them that you want to drive fast on poorly surfaced B roads. I have no personal experience with them (other than having a set on my wishlist for my car), but they look like quality kit. The standard set is £1,762. For a few hundred more, you can get a set with remote reservoirs.
>>28185696get some KYB, Bilstein, or Koni if OEM is too expensive.coilovers are kinda memes outside racing..t PENSKE 8300 owner.
>>28185863I run Bilstein B6s and Swift Spec-Rs on my Civic, it's a genuine improvement over stock for ride quality and handling.
>>28185971>On a 3500lb car at stockish height? No>Spring rate will affect ride quality on poly bushings AND low profile tires.Stock 205/55R16 on said cross climate 2sSTi/Grp B strut mounts.Car is about 2900lbs>If your sidewall is stock and your bushings are stockUnfortunately I polybushed the whole suspension a couple of years ago. Don't get me wrong I like the feedback but coupled with sticking dampers it's now hell. Maybe I should have gone with group N bushesYou and >>28186110>>28186055Have convinced me to not write off strut and spring combos completely, just need to start shooting emails asking if they have a suitable inverted monotube available>.t PENSKE 8300 owner.That's really cool, what platform and application do you run it on, how often do you use and adjust the compression/rebound. Do you recommend? I could consider the higher tier stuff but not sure if worth it>>28186023Yep, GAZ is on my shortlist for reasonably priced, not seen too much about them though. Another is EXE-TC that supplied WRC at one point, apparently they do fast road and are developing something for consumer level. Again problem with suspension is there seems to be no middle ground for budget, either decent spring + damper or pay the price of a decent used car for well designed shit
>>28185962Suspension is intimidating because unlike building for power there are so many factorsRide height? Weight of car and distribution? Lifted in theory means more travel for better suspension but can be completely nullified if your spring rates are too high or your bigger wheels don't allow the same travel. Optimal spring rates depend on vehicle weight and application. If you've increased both wheels and tires, by how much? Are the springs the same or different rates compared to stock? It's possible your spring rates then become too high. Presumably still on the same shocks
>>28186217>Stock 205/55R16That's plenty of sidewall for poly bushings and stupid spring rates. With you in the car you're looking at 3100ish lbs and a passenger and a full tank of gas will put you around 3300ish lbs. You'll be fine with up to a 7k spring rate.The only downside to cupkits is that it lacks fine tuning so your car might end up dead level or slightly ass end down, and the lower the cupkit springs, the more obvious the cupkit look.Try the cheap coilovers, they at least give you an adjustable shock body and damping. If the spring rate is wrong, a new set of springs for the coilovers you already bought is still cheaper than any $1000+ brand name coilover set for damn near the same results.
>>28186225Bro it's a daily not some sort of rocket appliance.
>>28185882this is how the volvo people do it. its much more common and suggested to rebuild your own assembly with konis/bilsteins over coilovers.
Just buy OEM equivalents from a reputable brand like koni sachs bilstein kyb etc
>>28186289Put soft springs on then if you want a softer ride, simple as. Generally better ride, but you'll get body roll
>>28186217GAZ is big in the UK Clio scene. Seems trustworthy enough.
>>28186055im thinking at the end of next year ill probably ball out on penske mcs or moton 2 ways
>>28185812>lowering springs >For context I like to drive hard on shitty pot-holed back roads on my way to hikes,top minds of /o/
Anyone tried the bc racing swift springs or similar and are they worth the 300 dollars extra for compliance on uneven road surfaces?
>>28186217Penske 8300, typically have to be rebuilt once a year. A surprising pay for race shocks. I wouldn't bother with coilovers man just go with an OEM replacement or similar.
>>28186417unless you're chasing 0.1 seconds a lap.buying higher end dampers is a waste of money.
>>28186304Same with F bodies, unless you're tracking it coilovers just aren't worth it, even then I know a lot of SCCA people that run double adjustable konis instead
Yellows and GCs were the go to combo back in the day. Maybe Tokicos with STI springs but they're not made anymore.
>>28185696KYB AGX and STi Pink springs. Fucking love this setup on mine
>>28186438>selectively pull two words from a practical post>calls others idiotsI suppose you're part of the "top minds" too. a full bilstein kit that is designed for their lowering springs is not the same as slapping some 3" drop springs onto blown oem struts
>>28186782Koni yellows are essentially unbeatable by that price point. I've had them on shock dynos and the hype is real. >>28186887I'm going to have to agree with that Anon. If you live in an area with terrible roads and potholes, you definitely don't want to lowered car.
>>28185696Similar boat to you (car's more of a shitbox than yours but still on english b roads) and looking for a better setup as well that's going to let me retain the compliance of stock suspension but give a bit better adjustability. If anything I'm looking to raise the car up a bit as even on stock suspension the car scrapes. I know some mx5 guys run the stock bilsteins with adjustable spring seats to get some level of adjustment, but the stock mx5 bilsteins are cheap enough to warrant that. For OP I'd suggest either OEM replacement bilsteins or looking up whoever made the original suspension and buying their "aftermarket" stuff. Might as well ask in case anyone knows, is there a decent way to find the spring strength for OEM springs? not keen on loewing mine but would like something a bit stronger to raise the front of the car up a little. for a mini (bmw) in case that helps.
about 2500 bucks gets you custom built bilstein inverted 46mm gravel rally struts from JVAB. I built something very similar with 40mm bilstein inserts for my car and turns out proper gravel rates and damping are perfectly good for street use, way more livable than tarmac or track rates but still far better than what you get from the factory. theres not a lot of other options i'd recommend since DMS, Reiger etc are incredibly expensive for something you wont use to their potential at all. You can look at hotbits, but i wouldnt expect too much from them.
>>28185696I've heard Tein adjustables are really good. They can be very comfy. Although some people say the coilovers make weird noises if the spring rotates with the shock. Max Speeding rods are also seemingly the cheapest option you can get. IDK if they are good or not but I've been considering buying some just because of the price.
>>28186225>It's possible your spring rates then become too highPlz explain? High spring rate = "too stiff" right? I kept the exact same springs on the front and got new standard spec shocks. Rear end has the same factory spring (torsion bar life) but a bigger air adjustable shock, I think this is OKish, the front is the main problem. Went from 13" wheels to 15" plus big step up in tire diameter/weight, can't remember the exact specs. I wouldn't go back to small tires because I need the extra ground clearance and yes, I use it regularly.
>>28187774>I've heard Tein adjustables are really good. They can be very comfy.They are junk, over valved for the springs, always end up bouncy.>Although some people say the coilovers make weird noises if the spring rotates with the shock.The leading edge of the bottom of the spring where it meets the adjustable seat will bind and pop if it faces the inside towards the car, I've seen this happen with $2500 coilovers, mostly it's heavy cars with high spring rates.>Max Speeding rods are also seemingly the cheapest option you can get. IDK if they are good or not but I've been considering buying some just because of the price.I've used them on multiple cars since about 2017, the spring rates are INSANE but otherwise they are as good as high end options, but are heavy since all steel. The perk to them is that they usually allow lift above factory ride height. Some sets for certain cars can be expensive ($500) like for e90s, but still cheaper and better than other options. Seriously the best cheap coilovers I ever bought next to old school Rokkors before Raceland bought them.
>>28187950>Plz explain? High spring rate = "too stiff" right?This is a bad way to look at it.Proper understanding would be the higher the spring rate the less travel of the spring.
>>28187762>incredibly expensive for something you wont use to their potential at allSmartest anon in the thread.
>>28186980>is there a decent way to find the spring strength for OEM springs?Moog OEM replacements usually list height, compressed height, and rate on their website. If you can't suss it out on the web, you'd have to pull the spring and take it to a spring shop and throw it on their test rig.
>>28186943>Koni yellows are essentially unbeatable by that price point.>I've had them on shock dynos and the hype is real.Seconded.>If you live in an area with terrible roads and potholes, you definitely don't want to lowered car.Skill issue.
>>28186790>KYB AGXAren't these unavailable in current year? If they are still available OP should use them, or GR2s, or Gas-A-Just. The high end KYBs are endgame tier.
>>28186782>GCsGround control adjustable springs are fucking dangerous. Their camber plates and other stuff are great, but those springs should be illegal to sell.
>>28186777>unless you're tracking it high-end coilovers just aren't worth itFixed that for you.
>>28186525>Anyone tried the bc racing swift springI used to run the original Swift coils back in the 2000s on my turbo Saturn because they were the only company to make a compatible 3" drop coil spring that wouldn't bottom out on the shock body. They were some of the best springs I ever owned.
>>28186347>Just buy OEM equivalents from a reputable brand like koni sachs bilstein kyb etcOP could buy cheap coilovers in a variety of spring rates for half the price of a stock set of shocks and get better ride quality and adjustability.
>>28186110>on my Civic, it's a genuine improvement over stock for ride quality and handling.To be fair, all stock Civic supsensions since the 1990s have been absolute trash.
>>28185872>>Go on owners forums>>See most posters have replaced their coilover setup>>Despite being lower mileage than my car, and way under service period>>Suspension kits can cost over €800>What am I missing? Whats so great to justify the cost?What is probably going on here is owners put coilovers on a daily and didn't slather never-seize on the shock body threads and when they tried to adjust it everything was crudded in place so they threw more money at it.No offense to OP, but I've never seen owners like Suburu owners, they will repeatedly replace parts at mechanic prices when the issue is user error.
>>28185844>10kg/mm / 560lb/in which seems hard as fuck,These would be quite nice on poly bushings and a 55 sidewall in a 3000lb car.
>>28185812I'm gonna catch flak for this but Bilstein and H&R are over rated expensive junk. The shocks are hard and awful and the ssprings sag way too early and ride like hockey pucks.
>>28187999~$110 a corner on Rockauto right now
>>28187995>the distance between the ground and your car is a skill issue.anon really?
>>28188006>better ride quality and adjustability.you mean worse ride quality.99% of coilovers are valved in a retarded way to make the customer feel like there's a big change. The reality is, they just add about twice as much rebound as the car actually needs and then the right quality will be complete garbage.You ever drive behind a ricer in the rear end is bouncing all over the place?
>>28185806t. mcdonald strut userim using fox shocks and some dual coil spring, next ones will be falcon
>>28185696I had bc racing coils on my vapebaru back in the daythey rode a little stiff but not as horrific as people say since wrx/sti factor shocks are stiffer than your average shitbox econo car what I didnt like is they starting squeaking in less than 6 monthsonly reason to get "performance" coilovers is to firm handling up (ie stiff/bumpy) or to stance nation bro lower it like a fag. if you want comfort stick to oem, any aftermarket will be "bumpy"
Since there seem to be some suspension knowers ITT, what's the verdict on Vogtland?
>>28188700I've used their springs for about 6 months now and don't have any issues. Not much to go on but I don't recall seeing anything negative about them when searching on forums.
>>28187762Yeah Reiger is a pipe dream and the dual hydraulic valve shit is literally useless for anyone except WRC cars that go at mach retarded and does big air and landings necessitating that tech. The reason I am asking about, is for the price of OEM inverted monostruts with a known design flaw (USD1500), or the Bilstein OEM (USD 2000) I wonder is it better spending slightly more to get something suited to backcountry driving closer to gravel spec. The track level suspension and stiffness I can run on my other sportier cars.How do you find the JVABs? It's not local to me, but 2500 for gravel rally struts is really decent. Had to rebuild them often?>>28188012I don't have any experience obviously, but I was concerned it would be harsh given STi spring rates were apparently 5-7kg/mm
>>28188926It's just an old guy who makes custom setups for American rally racers using the 46mm strut tubes otherwise unavailable over here. I find him annoying, and I build all my own stuff so I'm not a prospective customer anyways, but its hard to get work like that done anywhere. Call him up and see if he still does it and if he can do it for your chassis. My price is just an estimate from old forum posts adjusted for inflationMy shocks have low hours on them so I haven't needed any maintenance yet, but they just need pulled apart to clean and grease the housing every season or couple of years, or at worst change the bushings and seal. The inserts themselves are easy to have rebuilt and revalved because 46mm bilstein pistons are very common for shocks in all forms of racing.
>>28187983>The leading edge of the bottom of the spring where it meets the adjustable seat will bind and pop if it faces the inside towards the car, I've seen this happen with $2500 coilovers, mostly it's heavy cars with high spring rates.Aren't quality coilovers designed to prevent this? I know Mountain Pass Performance advertised not having this problem.Tein dampers that bad? Should poorfags go with Max racing then?
>>28189010>Aren't quality coilovers designed to prevent this? It comes down to an installation error unless the spring sits on a thrust bearing, which is usually a separate add on in all but the most extreme setups.>Tein dampers that bad? Yes.>Should poorfags go with Max racing then?Yes.
>>28188926>I was concerned it would be harshIt would have less travel, but the travel would be far more consistent.>>28188480>you mean worse ride quality.No, most aftermarket cheap coilovers are undervalved for stupid low, the bounce is shitty lowriders is almost always due to too low a spring rate, misplaced helper springs, or bound rubber bushings that weren't retorqued at the new ride height, that or preloaded sway bars.
>>28188170Based parts list enjoyer.
>>28188560>they starting squeaking in less than 6 monthsC15A Never Seize is your friend.
>>28189192>undervalved for stupid low, the bounce is shitty lowriders is almost always due to too low a spring rate,it's the opposite anon.the spring rates are sky high and the rebound and compression are all retarded..t had an engineer make my coilovers
>the bounce is [sic] shitty lowriders is almost always due to >too low a spring rate>misplaced helper springs>bound rubber bushings that weren't retorqued at the new ride height>preloaded sway barsI forgot to trim 1.5 inches off my rear bumpstops as per my cheap ($500 on sale) coilover's instructions.
>>28189231>.t had an engineer make my coiloversAll coilovers were made by engineers.
>>28189298That'd do it. You should get Great Plates or 0 degree drop plates, or both if you want to be stupid low, for that Beetle rear axel beam, the geometry would go back to factory spec at that ride height, mkII-mkIV VWs always have that rear camber/caster problem in the back when cranked down low. The guy from Poland who makes the Great Plate knockoffs fixed his hardware issue years ago, they are like $200 and the 0 degree drop plates are the cheapest because stance fags don't want them. Thank me later.
>>28189350No.
MEISTER R ZETASPORTS (better valving than the older CRDs)They piss all over bc racing & kw at the same price point. They ride like a 2k+ set of ohlins at half the price. The only downside they have is that their paint flakes with salty winter driving, but if you oil them every 6 months with ac90 or similar they will last a lot longer. Excellent for daily/road bashing/light track work. Spec up to clubrace if you run semi slicks and track often.Thank me later
>>28189366>NoFine, don't thank me, but you should still get that torsion beam back to where it belongs instead of preloaded.
>>28186627Thanks I had no idea
>>28189342>All coilovers were made by engineers.ha ha, no.most coilovers are just made for brain dead idiots by other brain dead idiots.My coilovers were specifically built and backed for my track car
>>28189756>not using solid bushings or rod ends..
>mfw people are unironically recommending maxspeedingrodsi fucking hate euros lmao please PLEASE op get something custom valved/tuned for your specific use case and applicationshttps://fealsuspensionstore.com/feal-coilovers-93-01-subaru-impreza-gc/anything that emphasizes droop/travel is gonna feel best imo
>>28188006yes im sure his chinese coilovers will last a single harsh winter
>>28190162I heard feal was sucking at rebuilds lately, like not really rebuilding or reusing parts you shouldn't. That true?
>>28190162OP here. I was already thinking of either OEM+ spec dampers and springs or custom gravel spec coilovers, those seem like the most logical choices. Not interested in lowered cars and tracking with the impreza>>28188953I might give him a ring, only problem is I a britbong, so even with recommended custom options like JVABs or MCA golds (oz) I will have to eat shipping and import taxes and then think of how to rebuild/service them. Is it easy to learn? I'm not a wrenchlet but I'm not a suspension specialist either.>>28188011No offense taken. My shocks have 100k miles on them, and as AGX OEM spec they supposedly need to be replaced at 80k km. Also the bushings are worn out internally, something specific to the STi inverted monostruts. I do drive my car in shitty roads at speed so I accept that that's probably a contributing factor. Happy to spend 2k on new suspension because that's probably the second most important thing after tyres.>subaru owners>either lesbian (50/50 they can wrench)>or vape kiddies with the latest model that they slapped on a cobbs tune and slammed coiloversUnfortunately we don't have the best owner rep. I like my first gen/classic though
>>28191342>I a britbongI'd just give GAZ a call, they're UK-based.
>>28185696>I like to drive hard on shitty pot-holed back roads on my way to hikes, something racing coilovers would probably be a terrible choice for.Options to consider:Whatever BC/Feal/Taiwan etc coilover you choose, but custom-order them with 6k/5k spring rates. This will be a ~50% spring rate increase from stock, and these Taiwan struts work much better with softer rates. You may already know what you're doing, but pay attention to your compression/droop/preload and make sure you tighten any bushing connections (probably just the rear lower mount on a Subaru) when the car is on the ground, so you're not pre-loading any stock rubber bushings.Of the brands listed in the thread so far, my best experience personally has been with Stance (honestly rides almost as well as stock). Not so great with HSD and Tein (I have them on two different cars - they work, but damping at low speed sucks on both). I can't speak for any others since I have no personal experience. For best shock travel, stick with the stock setup, run stock STi springs or something truly race-oriented which don't lower the car much but has a spring rate bump (I was going to recommend RS*R "race", but it looks like those are not made any more). Partnered with whatever nice Bilstein/Koni type shocks are available. No, they do not have to be adjustable. Not a huge fan of KYB-AGX personally. Avoid lowering springs that don't significantly raise the spring rate - all you are doing is removing available suspension travel.
>>28191730Having said all that, and contrary to my preference against Tein, here is the easy-button solution for you:Get some Tein Flex Z for ~$800, set them to stock ride height (ensure you keep some droop!), set the damping to 2 clicks from full soft, and enjoy. Don't over-think it.
>>28191433I'll call them Monday for advice on setup/a quote>>28191734Easy-button is tempting, but I've gone down the rabbit hole of suspension and want something not shit for 2-3k now, since I don't see myself selling this car.>Not so great with HSD and TeinMy mechanic actually suggested HSD dualtechs, which I have discounted as they're twintube, but if you have experience with the monopros are they really that bad at low speeds
>>28189932>my track carI bet it's a miata because you seem like a pretentious fag.
>>28190383>yes im sure his chinese coilovers will last a single harsh winterNEVER-SEIZE
>>28192437>2-3k nowHKS Hipermax S
>>28185696Looking for help with suspension as well. Car needs shocks replaced, but the available options by part code are limited to cheap junk and a very specific set of Bilstein B8's.How should I approach different suspension manufacturers, when I have a car that isn't directly listed in the catalog? Just tell them the car I have and ask for a quote?
>>28192594whats the car? if its just a small compatibility difference with a certain model on a common platform, its a different matter than converting a citroen hydropneumatic suspension to coilovers or something
>>28192437I have monopros on an E36 with 8k/10k swift springs and they are undoubtedly great when you're really getting on it, no complaints there, but they SUCK at low speed damping. Driving down the street my house is on is an exercise in patience. Who knows, the Subaru application may be better, but I kind of doubt it.
>>28192609MK4 mondeo with factory sports suspension. Regular suspension replacements are widely available and cost next to nothing, but the more stiffer sports variant is rather difficult to find. Going for a full OEM replacement costs nearly 2k and knowing ford, I might as well look for aftermarket options just due to the fact, that OEM parts might not be available in the future anyways.
>>28185696buy oem equivalent shocks and springsshould cost no more than 200€
>>28192661No OEM equivalents for sale anymore for a 25 year old car unfortunately>>28192460They don't have a fitting for first gen imprezas unfortunately, would have been a nice option>>28192631Cool, thanks for the feedback
>>28193305>No OEM equivalents for sale anymore for a 25 year old car unfortunatelynot true
>>28193308Please point me to a stock of red KYB inverted monotube dampers for GC8 imprezas for €200 for a set please and thanks, I've had no luck. I can find NOS for 1200 though. I also know you can rip out the dampers from the housing and replace them with bilsteins but you need to modify the strut housings a bit which is uncharted territory for me
>>28193319It's probably not difficult to get work like that done, and would be the preferred method for getting inverted monos rather than have something custom built (like jvab). Now that I thought about it, your car was known to be susceptible to the grease drying out and the strut making knocking noises; just like the bilsteins I said needed regular simple service the other day. Remove from car, remove locknut at the bottom and unscrew the damper rod from bottom with an allen wrench, pull the insert out the top. Clean the parts including the inside of the housing, inspect the bushings and top seal for excessive wear. I made plastic drifts on the lathe for removing and seating these bushings, you would have to find someone to do the same unless there's an off the shelf product. I know aircooled Porsche guys can buy theirs from specialists. The seal just pops right out so its easy. Once that's done pump a bunch of grease down in there, try to pack the area between the two bushings full, then reinsert the insert, tighten, apply locknut. I can't guarantee the STi struts are identical to this, but it should go for most inverted monotubes. I will do a little research and see how people are getting bilsteins into your factory housings.
>>28193552Yeah, nah, if this is what you're referring to don't bother. This sucks, 39mm down to 30mm would be a big downgrade. The bilstein 36mm (piston size) that I use are a 40mm shaft OD so they won't go, and I couldn't tell you from 3000 miles away whether or not the housings could be machined to make it work without losing structural integrity. I feel like it probably could, maybe using custom bushings, but there's very few machinists I'd trust to understand the requirements of such a project. Factory bushes are teflon lined metal shells and hard to replicate, but there's some amazing materials you can buy these days. One problem with inverted struts, the chromed and ID honed tubing has to be ordered in large lots so 95% of shock brands don't bother with them. Your factory setup was very impressive for the day, KYB clearly invested a lot in a program to build them for Subaru. Bilstein has made it their bread and butter and builds them with 3 sizes of tubing, but their 46mm stuff is expensive. They're also Thysenkrupp, a major steel manufacturer. It takes heavy industry to make these compared to the chrome rods of conventional shocks. DMS/Reiger/Proflex/RS&SP likely each ordered a mill run of the tube and ate the upfront cost, rolling it into their very expensive products. This coupled with the lack of long travel aftermarket shocks means you don't have a lot of options that aren't a downgrade from factory, at least when it comes to rough road use at factory ride height. I was astounded when I started crunching numbers and realized how much spring I needed to allow just the 200mm of travel my shocks had from the factory, compared with so many coilovers with only 6" or 8" of spring.
>>28193552Yup, it's known in the forums and enthusiasts as the re-grease +/- adding a grease nipple mod. Due to the longer travel and the geometry of the >macdonald strut suspension, resulting in lateral wear of the bushing once the grease rubbed off. Problem is in my setup I'm already getting the sticking/knocking noises, which quite a few forum folk say the bushing is on the way out.>>28193645Yeah not gonna lie, I was quite impressed with the stock STi shock setup, and now trying to find a similar performing replacement (without that design flaw) for reasonable price seems hard. That's why I was asking about here and on forums. As it stands I'm either paying 1500USD for NOS Sti inverted struts and preemptively filling them up with grease and the nipple mod or getting some sort of decent rally-ish suspension. I'd ideally like 40mmish dampers. 30mm is a massive downgrade.>pic from the exact same forum post I was trawlingThat user is basically autistic over struts and springs after reading loads of his posts and I would probably believe what he wrote.
>>28193645You're in luck, the OD of the bushings is the same as bilstein so its just a matter of knocking out the old ones and putting in new ones, and minor stuff like the seal holder and the threads at the bottom. MK1 Escort 40mm inserts are very cheap, and the UK is the only place they're sold. The 300/100 full length Escort struts would be ballpark for your car and mine front and rear, they're tarmac rates for a much lighter car but good for gravel for a car in the mid to high 2xxx weight range. I imported mine from Gartrac, they do rally car fabrication so they could probably even convert yours turnkey. They'd have to make the bilstein work with your top hats etc.https://www.gartrac.com/collections/escort-mk1-escort-mk2-front-suspension-legs-and-parts/products/bilstein-front-insert-300-100-long-escort-mk1-mk2-tarmacIts more work and downtime, but the cost is reasonable and you get what you're actually looking for rather than a stiff short street suspension.
>>28193756Worst case, if the bilstein bushings do not fit the pink/red housings, have some made up from Turcite A or X, preferably bonded inside a metal shell. Expensive wonder material that you can buy as round bar. Porsches used to use bronze bushings but the current DU bushing is a ptfe filled material, likely from the same family as Turcite.
>>28193305>They don't have a fitting for first gen imprezas unfortunately, would have been a nice optionAragostas then.
>>28193756>>28193823OP here, I'm not a wrenchlet but I'm definitely not a fabricator. I'd like to try this but also not have my car on jacks for a month... Thanks for digging this up though
>>28195890Can you get on the forums and find a no good used set to convert?
>>28195912Possibly. There is a Subaru breaker in England who routinely breaks classic STIs. Guess I could ask him how much is a set of banged up shocks
>>28186627Higher end dampers are usually fully adjustable and are far superior at handling bumps in the road. Go with a soft spring and you'll have superior ride comfort.
>>28192446>I bet it's a miataI'm 6ft 6in tall, Miata are out of the question.although there's nothing wrong with the Miata bros.I know a lot of em.talented drivers.>>28198103high end dampers also have short lifespans.some only about 10,000 miles.
>>28185696I just did coils because they were cheaper, and a single click option instead of trying to source discontinued 30 year old parts from 3 warehouses in 2 foreign countries. Does it ride worse? sure I cut 100mm out of the ride height.My other car I franken shocked with with Eibach Springs, thicker shock oil ( 3wt up from 2.2wt) and gas-adjust shocks in the rear.
>>28198210other pic related.
>>28198172>I'm 6ft 6in tall, Miata are out of the question.>although there's nothing wrong with the Miata bros.>I know a lot of em.>talented drivers.My dad works at Nintendo.
>>28198840As the owner of Nintendo, I can confirm that this guy's dad works for me.
>>28198840>imagine not having a watch your head around doors and ceiling fans.do manlets really?
>>28201699>do manlets really?How the fuck should I know?
