surmiser

That's a different part number than what was originally stated on here. I've tried looking up that part number and i can't find anyone in the states that sells it. Where can I get this?

If you're talking about the Cusco China part number for the front strut brace I shared above, yeah, I know it's completely different from anything Stateside. I shared it more to show that Cusco does indeed make front strut braces, and that they look like the latest-gen Cusco braces - all blue - rather than the earlier gen blue and chrome. So if you see blue and chrome, it's probably the wrong part.

As far as I know, the only way to purchase that Cusco China part number is to buy it from a seller in China, which is what I've done a lot of. Sorry I can't be of more practical help. Quite a few fellow 6th-gen Legacy owners have asked me to help them buy parts from China but, unfortunately, I don't have the time for that. I barely have enough time to see to my own car lately.

How much did you get your Cusco Strut Bar?

I paid about US$150 before shipping.

I don’t think they'll ship to The Philippines unless you can find a freight forwarder in China to handle that for you.

I know this isn't helpful to anyone who can't read Chinese, but here's the link to the Cusco front strut brace on Chinese online marketplace Taobao, which is kinda like China's eBay: http://m.tb.cn/h.3cn3aXc

[quote=Kay2DaA;5809507I also got the Perrin steering dampener installed too courtesy of surmiser recommendation.

Handling as improved especially when cornering. You won’t notice it on straightaways but I do find that I can take corners at higher speeds with no issues. Hope that helps

Glad the combo's working out for you!

I bought that bar and it definitely does not fit. Not even close.

I can't help you with part numbers since Cusco China (market's so big there they have their own Chinese factory cuz it makes more sense than constant bulk imports from Japan) uses different ones, but here's what the right Cusco front strut brace for the sixth-gen Legacy looks like. And here's a pic of the Chinese part number too, just for the heck of it. Hope it helps folks:

Surmiser, I like that lower grill...

 

Homemade or...? I'm probably going to put the JDM on my 2018 (though I wish it was the tighter honeycomb like the 15-17 style).

Got my favourite local body shop to do it for me, but yes, they basically cut automotive-grade plastic mesh to size, then secured it via cable ties in the notches that the original lower grille insert snapped into.

All I can say is that they are designed to have the hump face upwards...it is that way for a reason. Not sure what "noise" people are trying to avoid with installing the Whiteline "upside-down". Should not be much different than factory spec. except thicker and adjustable based on the bar purchased.

It's not a vague "noise". The Whiteline 21-23mm adjustable rear sway bar produces a muffled metallic thumping sound when installed with the hump up. The thumps go away when the hump is installed downwards. This has all been well documented.

I have my eye on a great deal for a set of 18x8 +40 which i would put 225's on. Is that going to rub at all when the car is loaded?

No, it won't rub.

Are you still dropped 1.5" all around or is your car lower in these pics? I seen you mentioned about having rubbing issues and having to roll the rear lip. I'm wondering if this would be an issue with your same wheel size and offset on h&r springs on a 1.3" drop

Yes, still dropped 1.5" all around, or maybe a teeny bit lower than that after the coilover springs settled. Rear fender clearance is a real challenge with lowered 6th-gens. Even with a 1.3" drop, there might be rubbing issues because of the relatively soft stock dampers, with 19" +35 wheels and 40 profile rubber.

Man I’m so jealous about some of these rims! Surmiser I was going with the Venetian red legacy but they didn’t have the 3.6R option, otherwise that would have been my color.

Aww, that's a shame, not enough of us venetian red 6th-gens around!

I have the 4 caliper brembo brakes on a 2016 Legacy. Would the 2018 sti rims fit over those brakes? Im currently using the 2017 sti rims in 18 inch but wanted to go to the 19 inch.

I confess that I don't know.

However, since you've currently got enough clearance with the 2017 STI wheels, I think there's a good chance. But at least be prepared to add thin spacers if necessary.

I believe OBDFusion for iOS has a performance section. Not familiar enough with Android.

Yes, OBDFusion does measure 0-60, and is available for both iOS and Android. Another popular option for Android is Torque, which also measures 0-60 runs, among other things.

Question, did you wrap all the window trims black?

Yes.

Also i take that’s a glossy finish all around?

Yep.

If you wrapped it how hard was it? Did you have to take any of the trims out to do it?

Paid to get it professionally wrapped, but hung around to watch. Trims stayed on. Didn't look terribly difficult but it required cutting the vinyl precisely with a knife.

Would these need to run any spacers or anything, or a clean bolt up?

As far as I know, STI wheels will cleanly bolt onto 6th gens without needing spacers, as long as you don't plan on adding big brake kits afterwards.

I’m done with engine tuning, and have wanted to post an update here to tie up loose ends, but have been wary of touching this controversial thread. So much aggro. I figure now that this volcano’s lain dormant for months, it should be safe to poke, right? Famous last words, I know…

Anyway, here’s a dyno graph superimposing my most recent dyno run (July 2017; green line) with an earlier one in January 2017 (red line) and my very first one in October 2016 (blue line). Same dyno, same ramp rate, same ambient temperature/humidity:

Since the CVT shifts at just over 6k rpm, ignore the portions above the 6.1k rpm mark.

So what we’ve got here is a stock baseline of 120whp (blue line), aftermarket intake + ECU tune yielding 124 whp (red line), and aftermarket intake + axleback exhaust + ECU tune yielding 138whp (green line).

The red and green lines are different versions of a road-tuned ECU reflash by the same tuner (Matt Mcleod aka Throttlehappy).

If we assume that my 2.5 engine does indeed make 175hp at the crank in stock trim, then the 120whp roughly translates to a 30% drivetrain loss. If we apply that to my latest 138whp run, that extrapolates to an estimated 200hp at the crank.

Regardless of whether you take the dyno measurements at the wheel, or my estimates at the crank, it works out to a 15% power gain.

Is that worth the time, effort and money? That’s a matter of opinion but if numbers are all you’re after, then perhaps not. However, the hp numbers come with a similar increase in overall torque, and don’t measure faster/crisper CVT shifting and the big boost in everyday drivability and enjoyment - all of that makes an ECU tune, at the very least, a no brainer from my perspective. If you look at my numbers pre-and-post exhaust mod, it’s clear that axleback exhausts do in fact give a worthwhile power boost with a tune. Conversely, it’s also clear that even with a tune, an aftermarket intake alone yields negligible power gains.

For those who haven’t seen my earlier posts in this thread, my relevant mods are an aFe Power Takeda intake and Kakimoto ClassKR axleback exhaust.

And before someone asks me again why on earth someone would want to mod a 2.5 instead of buying a 3.6 - a big reason is that the 2.5 is the only engine available in many markets, including Japan. I couldn’t have bought a 3.6 even if I wanted to.

Alright, that’s a wrap, folks.

I don't have up-to-date logs worth sharing, but I do have a dyno run. Blue is the TH tune. Red is stock, done a few months ago. Weather was hotter for the newer run, but I used the same fuel for both. Takeda intake, stock exhaust:

 

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170108/624e20ff5e4adf113601fbe7720ac8d2.jpg

 

Unspectacular dyno results. Peak HP gain of only 5 or so, but the gains are quite consistent throughout the rev range. Dyno does show a slight dip below 3,760 rpm even though my butt doesn't feel it. Then again, the dyno numbers don't reflect the sheer drivability of the tune, with linear power delivery and sharper CVT behaviour. No bragging rights but the tune works where I need it - on the road.

 

Actually, Matt custom-tuned my car in person, physically sitting next to me while I drove on the road, laptop plugged in. Log, stop, engine off, flash a new tune, engine on, move, log, rinse and repeat. Real-time logging reinforced by the actual feel of the car accelerating, and the sound of my engine. He didn't just tweak performance parameters. He adjusted brake pressure, cooling system kick-in point, etc.

 

It's true that Matt doesn't travel to the US, and therefore relies purely on remote tunes for US cars, which begin with a template base tune that is then tweaked as necessary.

 

However, Matt does fly to Asia (I'm a lot nearer to him), so folks here can either wait for him to come and then head straight for a road tune, or do what I did, which is start with a remote tune (Tactrix), and then refine it on the road when he's in town. The in-person road tune was a key reason I chose Matt over Ed, even though I was extremely impressed with Ed's communication and attitude.

 

For spirited driving, I prefer a gearbox that drops gears (downshifts) when I brake hard into a turn, so that I'm already in the power band whenever I get back on the throttle. BMW autos did this in sports mode as far back as the early 90s and I loved it. In normal driving, of course, it's more efficient to upshift (I assume this is what you meant by "drop gears/revs") into the turn, and only downshift upon throttle input.

 

As for flipping to manual, I find shifts crisper in auto mode and therefore prefer to use the paddles in auto mode. Even better that S# lets me dispense with paddles most of the time.

I just realized I follow you on IG. Your legacy looks amazing. [emoji119]

Thanks, I appreciate that! [emoji119] You'll know then that I'll never be a poster boy for staying stock [emoji28]

Hey everyone. Looking for any recommendations on style or minimal performance mods for my 2016 Legacy 2.5 Premium? Thanks in advance[emoji106]

Welcome! Great looking car, especially the body side mouldings that I've been thinking about for ages.

Some other folks might tell you to use the search function, start a new thread, or (goodness forbid) stay stock. But I'm going to suggest, in this order of bang for buck: steering dampener lockdown (Perrin and Torque Solutions make them), rear sway bar (Subaru, Whiteline, Perrin, etc, make them), plastidipping your grille, and new wheels/tires. Have fun!

g[/img]Post a pic of your Subaru in the wild! Take a fun drive down a dirt road if you have to

Great pic of a face-lifted 6th Gen! I can't contribute though, since I live on a completely urbanised island. There's no off-road, it's all paved road.

I'm looking to do some wheels that are flush with the fenders on a mild drop. Is +15 too aggressive? 18x8.5 Flat Bronze 5-100/5-114.3 [+15mm]

Yes, +15 would definitely be too aggressive, unless you want your wheels to protrude a lot from your fenders or you're planning to custom-make wide-body fenders.

Even my 19x9 +35 wheels required extensive rear fender rolling and cutting, at my ride height. I'm dropped 1.5", but with soft stock springs and shocks, +35 would still rub at stock height. I learned that the hard way because back when I was running 20mm spacers with stock wheels and suspension (ie, the equivalent of 18x7.5 +35), I rubbed at the rear when going over bumps and when cornering hard.

On a 8.5" width,

55 offset (sti oem people are running) fill up the wheel well pretty good but is not "flush"

Far from flush.

40 offset is pretty aggressive. Supposedly doesn't rub, but I don't know if people are loading up their cars and going over bumps etc.

Anything lower is gonna require fenderwork and/or pretty stiff aftermarket suspension.

@evo171 is running 19x8.5 +45 at stock ride height and stock rear fenders (no rolling/cutting), and has had no issues with carrying loads or going over bumps, that I know of.

Any chance of an update on these?

I'd be happy to post updates. What would you like to know?

So I've run these Gecko coilovers for about 16,000km (about 10k miles) over the course of about 14 months without any problems. No leaks, noises, sagging or imbalance.

A few months ago, I changed from 18" Prodrive wheels (18x8 +43) to 19" GFG Forged wheels (19x9 +35) and my coilovers are performing just as well with my new wheels.

The coilovers are doing so well that it's causing me a bit of a dilemma, because I'm toying with upgrading to bags, but find it a little difficult to justify selling off perfectly good coilovers. But I guess that's a good problem to have, as far as problems go.

@RobbieGT was also running Gecko coilovers on his 3.6R for a few months (without any issues) before he sold his Legacy and bought a Camaro.

Huge thanks to surmiser for recommending getting it installed. Well worth the investment.

You're welcome, but most importantly I'm glad you're safe. Handling mods may in large part be for fun and satisfaction, but there are definitely safety improvements to be had too. No downside to more predictable steering.

Anyone who's put a front strut tower braces on these cars, any tips?

I'm running the Cusco too. No special advice other than to follow the instructions, take your time, and gradually tighten each side, alternating until you get a good seat on each strut tower. Don't rush it. Have fun and let us know how you like it!

Surmiser/anyone - any idea if the specs from the WRX new wheels & tires I posted would work without mods?

I don't see why not, going by the specs, and assuming your brakes are stock.

Do any of you all that installed this have eyesight? I want to know if there is anything in the way that would be blocking the access to install this that may deal with the steering assistance.

I don't have Eyesight.

Will this work/fit on 2.5L 6th gen Legacy US?

I don't see why not. I'm just flagging that I can only confirm fitment on a RHD 2.5i-S. But unless the steering columns and dampeners are startlingly different, I wouldn't think that there'd be compatibility issues with LHD 6th-gen Legacys. In this thread, we've already confirmed fitment for both RHD 2.5 and 3.6, and Perrin suggests that the steering dampeners on most recent Subaru models are similar and will work with the lockdown.

Thanks. I would be interested how you go & what you think of the way it changes the steering on your car (different suspension & different weight in the nose).

I can confirm fitment on a RHD 2.5.

I got a shop to install it for me because I was due for an oil change and brake flush anyway. Didn't need to remove the airbox becuase my Takeda intake gives way more room to maneuver than with the stock intake. But still, you need long arms to get at the dampener, either from above or below. My mechanic used a mixture of above and below access.

I'd agree with most of your post-install impressions. Straight line stability is improved at higher speeds. Fewer corrections are needed in the middle of bends. Steering response is more immediate, and my car seems to obey my intentions more whenever I pick a line. Everything's sharper and more predictable. In some ways, it almost seems like the steering is slightly lighter because all of the rubbery slack is gone, and though I prefer heavier steering, that's not a criticism. It's everything I hoped it would be, with none of the harshness or vibration I feared. The harder you drive, the more rewarding this mod is.

To me, this dethrones a thicker rear sway bar as the most bang for buck upgrade you can do to your 6th gen. Thank you for telling us about it.

Here's my 3.6

 

Rims - Rays Homura R20 8.5J ET45

Tyres - 245/35

Those huge wheels look great! What brand and model are those 245/35 tires?

Bump

Er, bump again. Will we get grief from mods? [emoji23] Honestly, I have no idea what to do with this thread. Is it dead or what? Nevermind, let's just pretend #frontendfriday came early [emoji51]