Arsenic Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 So long story short, I bought my car 3 months ago (06 OB XT Limited), it blew the **** up 24 hours later (turbo, 105 miles). Cost me 4k for a fix (8k total, 4k covered by a stupid warranty company, that's a different story). I guess I was lucky to have it. So the suspension sucks too. The dealer I bought it from installed the right rear trailing arm bushing upside-down AND the rear strut on that side is totally junk too. It's leaking and the spring is the only thing doing anything. It's terribly unsafe to drive and I need to get it swapped ASAP. So I've decided that the OB suspension is way too high anyway. I have read about the full LGT conversion here. I don't really have the cash to do that, but I've heard that many people have just swapped out the OB struts and springs for LGT struts and springs with good results. I know it's not perfect, but I do plan to do the full conversion eventually. I'm trying to get some legit handling from this all at once. No higher than stock LGT, no lower than... 1 inch lower than stock LGT (or whatever is safe on that geometry). I also live in VT, so the roads and the snow... yeah. Can't be super low. Still needs to be functional as a DD. So I know that the suspension geometry isn't ideal without the full conversion... I was looking at the Koni sport set for the LGT but I'm not entirely sure it'd be compatible with the OBXT, plus I'm not sure how much it actually drops the ride height from a normal LGT height. I planned on potentially swapping the rear upper control arms and bump-stops too, so it doesn't bottom out all the time. Has anyone else done this that can help me out? I wanted to order parts tonight so I could have them by the weekend potentially. I have the means to install them myself. My brother is a fleet mechanic with access to a garage and a lift. I would have searched the forums because I know there's tons of info on these boards, but I am in a rush as I need my car and I need to to be safe ASAP. I could just fix the strut, but I don't want to buy a new stock strut just to replace the whole set relatively soon down the line. Any help is appreciated, even if it's just links to specific threads. I am on a time crunch here and something just needs to go smoothly for once... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhitter Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 You don't need to do the full swap. Very few people have. You will need to do the rear bumpstops. Here is the original thread on this http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/lgt-wagon-suspension-swapped-into-outback-xt-140548.html Here is even more info http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/81-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension/28368-2005-2009-outback-suspension-faq.html Edit: if you are buying everything new it's pricey. Some people seem to really like the BC/BR coil overs for about $1k. I haven't used them so I can't recommend them or not. My OBXT build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsenic Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Thanks for the info! I think that if it's not necessary for me to get the upper control arms in the rear, I'll go with the coilovers. Then all I'll need is: - Rear bump stops - Coilover kit - New trailing arm bushing Am I right? Is there anything not included with the coilover kit that I would still need to get for the install? Also, since they're vehicle-specific, do I need to look for Legacy GT or Outback XT kits if I'm looking for LGT height? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators BarManBean Posted June 3, 2014 Moderators Share Posted June 3, 2014 If you are on decent coilovers at a reasonable ride height, you won't have RUCA / bumpstop issues--just remove the stock bumpstops and drive. I'm on RCE Tarmac 1s (LGT spec). I ride them fairly high and never had clearance issues. I've since swapped over to LGT spec RUCAs, but basically just because I had them on the shelf with upgraded bushings anyway. The best money spent will probably be on some sort of camber adjustment in the rear to allow you to reset the toe by adjusting camber, and also in a whiteline RC/BS kit for the front since you are going a fair bit lower. Feel free to PM me with questions. "Bullet-proof" your OEM TMIC! <<Buy your kit here>> Not currently in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsenic Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Thanks for that. I've PM'd with a couple of questions. So at the moment I'm looking at the BC/BR coilovers. They seem promising but I've read about issues with quality. Is this something I'd have to abuse the things to notice or do they just break spontaneously during normal driving...? People do seem to mention they're more reliable than Megan Racing coilovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssbtech Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 The problem with coilovers is that they don't stand up all that well to bad winters with lots of snow and salt. The threads and lock rings get all caked up with salt and crap. The paint started flaking off the springs on the Megans I had and the springs looked like they were starting to rust. Then you have the problem with consistency - cheap coilovers are often poorly matched from corner to corner. When you hit a bump and one side of the car bounces up higher than the other, you know you have crappy coilovers. I went with Bilstein HDs and JDM Legacy Pink springs for my Outback. Frankly I find it too harsh and wish I went with something softer. I can tell it's a far superior setup than the Megans, but it doesn't isolate the car much from crappy roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhitter Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 ssbtech, what size tires are you running? I have Bilstein HDs with JDM wagon springs with stock sized tires (225/55/17) (I think they are comparable to spec.b springs) I find it super comfortable. My OBXT build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssbtech Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Stock size tires, Nokian WRG3 so they're a little on the squishy side. Video from dashcam of some bumpy roads in the area, turn up the volume for full effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXnyHIKs2-s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhitter Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Something seems wrong with your set up. Very crashy / boomy. Have you checked the strut bolts to make sure they are tight? both the strut mount bolts and the strut bolts themselves? My girlfriend heard it and said "are your tires made out of wood" I can't imagine the spacers make that much of a difference that I have on my car....but it's possible. My OBXT build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssbtech Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Everything is tight. The camera microphone exaggerates it a little, but yes. The ride is quite crashy/jarry on even average roads. Still better than the Megans. Interestingly the Bilstein setup is much more comfortable over speed bumps and turning into driveways than the Megans were. Others have also complained that the HD&Pinks setup isn't exactly smooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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