dbolen Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Guys, I've had my H-techs installed for two weeks now. Install went well, but I was surprised that I could hold the front top hats down with one hand and tighten them up without using the compression tool. First the good news.....my LGT with a JDM rear sway bar handles as well, or actually *better* than expected. Lowering was just as advertised. Exit ramps that I could only take at 45 before are now perfect at 60. BUT!! I am not pleased with the harshness. I travel both rural and interstate roads and some of the rural roads are just brutal. Some of the bumps on roads that I carefully judged both before and after the H-tech's are weird....some are fine and others get the "ouch!" judgement. Strangely, it seems that the smaller bumps get the ouch!...and when I say ouch, I mean a Jarring ouch, one that makes me think I'm mutilating the shock towers. So, what the heck do I do now? I care nothing about lowering, I don't autox, it's all about .90g's or better with a non "ouch" ride. I want to see the M3's fall off the rear bumper on the exit ramps... Oh, and I'm not paying $700 per corner for the JDM setup...that's absurd! Open for "non-ouch" reasonable alternatives, dave(please!) Drive softly and carry big torque! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 sell them and buy iON sport spec springs. a group buy just ended, but if you PM jack at iON Performance, you may still be able to get in. do a search....everyone that got them has loved them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15529 http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18781 http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19550 http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15620 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayDhaIn Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I'd like to ask some questions about tein h-tech installation. Could you guys tell me what tools/parts do i need to do the installation? Do i need to buy anything from the subaru dealer? The tein manual says that to "replace the new top lock nut when you assemble the suspension". Does this mean i have to buy a new top lock nut from the dealer? Sorry for the newbie question,as this will be my first spring installation i'm going to do(i have a knowledgable friend helping me,but he wants to make sure i already have all the necessary parts). Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emosound Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I'd like to ask some questions about tein h-tech installation. Could you guys tell me what tools/parts do i need to do the installation? Do i need to buy anything from the subaru dealer? The tein manual says that to "replace the new top lock nut when you assemble the suspension". Does this mean i have to buy a new top lock nut from the dealer? Sorry for the newbie question,as this will be my first spring installation i'm going to do(i have a knowledgable friend helping me,but he wants to make sure i already have all the necessary parts). Thanks! I just installed Ion sport springs this week. Here's the deal: You don't need to replace any fasteners, just torque them all to spec, download the service manual for the torque values. Air tools would be very helpful, especially for loosening the lower shock bolt on the rear. I love my impact wrench! You will need a deep offset box end wrench and an allen wrench to take the top shock nut off after you compress the spring. I think I used an 11/16" since I didn't have the right metric wrench (17mm). Getting the deep wrench to stay on the nut was the biggest challenge of the install. Other than the spring compressor, no special tools are needed. 12mm 14mm 17mm and 19mm sockets and wrenches, not much else is needed. On the front, make sure you mark the alignment of the camber adjustment bolt before removing it. Put it back in the same place and your alignment will be close to perfect. I didn't even have to use the spring compressor to re-assemble the fronts with the Ions, there is almost no preload. I took my time with the rear, since I had to take apart some interior panels on my wagon: about 5 hours, with lots of breaks. I busted out the front: 2 hours from driving the car into the garage to driving out. Overall, it is a very smooth and easy install. Fewer parts and easier access than my wife's strut-based Jetta, and much more room to work than my double-A-arm Miata. -Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I think all performance springs will give you a more harsh feel. I have been lowered before on eibachs on my other car, and with 45 series tires it was very hard bumping. Even the OEM springs on the GT are on the harder side. I think the h-techs are one of the softest springs out of all of them. I believe the iON's would be even worse than the H-techs. Tein does make a comparable spring in terms of lowering to the iON's and that is the S-tech. I have ridden in cars with S-techs before and those springs are really harsh! I say if you want stock feel back, then nothing will feel like OEM, or OEM like. Maybe the electronically adjustable springs like the WRX has as an option from the Tire Rack will come to the GT and you can adjust them from inside the cabin. Now that would be sweet, but a lot of money! GL X --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 where did you download the service manual for the torque specs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gire Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 dbolen- First lowered car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayDhaIn Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Thanks emosound! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mines Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 I have the h-techs, i think its one of the most stock feeling springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbolen Posted October 6, 2005 Author Share Posted October 6, 2005 Yep, first "lowered" car. Stock springs were fine, but I am after the performance, *not* the "look". Here in Arkansas we have lots of curvy roads....some banked right and some banked wrong. I need the skid pad/road holding performance and could care less about "the look". I got in on the group buy for the Ion's so I am hoping that will do the trick. Looks like I will be "testing" the H-tech's for about 6 more weeks. Cheers, dave Drive softly and carry big torque! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Honestly I believe that if you find the H-Techs harsh, then the iON's will be harsher. Just my 2c's. The more performance oriented, the harsher they are. X --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iON Performance Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 laz - The statement of "the more performance oriented, the harsher they are" is somewhat incorrect. When cruising around etc, our springs use the lower portion of the spring rate range to allow for a compliant ride. When the demand is put on them; the spring rate increases quickly as it reaches the upper spring rate @ 2" compression. Then ride is also affected by your wheel/tire choice, tire pressures etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 the harshness is really coming from your shocks not able to handle the lowered ride height and shock travel... Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxerGT2.5 Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Good thing you didnt' get S-Techs (if available). H-techs are like Teins conservative spring. OBAMA......One Big Ass Mistake America! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Thank you for the clarification. I guess I should state also than when the road is prefectly smooth the performance oriented springs are very OEM like, but as soon as you hit some potholes, than is when the "ouch" factor comes in. So I agree, lower profiles tires + perfomance springs = harsh ride. But I think my statement is still correct in that in any bad road you will feel the inperfections twofold. X laz - The statement of "the more performance oriented, the harsher they are" is somewhat incorrect. When cruising around etc, our springs use the lower portion of the spring rate range to allow for a compliant ride. When the demand is put on them; the spring rate increases quickly as it reaches the upper spring rate @ 2" compression. Then ride is also affected by your wheel/tire choice, tire pressures etc. --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 the harshness is really coming from your shocks not able to handle the lowered ride height and shock travel... You should drive downtown buffalo, even with a stock suspension its like being punched in the ass. With coilovers its like being raped by a gorilla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 You should drive downtown buffalo, even with a stock suspension its like being punched in the ass. With coilovers its like being raped by a gorilla. Is it that bad now? I went to SUNY Buffalo many years ago, but I don't remember downtown Buffalo being that bad when it came to the roads. I do remember the city being in shambles though. So much potential! X --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thGTI2LGT Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 I have a set of S techs sitting in my living room right now, what kind of cost am i looking at to get these things installed? Anyone that hasnt done it on there own out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmundu Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 I have a set of S techs sitting in my living room right now, what kind of cost am i looking at to get these things installed? Anyone that hasnt done it on there own out there? It really depends on the shop, but a good price range to aim for is 2 1/2 hrs labor. Or in my parts, around $175-225, plus an alignment about a week later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 Is it that bad now? I went to SUNY Buffalo many years ago, but I don't remember downtown Buffalo being that bad when it came to the roads. I do remember the city being in shambles though. So much potential! X It all depends on where you drive. The roads in the amherst area are fine. If you do down baily a bit past south campus its rediculous. Some parts of main street are silly for example a 3 inch step in the road that just screams notch my rims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thGTI2LGT Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 Edmundu thanks alot, i was anticipating about 150-200 so I was pretty close! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayDhaIn Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7306/pict00026gn.jpg http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8749/pict00039pq.jpg http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6871/pict00082vw.jpg I just replaced my springs today w/h-tech. Took 4 people (with me doing practically nothing)4 hours to finish. At first i really like the drop, but then all of us got into the car for lunch, and then the back tires rub the fender The heaviest guy is only 200 pounds, so i'm surprised that it sag so much under load.. I guess this will be a 2 passenger car only then, hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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