Lifting a 4th gen 2.5i

[UnfadingTech]

Hey everyone. I'd tried searching for this but couldn't find anything that answered my question. It's tax season and I'm expecting a decent refund. I'm thinking about lifting my 2009 2.5i an inch or so. I found some rallitek springs that look like they should fit:

http://www.rallitek.com/raised-springs-kits/6512-rallitek-raised-springs-set-legacy-2005-2009-1.html

Also found some 1" spacers that are less expensive.

I'd like to keep a somewhat decent ride quality so I'm leaning more towards the springs. I'm still running my original struts at 105k so I figured I'd replace those as well. 1" isn't a huge lift but would the cv angle still be alright or are there any other changes I would need to make?

Does anyone have any opinions on a good spring/strut combo for that 1" lift? I'm looking to stay under 750 or so.

Everyone wants to go low these days... I wanna get higher!

Any input is appreciated, Thanks

[GTEASER]

Axle angle will be fine. The tophat spacers are your best bang for the buck. Those springs have a pretty high spring rate in the rear, so you will need new rear shocks for sure because they will overpower the old dampers. They are perhaps too stiff even for KYB Excel G replacement shocks, so you may want to consider Koni Yellows. By the time you do the springs and Koni's, you'll be into it for close to $1000. Edited January 30, 2017 by GTEASER

[UnfadingTech]

Anyone out there that has run just spacers that can comment on the ride? I don't mind spending a little more if it's a noticeable difference in the feel.

These are the spacers I have my eye on:

http://andersondesign-fab.com/product.php?product=2005-2009-legacy-1-lift-kit

Edited January 30, 2017 by UnfadingTech

[GTEASER]

ADF is good stuff. I have his 1" spacers on my Forester with stock 2014 STi suspension. Adding the spacers is not going to change the "ride", it will be exactly what it is now but you'll be 1" higher up.

 

If you go with 1" spacers, make sure that's the route you want to go. You will need to bang the studs out of the stock tophats to make room for the extended hardware and you will most likely mash the threads on the old studs, making it difficult to go back without finding new tophat studs or buying new tophats.

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2017 by GTEASER

[UnfadingTech]

Thanks for the help GT! Sounds like this will be the best route for me.

[Rhitter]

@Unfading, tophat spacers will not affect ride quality. You have the exact same ride that you do now, just slightly taller.

I had HDPE spacers on my Outback for a few years than recently removed, ride is exactly the same. So just agreeing with GT here.

 

However, the one issue you might have is rear camber. I don't think you can adjust camber with what's currently on the rear of the car. This is fine when you lower the car (give more negative camber), but if you raise the car you will get more positive camber. I am unsure though. You might need to add the whiteline rear UCA camber bushing to get the alignment right after raising the car an inch.

 

Alternatively, get larger tires (Outback tires will fit 225/55/17 or 215/55/17) and you will also gain around an inch of ground clearance with an increase in ride comfort. But, speedometer will be off. This can be fixed by adding the Outback ABS module and swapping it in.

[UnfadingTech]

Thanks for your 2 cents Rhitter. I'm currently running 225/45 17s. If I went any bigger the front tires would definitely rub the lower spring perch. Can anyone else weigh in on the rear camber issue? I thought that since it's just tophat spacers I'm not actually changing any of the suspension angles, but I could be mistaken. Edited January 30, 2017 by UnfadingTech

[Rhitter]

You are not getting any additional travel (at least in the front) but you are changing the suspension angles.

[Nam-Vet Suby]

Hi - I see that this has been asked already, but I'm unclear of some of these answers. Let me begin by stating what I want to do to my 10 yr old (4th gen) 2009 Legacy with 115K miles, is I want to lift it about 2" and eliminate the but sag, so maybe 2" in front & 2.5" in rear. I want to have better ground clearance and sit a little higher. I've already read that the max to lift without screwing up the CV joints is 2.5"? I'm thinking that the "easiest" is to use strut spacers for the top hats. I've been researching the lift kits and I am unsure which is better, hard rubber or the metal? I've looked at several makes, & the Street Rays states 1" is NOT 1" but 1" IS 1.5" for their metal ones?? (So for these do I get smaller ones?). I'm sure this has been done before...successfully & want to know what's the best fit for my car without any alterations. I've seen enough videos about how to do it, & it's not rocket science. Also I see some kits include "trailing arm spacers"...what's that about? So, if anyone's got some advice for this old-timer who likes to tinker with his ride, I'd appreciate it. Also trying to keep costs low...+ not particularly interested buying a kit from Russia (seeing some of these kits from the Russian Federation!!!!). If possible and if the price is OK, I'd rather buy from the US or a friendly nation !!