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OBXT Ksports & 18"s


eVoMotion

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Wow. Looks great!

 

No doubt the handling's improved. How's the ride? I assume both spring rates and damping rates are much firmer. No more hobby-horsing and bobbing around?

 

Is it still comfortable? I recall someone with GPMoto coilovers said it was a bit too firm...

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Thanks! We love it.

 

The ride is night and day better. I have it current set to full soft all around. It is firm. I am going to increase the firmness and play with tire PSI this week to see how much it changes the ride.

 

I have not ridden in other LGTs or OBXTs with modded suspension to see if anything is better. There are pros and cons to coilovers. Overall I am very happy.

 

Drewster has the GPMoto setup and I believe he likes it. We need to get together to do a back-to-back OBXT coilover test.

 

If you are local, you are welcome to drive it anytime.

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Unfortunately, I'm not local. I'll have to take your word. :)

 

I find the stock OB-XT quite underdamped. Maybe other things too, I'm no expert. But relative to my benchmark (6th generation Honda Accord), it's way too soft--leaving you feel like the shocks are worn out when going over railroad tracks or car-length crests in the road.

 

The suspension system (including tires) is generally nice and quiet though. And suppresses small bumps (bots dots lane markings, expansion joints, etc.) really well.

 

I plan to try a thicker rear sway bar next. That should tame some of the corner lean, but I don't expect it will affect the underdamped feeling. I really wish Bilstein would come out with dampers...

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We were really concerned about not getting the LGT and looked all over the country for the right spec, but no LGT in black/black MT anywhere, so gave in. Very happy now. I see LGTs all over and very few OBXTs.

Yeap - Racing Sparco D2 18x8 +46. I go back on forth on the look, but it does say "battle wagon."

Drewster and I need to do a photo shoot - lowered OBXTs.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Looks great! Love how it fills the wheel well completely. Now you got me wondering what 19s would look like on your setup.

 

this just adds more food for thought to what the GT should have been - fender flares of the OB, short bumpers of JDM stock, wheel well filling combo while dropping ride height on 18/19.... mmm.

keep up the good work!

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Thanks!

 

19's with 35 series would be a very nice looking ride, but I would be afraid of any suspension upgrades. Mine is a bit firm even with the 45 series tires.

 

Check out this car to get an idea of the look of 19's:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21949

 

He has 18's with 35's (it looks like), which throws off the speedometer, though looks way cool. I went with 45s to keep the speedo correct and to fill the wheel well.

 

Changing out front springs to a softer set soon and will raise the front and rear a tad.

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  • 2 weeks later...

there is almost no weight difference.

 

No downside (pun) to dropping an OBXT vs LGT.

 

The flares are solid, so not much difference in tire clearance; as far as I know. We have 255/45/18 +46 offset = 9.8inch tire width. It is more than adequate.

 

I think the OBXT looks better lowered. :icon_bigg

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  • 1 month later...

eVoMotion,

 

By the time my current lease is up I doubt I will be able to find a manual LGT wagon, so a lowered OBXT wagon will likely be the choice.

 

I believe you estimated a 3 inch drop. I understand that in changing to coilovers you can realize a reduction in ride height through a combination of shorter shock bodies and also reduced shock stroke. Do you know how much suspension travel was sacrificed in order to get down to your current ride height, as opposed to shorter shock bodies. Are you hitting your bumpstops a lot?

 

I come from the Miata world where lowering an inch with stock struts puts you almost on your bumpstops. In order to effectively lower a MIata you need shorter shock bodies to keep decent ride and handling. I would hate to sacrifice to much in order to reduce the ride height to the level you are at. On a OBXT I would assume that a 1.5-2.0 inch reduction in suspension travel, coupled with 50% firmer springs would not be excessive.

 

Thanks

 

Kirk

 

eVomotion : Just noticed you have a 94R ... 96 and thinking of a BRP supercharger

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Hi Kirk,

 

Thanks for the questions. I was hitting the rear bumpstop at the first 3" drop. I have swapped out the rear OBXT bump with a LGT bump; it is smaller and shorter. I raised the car up 3/4" as well. I was getting a bit of inner wheel well rub on full compression bumps. I swapped out to a 6kg front spring replacing the 7kg. It rides much better.

 

It is hard to know exactly the difference in raising it made as I swapped front springs and all tires and wheels and new alignment at the same time.

 

I plan on swapping the snow tires out again soon then will be able to evaluate the ride and height better again.

 

There seems to be enough ride now. I confirmed with the coilover mfr that my ride height would not negatively.

 

To answer your question - all seems good after I swapped the rear bumps.

 

Check out Drewster, 03Indigo and DASWRX for for dropped OBXT threads.

 

(update your location so someone local can reply).

 

OBXT = fast.

MX-5 = slow, except in a corner. I want a FM turbo.

 

Cheers!

 

Check out:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26202

 

 

 

eVoMotion,

 

By the time my current lease is up I doubt I will be able to find a manual LGT wagon, so a lowered OBXT wagon will likely be the choice.

 

I believe you estimated a 3 inch drop. I understand that in changing to coilovers you can realize a reduction in ride height through a combination of shorter shock bodies and also reduced shock stroke. Do you know how much suspension travel was sacrificed in order to get down to your current ride height, as opposed to shorter shock bodies. Are you hitting your bumpstops a lot?

 

I come from the Miata world where lowering an inch with stock struts puts you almost on your bumpstops. In order to effectively lower a MIata you need shorter shock bodies to keep decent ride and handling. I would hate to sacrifice to much in order to reduce the ride height to the level you are at. On a OBXT I would assume that a 1.5-2.0 inch reduction in suspension travel, coupled with 50% firmer springs would not be excessive.

 

Thanks

 

Kirk

 

eVomotion : Just noticed you have a 94R ... 96 and thinking of a BRP supercharger

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19's with 35 series would be a very nice looking ride, but I would be afraid of any suspension upgrades. Mine is a bit firm even with the 45 series tires.

 

If you're on 45 series now, you'd only need to go to a 40 profile for a 19" wheel. I was actually shocked to see those are 18's -- they don't look that big, and the tire looks kind of huge to my eye. (I'm used to looking at my own 40-series tires...)

 

I'm thinking I want to do an Outback with 20's. :)

 

--Dan

Mach V

FastWRX.com

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  • 1 year later...
Thanks! We love it.

 

The ride is night and day better. I have it current set to full soft all around. It is firm. I am going to increase the firmness and play with tire PSI this week to see how much it changes the ride.

 

I have not ridden in other LGTs or OBXTs with modded suspension to see if anything is better. There are pros and cons to coilovers. Overall I am very happy.

 

Drewster has the GPMoto setup and I believe he likes it. We need to get together to do a back-to-back OBXT coilover test.

 

If you are local, you are welcome to drive it anytime.

 

Hi Evomotion, I am particularly interested in how the lowered XT goes on gravel roads now? I guess it should be similar to a Legacy GT?

 

I am very keen an Outback but we only get the 3.0R auto and the 2.5 manual here in NZ. Of these my choice would be the 3.0R as the 2.5 is a little rough in comparison.

 

I have heard and read on forums that the auto transmission is not too good in the 3.0R and there have been a lot of complaints about its performance. As a consequence I would have gone with the XT manual if we had it in our market but am now looking at a Legacy 3.0R with the STI 6 spd manual or a 2.5 Outback, whilst still not completely writing off the 3.0R.

 

I mainly drive in the city here, but would anticipate that I will take on a gravel road 3 - 4 times per year and the odd dash to the ski field.

 

Do you find that the lowered suspension compromises the gravel road ability of the Outback much ? Are there any other issues with the lower suspension?

 

My brother who is into 4WDing, reckons that you could get a Legacy and an Outback pretty much into the same places - you would just have to drive slower ...

 

Thanks

 

 

 

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