How much drop when switching to Legacy Wagon springs and struts?

[buppus]

I need to know how far a USDM OB will drop in the rear if springs and struts are swapped with Legacy wagon ones.. I've been reading for hours but can't find a straight answer.

 

Can't just compare the ground clearance or to-fender measurements between the stock heights, because there are subframe spacers involved. I want to hear from someone who has lowered by using Legacy spring/struts and how much drop they got.

 

 

 

 

TL;DR warning: Here's the story...

 

I just overhauled my OBXT suspension with Koni's (and lots of other goodies). Used my stock OB struts for the front "cut-a-strut" inserts, so I only dropped 1/4" and didn't have to overcompress the front springs much at all... so the results are incredible.

 

The rears, however... suck ass. Had to squeeze my stock rear springs into the rear Koni's, which are a complete bolt-in Legacy strut.. and it's so stiff that I can't tell the difference between full soft and full firm on the Koni's... it's just all stiff and super harsh over bumps.

 

As for ride height... the above setup dropped the rear just 3/4", and I added a 1" strut spacer in the rear to bring it back up. So now I have 1/4" drop in front and 1/4" rise in rear = 1/2" forward rake.

 

Buuuuuut... since I'm unsatisfied with the supercompressed OB springs in the rear Koni's, I want to swap the springs out without getting a saggy butt. I'm hoping that by switching to Legacy wagon rear springs I can actually make use of the adjustment on my Koni's and not drop the rear more than 1/2" from where it is now. Otherwise I guess I can just spend the money for a bigger strut spacer, but that sucks. Other spring solutions would also be welcome.

[MTBwrench]

I've never used legacy struts and springs, only Spec.B struts and Legacy STi springs... but as you found out(the hard way) it's a big difference. I lost probably 2-3" of ride height, which is a massive change.

 

A few things to note as you go forward:

 

-Saggy but spacers are very common. In fact, most of us OB guys run them in some capacity. I have 1" spacers in the back of my wagon. I know Barmanbean had something like 3/4" all around when he had KW's on his OBXT.

 

-Springs: look at King overload rear springs. They make them for the Legacy wagon, and they're designed to lift the rear to compensate for heavy loads etc. Try to not run those outback springs with your Koni struts... I'd be willing to bet they'll wear out quicker too.

 

-Upper control arms: Have you messed with these? Part of your harshness could be that you're riding the bump stops. When I lowered mine, I had ~1/2" of travel before I hit the stops. That makes for a horrifically harsh ride. The solution to this is installing a set of Legacy rear upper control arms. The bump stop pad is far lower, allowing more travel. A lot of lowered outback owners bypass this step, and then wonder why everything rides so harsh and crappy.

 

TL;DR: Get some king overload legacy wagon springs, maybe a 1/4" or 3/8" spacer. You should be right around where you want to be.

[rougeben83]

Agreed from above.

 

What I'm using right now:

 

-Spec B bilsteins

-front Spec B springs, King spring overload rear springs.

-3/8" rear spacer

-rear LGT bumpstops

-adjustable rear lower control arms

-rear LGT upper control links w/ camber bushings from whiteline (not needed due to above).

 

I recently changed spring setup (rear LGT wagon springs, front spec B springs, same rear spacer) due to too much sag in the rear, especially when I have rear passengers. The rear bumpstops and upper links are needed IMO; I would ride the OB bumpstops even with the LGT upper control links. The LGT upper control links add about another 1" of gap vs the OB upper links - the LGT bumpstops given another 0.5-1".

 

I would recommend the overload springs as they give the additional spring rate without causing too much preload, like what youre doing by putting the OB spring in the LGT strut.

 

Car is about 1.5-2" lower than stock OB height.

[buppus]

So update: I'm not driving the car currently because the OB springs are bowing outward and rubbing a gash in the sidewall of my rear driver's side tire... I think it's already deep enough that I'm going to need new tires and I don't need a blowout on the thruway. SNAFU.

 

I ordered Rallitek 1" lift rear springs for the Legacy (RTEK-830-523-355) - didn't know they existed until one of their reps responded to my inquiry with a link to them when I asked about why they offer front 1" raised springs but not rear... and they said there was an error in their search protocols that is now fixed. So, anyone in the same boat (wanting to use Koni's on their OB with minimal lowering)... you're welcome.

 

I'm hoping that with these springs and my existing 1" rear spacers that I can end up about even height front to back without entering saggy butt territory.. otherwise I'm gonna need a bigger spacer:spin:

 

As for this:

-Upper control arms: Have you messed with these?

Sort of. I have camber bushings and adjustable lateral links installed already, although they are still OB UCA's.

 

 

Part of your harshness could be that you're riding the bump stops. When I lowered mine, I had ~1/2" of travel before I hit the stops. That makes for a horrifically harsh ride. The solution to this is installing a set of Legacy rear upper control arms. The bump stop pad is far lower, allowing more travel. A lot of lowered outback owners bypass this step, and then wonder why everything rides so harsh and crappy.

The Koni's actually have MORE travel than stock OB struts...

 

I get that there is overall reduced excursion because the spring is contained in a shorter space... but in my current situation, the problem can't be bumpstop related, because bumpstops make contact when you're bottoming out, and my problem is exactly the opposite - the springs are holding me at max height and won't allow any further droop when entering a pothole or mounting a speedbump, etc.

 

I can evaluate my bumpstop situation after installing the Rallitek springs... if I feel that I'm bottoming out over bumps then I'll likely have to make that change too, but since I'm trying to stay lifted (albeit with properly matched springs this time), the combination of increased height (over typical legacy springs) and increased stiffness should mean that I won't be encountering the bumpstops very often... hopefully

[Outback2.5XT-05]

I ordered Rallitek 1" lift rear springs for the Legacy (RTEK-830-523-355) - didn't know they existed until one of their reps responded to my inquiry with a link to them when I asked about why they offer front 1" raised springs but not rear... and they said there was an error in their search protocols that is now fixed. So, anyone in the same boat (wanting to use Koni's on their OB with minimal lowering)... you're welcome.

 

I wish I had known this a few months ago. Still, if the Rallitek increased rate legacy springs are anything like their outback series but with the konis... me thinks you'll be in love with the car again...

[buppus]

me thinks you'll be in love with the car again...

 

Indeed. I finally got it set up with the rear Rallitek's and kept the 1" strut spacers.. I love the results. Stance is perfect:

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad236/buppus/IMG_5546_zpsihix3k58.jpg[/url]

 

It turns out that my mechanic was installing the Koni's wrong the whole time... the lower spring seats were upside down and so the springs were overcompressed even more... not cool. I bet the stock OB springs would have been fine if they were installed into the Koni's correctly. But in the end, I'm very happy with the Rallitek springs.