HansGT Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 How would the HD's match up with H-techs. Looks good Bosco. mmm h-tech have a pretty low spring rate. ok i guess, but pinks may give you a bit better performance. plus i believe your front end will sit up about 1/2 too high. you need jdm style springs for the Bilsteins and use spec b front tophats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Bosco and Waxiboy, Have you experienced issues with the rear end bottoming out on big bumps yet? Myles at Racecomp says he has that issue with his spec B and Pinks. As you know spec B Bilsteins have even more travel than HD's and are pretty much the same stiffness. So...HD's should be more prone to this.... Perhaps it would be nice to locate a mild lowering spring that has a higher rear spring rate. (Pinks...5.9kg/mm....iON 6.7kg/mm, which may lower too much) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosco Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Bosco and Waxiboy, Have you experienced issues with the rear end bottoming out on big bumps yet? Myles at Racecomp says he has that issue with his spec B and Pinks. no, not yet. bosco Stay Stock Stay Happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxiboy Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Bosco and Waxiboy, Have you experienced issues with the rear end bottoming out on big bumps yet? Myles at Racecomp says he has that issue with his spec B and Pinks. As you know spec B Bilsteins have even more travel than HD's and are pretty much the same stiffness. So...HD's should be more prone to this.... No issues for me, but I do slow down going thru speed bumps. But on regular roads, even with patched pot holes, I do not experience any bottoming. As to the travel, I think we have only confirmed a shorter travel for the front struts. As for the rear Maybe Myles should remove the rear bump stops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zach999 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Do the Bilstein HD have the same damping response rates as the Bilstein? Myles was telling me the HD are more for luxury. But if they are as firm and damp at the same rate and all you lose is a little travel which translates into going slow over speedbumps than this might be a nice alternative. If the car does bottom out will/can this destroy or damage the suspension? I thought I already hit the bump stops a couple of times in my LGT and nothing happened but is that considered bottoming out? Also, will these HD shocks wear out quicker since they are rated for stock springs (and using pinks)? If they do, then what is expected lifespan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexster Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 bilstein hasn't released specs on the HDs yet. or if they have no one can get a hold of them. Kevin at turner motorsports (allshocks.com) said the valving is probably a little different. I think it's unlikely anyone could tell them apart when paired with a mild spring like the pinks. i asked him about getting them revalved with more aggressive valving and he said he wouldn't recommend it unless you want to run something over 400 lb/ft. he said the HDs should be able to handle the 250-350 range of the pinks no problem. it's the travel you have to look out for. you don't want to run a spring that will lower the car too much because you will have less travel which means it will be easier to hit the bumpstops. they come with the bilstien lifetime warranty - so the expected lifetime is quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Koni. Please. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 until the actual info comes out all we have to go on is driving impressions. waxiboy rode in unclemat's wagon with JDM spec b rev b and pinks. waxi says his HD/pink combo is nearly identical. i can't believe the rates are the same, but they may indeed be close. the other thing is why such a gigantic price difference...OEM spec b Bilsteins (JDM GT) are around $400+ per front strut...HD's....$500 for all four corners. Something has to be going on here to make them that inexpensive. Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilh Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Subaru trying to justify the price difference between GT and Spec B by keeping the Bilsteins expensive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 OEM for the ripoff. Think of the cost of replacing an OEM wheel from any carmaker. Aftermarket wheels are often just as good or better for far less money. Or you can pay twice the going hourly rate for mech work on car at at dealer compared to a decent independent mechanic. Some people are willing to pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 OEM for the ripoff. It's not just Subaru. A vendor on here sells the entire spec b suspension part for part including the aluminum control arms. Front struts are still $400+ each, so it's not Subaru jacking the prices...must be Bilstein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biz77 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 It's not just Subaru. A vendor on here sells the entire spec b suspension part for part including the aluminum control arms. Front struts are still $400+ each' date=' so it's not Subaru jacking the prices...must be Bilstein. [/quote'] It is still a Subaru part number. Subaru specs the unit to Bilstein, who then builds to spec. You can't go to Bilstein or a Bilstein reseller and buy the SpecB struts. They must be purchased through a dealer that is able to acquire Subaru parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Subaru trying to justify the price difference between GT and Spec B by keeping the Bilsteins expensive? Nah. Both JDM GT Bilsteins and JDM SpecB Bilsteins cost the same. About $1200-1300 in Japan. USDM SpecB Bilsteins roughly cost the same. 200% overhead seems even too high for OEM ripoff. I think there are differences in how OEMs are built vs. the aftermarket HDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas569 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 mmm h-tech have a pretty low spring rate. ok i guess' date=' but pinks may give you a bit better performance. plus i believe your front end will sit up about 1/2 too high. you need jdm style springs for the Bilsteins and use spec b front tophats.[/quote'] so these HD's arent a "direct" swap correct? i want to use cobb springs and was thinking while im in there change the shocks, does no one sell a direct replacement shock for the LGT yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnarlyMarley Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 The directions that came with my H-Techs said they were for a 2.0 GT. Does that mean they would work with JDM tophats? James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaStaMooN Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Bosco, Looking good. BTW....just got a quote....HD's, $503 shipped. Anyone know how HD's compare to the stock USDM spec b Bilsteins? I'm guessing since they are replacments they are little bit firmer? Can anyone confirm this? Where did you get the quote for the HD's @ $503 shipped? PM me if you cant tell me here. Thanks! Jon - vBGarage Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 so these HD's arent a "direct" swap correct? i want to use cobb springs and was thinking while im in there change the shocks, does no one sell a direct replacement shock for the LGT yet? they are a direct swap for the spec b. your a regular GT you will require spec b tophats and spec b/JDM style front springs. those front springs are shorter. If you use your cobb springs (for the GT) your front end will sit up about .5". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactojesse Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 they are a direct swap for the spec b. your a regular GT you will require spec b tophats and spec b/JDM style front springs. those front springs are shorter. If you use your cobb springs (for the GT) your front end will sit up about .5". Is that .5" higher than the 1.75"F/1.0"R drop advertised by Cobb for their springs or .5" higher than stock? I presume the former, which would result in it still being 1.25"F/0.75"R lower than stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Is that .5" higher than the 1.75"F/1.0"R drop advertised by Cobb for their springs or .5" higher than stock? I presume the former, which would result in it still being 1.25"F/0.75"R lower than stock. no no. say cobb springs drop your car 1.75" in the front (which they don't) and 1" in the back on OEM struts. If you slap on HD's in the front then it would be only 1.25" lower in the front but the rear would still the same at 1" lower. The tophat issue only effects the front end. The car will look "jacked up" in the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilh Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Why would it look jacked up if the front dropped 1.25" and the rear 1"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Why would it look jacked up if the front dropped 1.25" and the rear 1"? in comparison to a 1.75 drop in the front vs. a 1.25" drop in the front. The rear stays constent. If a spring ment for a USDM OEM strut lowers a car "X" amount; subtract .5" from that X amount when paired with Bilsteins. (1.75 - .5 = 1.25) Most spring out there that are not JDM specific lower the car 30mm front and 25mm rear on stock struts. This gives a "level" look as the rear fender flare drops down closer to the tire then in the front. Given these numbers on a non JDM spring with Bilsteins the car would actually be lowered 12.7mm in the front (.5" less) and remain 25mm drop in the rear. This equals..."jacked up". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactojesse Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 no no. say cobb springs drop your car 1.75" in the front (which they don't) and 1" in the back on OEM struts. If you slap on HD's in the front then it would be only 1.25" lower in the front but the rear would still the same at 1" lower. The tophat issue only effects the front end. The car will look "jacked up" in the front. Gotcha. Thanks for clarifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas569 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 from what i understand none of the springs are meant for the usdm LGT, only cobbs correct? so at this point as far as direct shock replacement for the LGT only oem shocks are direct correct? there are no aftermarket soultions for the lgt w/ out having to replace to spec b tophats? this sucks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoopMan Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 from what i understand none of the springs are meant for the usdm LGT, only cobbs correct? so at this point as far as direct shock replacement for the LGT only oem shocks are direct correct? there are no aftermarket soultions for the lgt w/ out having to replace to spec b tophats? this sucks... Well, stock springs are weak. Stock shocks are weak. So if you go to the trouble to replace the stock shocks with HD's, then might as well put in decent springs. I see JDM springs here for as little as $100, maybe $150. Go wild, put in Pinks, say $400. And lots of good options in between, Swifts, Ions, etc. And then you need the front top hats, another $100. So maybe $800-$1000 in parts. You save labor too, since you just leave the stock units assembled, and put em in a box. Put em back on later when you sell the car, and then sell the Billies, Pinks and Top Hats to one of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas569 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 at 1000 may as well go for coilovers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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