all mods, all at once

[bosco]

If you guys wanna fight about FMICs in my build thread, please keep it concise and with actual useful knowledge please.

 

+1 bosco

[Beanboy]

While not quite available for purchase yet, COBB has a FMIC coming that retains bumper beam and fog lights. May even have an option for CF pipes and end tanks! Bling FTW! :lol:

 

Of course, with all the research you've been doing you probably already know about this and are unwilling to wait for COBB's notoriously long lead time with new products.

 

Got to admit it's good stuff though!

 

Posted in the cobb FMIC thread, didn't know about it, thanks. Been 20+ days since last update, so perhaps there is some news.

 

I'd really like to have parts going on within 10 weeks, so while the COBB FMIC looks interesting, I don't think it will be ready unfortunately.

[itsme]

I'm sorry. I just want to clear things up. Any other questions follow the earlier link. Again sorry.

[wukindada]

Were done.........

sorry Bean....good luck on the install:)

[Beanboy]

Bah, no worries. Funny if I decide to go small and get a TMIC now, haha.

 

The CC is gonna get a workout starting tomorrow. Talk about a big holiday statement....phew.

[itsme]

I have a '05 lgt 5mt wagon also but, for me the suspension left alot to be desire. I'll list what I did and what if, any improvment I felt.

1. added 19x7.5 w/ 225/35/19. They were a big improvement in grip. To me the stock tires never felt right. In turns they would seem to want to break loose.

 

2. Whiteline F&R adj. sways bars. They really got the body roll under control and didn't hurt the ride. I could take curves much fast.

 

3. H-tech springs. near stock ride not too low and fixed the squat and dive problems of the car. Before the spring I thought the brakes on the LGt awful and was going to upgrade. But I found that with body now under control the brake feel much better and I didn't need to upgrade.

 

After about maybe 8 months my struts started to go bad and the rear started to sag. So I got KW v.2 coil-overs and they have been great. Most people say it feels like "BMW" firm. Race comp has their verion of the KW for about $400 cheaper and they claim better valving.

 

4.F&R upper strut brace. Useless. Only reason I still have the front on is I didn't feel like taking it off and I have the tube from my boost gauge connected to it.

 

5. Cusco F&R lower control arm braces. They really firmed up the car and made it feel stiffer on big bumps and the road. It also got rid of some squechs in my wagon.

 

6 Superpro poly LCA bushing. It firmed up the wheel and took out all of the wandering on the highway and in turn. Alot less correcting of the wheel.

 

7.AVO RSB brace. Just as a in case.

 

After I got my suspension together I went for more power.

 

8. I got a K&N typhoon intake. It added abit of power and I like the sound.

 

9.AP v.1 TDC stage 1. A nice boost in power made the power smoother and I gained about 1-2 mpg.

 

10. TDC stage 2 e-tune. PDE up, crucail shorty DP, and custom TBE 3" exhaust. They car is really great now. Pulls strong and got me about another 2mpg. It pulls stronger off boost and in stop and go LA traffic I get from 21- 24 mpg. It's a win, win:lol:.

 

Alot of people talk about the stock IC tanks coming apart so I satat to build a FMIC to sovle this problem. I may also get a gt 30 turbo but, I know this may sound weird. I don't know if I need that much power and where am I going to use it?

 

I hope I added some helpful info after all the stuff before. If you want me to post pictures of any of this stuff or got any questions let me know.

[goneskiian]

^^^ Great stuff itsme. Thanks for sharing!

[Beanboy]

Turbo ordered and suspension should be on the way tomorrow. Aiming to be on the road with the new setup by the end of January if all goes as planned. Thanks to all that have given their two cents so far. Getting a better mental picture every day of what parts/setup to go with.

 

With that said more questions will follow over the next 4-6 weeks...

[Beanboy]

So I know bosco has chimed in, but I'm debating clutch/flywheel combos at the moment.

 

Posted a thread about it in the transmission section, http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76663.

 

Just wondering if the OEM combo will hold for a dyno tune and occasional runs up to highway speed without self-destructing.

 

Plan on upgrading (probably ACT kit/wrx flywheel) before summer driving events like track days/drag racing occurs.

 

Worth trying to get a few months out of the stock combo until I really need it? Start slipping right away on the dyno going WOT in third?

 

I've smelled the stink a few times over the past three years, but I haven't had any issues with slipping these past two years at Stage 2 power levels.

[Infamous1]

I wouldn't worry about any slipping on the dyno especially in third gear as there is not nearly as much load as driving on the street. As long as there are no launches you should be fine I had about 25K miles on my clutch at stg 2 before it started to slip. That includes about 40 strip launches. The disc was fine but the flywheel and PP were both scarred.

[Beanboy]

That's for the reply infamous1. Majority of folks are giving me similar advice. Thinking the plan will be to keep an eye out for deals on a clutch kit, and get enough Subaru Bucks for a WRX flywheel over the course of the winter months.

[Beanboy]

One part left, the AVO intake. Everything else is in. Going with a clutch kit from the beginning. Went with AVO FMIC. Will update next once the work is done.

[Infamous1]

Who will be tuning this setup?

[BDII]

bump

[Beanboy]

Dsg

[Jack ffr1846]

Itsme had a good list. I personally would put a big separation in the list to do suspension work completely independent from engine work. You don't get the gains of doing it all at once by tying this stuff together. I'd also strongly recommend that you search around for someone who has a setup locally like you want to go to. Especially with sway bars, it's really easy to screw things up. I've had students at NHIS with too much front bar after swapping both and before we even hit turn 3 on the first lap out of the pits... from the passenger seat.....I'm asking them what kind of bar they have on the front and recommending they go back to stock. A good suspension setup can be easy, or it can be a lot of work. For a daily driver, I'm not a fan of coilovers.

 

Talk to Alex and Bill before you even get to DSG and tell them what you plan for suspension and what you're doing with the car. They can certainly help.

 

jack

[Beanboy]

Talked with Bill and Alex in late November in person about the build, running down the complete list of how I drove the car and what I wanted out of it before I started buying parts. I've been harassing them for a couple of years now.

 

Helped immensely, nothing like advice from the front lines combined with what I've learned here, over at NASIOC, and fiddling with car up to this point, along with a handful of driving events. One thing I did cheap out on were the gauges, since if something does go wrong with them, it won't matter as much as say, the exhaust manifold cracking. Also added the ACT clutch kit fairly late in the game.

 

Not doing sway bars. Not doing coilovers, using OEM SpecB wagon JDM takeoffs. Wanted to keep stock ride height, longevity and cornering balance as close to stock as possible while killing the dive and squat.

 

Also have my list of possible problem areas that I'll be watching for.

 

Realize with any major fiddling, issues can crop up. Trying to keep them to minimum through careful part selection, as well as picking parts that fit what I want out of the car at the end of the process. Thinking I've done that, but I really won't know until I've had the car back for a few months. Will certainly post about the good, bad and ugly though.

 

Thanks for the concern! I don't see how people can rush right in with mods... Which track school do you instruct with Jack? The SCDA?

 

Did the novice school with them once at NHIS, it was great!

 

http://www.stinkyteapot.com/Untitled-12.jpg

[itsme]

Talked with Bill and Alex in late November in person about the build, running down the complete list of what I wanted to do before I started buying. Not doing sway bars. Not doing coilovers, using OEM SpecB wagon JDM takeoffs.

Why no coil overs and sways? The problem most people have is going too big and hard and wondering why their cars handle like crap. KW handle great and have a good ride. I have mine set at 12 from hard in the front and 14 in the rear.(they are 18 way adjustable). So not skidish and unpredictable. That's why I also got adj. F&R sways and have them both set on soft. They makes my car very neutral and flat.

[Beanboy]

I don't want neutral handling, I wanted the stock understeer with the option to tighten up the line by getting off throttle/power oversteer. Safer for the noob behind the wheel, both on the street and the track, especially with the NE roads I drive on. Maybe down the road I'll step up to sways, but not at this stage.

 

As for coilovers, wanted to keep stock ride height and longevity as close to stock as possible while killing the dive and squat. Going with OEM wagon SpecB struts/springs was the cheapest and matched what I was looking for. Again down the road if I make the car more track-oriented/second vehicle, might step up to some coilovers.

[peteyjr]

Big mistake not doing the sways,especially with the power you are looking for. Single biggest bang for the buck and smile factor comes from upgrading the rear bar (no real need to change the front bar) I've had 4 subies with all of them benefitting from a rear bar. Just did the rear bar last week on my LGT (progress 22mm redesigned bar) and it just did wonders for the handling. Just make sure to use the softer setting with the stock front bar. BTW no major snap oversteer yet taking my usual Increasing and decreasing radius ramps at warp (at times ridiculoue) speed. BTW I have Spec B struts and wheels with swift springs.

[Guest]

Beanboy does it right - struts/springs first. However indeed JDM GT rsb at minimum would in order.

[itsme]

I don't want neutral handling, I wanted the stock understeer with the option to tighten up the line by getting off throttle/power oversteer. Safer for the noob behind the wheel, both on the street and the track, especially with the NE roads I drive on. Maybe down the road I'll step up to sways, but not at this stage.

 

As for coilovers, wanted to keep stock ride height and longevity as close to stock as possible while killing the dive and squat. Going with OEM wagon SpecB struts/springs was the cheapest and matched what I was looking for. Again down the road if I make the car more track-oriented/second vehicle, might step up to some coilovers.

I like neutral so that is how I set car. That's what's good about about adjustable suspenion. If you want to keep ride height you can always get the MR outback coil overs and you ccan set your own height.

[peteyjr]

With the adition of a rear bar I reiterate what many have said. It should have come from the factory this way. Personally think coilovers are great if properly set up but not really needed. Beanboy is on the right track. JDM rear bar might be a good start too as others have suggested.

 

Swapped cars for a few the other day with a friend of mine who has a BMW 335. Really can't make a comparison but he was dutifully impressed with my 05 5mt LGT.

[Beanboy]

I'll have it on the list for tweaks come this summer. We'll see how the new suspension bits handle after a few driving events first and go from there.

 

Same goes for some exhaust work CBE-wise, once I figure out what I want to do.

 

Car should be set by this weekend...

[peteyjr]

Did my first autocross this past weekend (south Fla event) on my LGT. Quite pleased with the result. Got in the STU class against some seasoned STI and EVO drivers. I was about 1-2 sec behind them. More importantly the car felt great , very neutral with the rear rotating well. Others said the car "looked good out there". A bunch of the subie guys flocked around my ride (one of two Legacys there and the only wagon) Will definitely not be doing a front bar. Way more fun than my 05 WRX I ran last year.