Springs for a 2005 GT Wagon

[mpiotro]

Ok I will make this a LITTLE bit easier. I am sold on Koni insert for the front and Koni shocks in the rear. They can handle virtually any available spring rate I use... and can be decently comfortable for the family and still do quite well at an auto-x or a day carving in the mountains of North GA.

 

A bit of history, I am coming from a 2002 WRX wagon with complete JDM STI wagon struts and group N topmounts. Nice spring rates IMO, compression dampening seems a bit stiff over concrete expansion joints- but overall a setup I am still satisfied with. Hope to go a little more forgiving in the Legacy Wagon- I think the adjustable Konis alone will make up most of that difference.

 

OK here's the conundrum... The Legacy Wagon will see some gravel road (avid mountainbiker headed to the trailhead) so no more than 1" drop all around is wanted. So I am looking for a spring on the stiffer side, but without a lot of drop for a Wagon (And of course no droopy butt issues, please )

 

Opinions/Experiences would be greatly appreciated!

[G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2]

+1

I'm in a similar situation and also want info , especially on STI Pink springs with Konis on an '05 wagon.

[Beanboy]

SpecB wagon springs from a JDM car?

 

I have SpecB Rev A springs and struts and while the car is lowered a touch, the ride is nice and firm and most bumps are actually handled better that stock. Little more movement on smaller stuff like broken pavement, less bottoming out on the bigger stuff.

 

This is one potholed New England roads.

 

And I need to update the avatar photo, that's obviously on a stock suspension!

[bluesuby]

Wouldn't the Konis work with stock springs and maintain the present ride height? I know the stock springs are soft, but the Konis should firm them up.

[cfdrumr]

I am running H-Techs on stock struts and LOVE them

[itsme]

How much do you want to spend? You can go with the Megan Racing OB coil-overs and it only drops the car about an 1" at the lowest setting and can be raised a couple of inches. For about $900 PM boostjunkie for more info he is a vendor.

[mpiotro]

Hate to be a doubter, but I just can't see how $1K coilovers can be very good. By the time you design a decent threaded body out of materials that will last I just can't see how much money is going into quality internals. I know everybody say the BC Racing and Megan Racing are great, but I have yet to see anyone compare these bottom rung coilover setups to JDM Bilstein setups or other high end strut/spring combos. Also, no one can convince me that pillowballs are a smart setup for a daily driver.

 

Another negative for me is I put 25K on my car every year and can't imagine rebuilding my coilovers every 18 months. The height adjustability does not greatly interest me- that's just show...not go.

 

I hope this does not come across as negative post but it seems the vast majority people have drank the koolAid and only want to run coilovers. I just do not believe coilovers are called for in my case and probably in a lot of other people's cases.

 

 

My budget is flexible but would like to stay under $1400. I do like the Racecomp Tarmac I's but they are like $1650....

[itsme]

I know what you mean. I have rode in some cars with coilovers that ride very hard like skateboard. I went with H-Tech springs first on stock strut and after a while I got rear sag and a bad ride. With so many spring(pinks, cobb, swift, JDM , wagon, etc....) and strut(JDM spec a, b, c, HD, etc....) combos out there I wanted to go with something that was match. I wanted control and a smooth ride so I spent alittle more($1600) and got the KW V2 that are adjustable in height and dampening. For a year the ride has not changes and most people say it rides BMW firm on on 19's with 225/35/19 not harsh at all. I didn't say to get the KWs because the are too low. I have mine set at 1/4" below max height.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/112317.jpg

[Guest]

A Bilstein setup with original Rev.A JDM SpecB springs is a pretty good bet (hard to find though). Might bit harsh, but it's subjective. A better mix could be JDM SpecB Rev.A springs with JDM GT Rev.A or JDM SpecB Rev.C Bilsteins.

 

Another alternative might be Tein Flex coilovers, which can be set to stock height and have much stiffer springs (8 front /9 rear kg). Also Megan Racing OB coilovers could be an option. The stock JDM rear springs (6 kg) are kinda soft and car sags even under moderate load. When heading to a trailhead I assume you may have some stuff and/or people in the car.

 

So you really do not want to drop the car if you want to hit a gravel road. It's already low when stock. Coincidentally, I have been planning purchase of another LGT wagon, and that one I would like to keep as high as possible (with decent handling) for exactly same purpose. That's why I am hoarding aforementioned coilover setups....

 

My current LGT wagon rolls on JDM SpecB Rev.C with stock JDM springs. This stuff is not stiff enough, neither high enough (Rev.C went to 18" wheels, so springs got shorter). It's kinda nice compromise. Soon to be replaced with either Bilstein PSS coilovers or KW Variant 2 coilovers.

 

Ummmm, yes, I have four sets of coilovers hoarded

[sactojesse]

As an avid mountain biker, I totally understand your situation. (I'm in Moab right now!) I'm running Bilstein HDs front and rear w/ STI LGT pinks front and JDM LGT springs in rear. There is no saggy butt, but ride is noticeably firmer than stock. The wheel gaps are equal. The front is approximately 2/3 to 3/4" lower than stock and the rear is stock height, so the wheel gaps are now equal. I'm not sure how that would work w/ the Konis, but you may wish to consider mixing pinks and JDM LGT springs or just run JDM LGT springs F and R.

[itsme]

As an avid mountain biker, I totally understand your situation. (I'm in Moab right now!) I'm running Bilstein HDs front and rear w/ STI LGT pinks front and JDM LGT springs in rear. There is no saggy butt, but ride is noticeably firmer than stock. The wheel gaps are equal. The front is approximately 2/3 to 3/4" lower than stock and the rear is stock height, so the wheel gaps are now equal. I'm not sure how that would work w/ the Konis, but you may wish to consider mixing pinks and JDM LGT springs or just run JDM LGT springs F and R.

See that's why people go with coilovers. Way too many combos. Join the herd and be happy.

[LOVEMYSUBE]

I have the Rallitek and Koni combo, loving it so far. A little less drop than I wanted, but after looking the alignment printout, I think I make the right choice because my negative camber was barely in specs. Yay, more $ for other mod.

[mpiotro]

Getting some great feedback here. Thanks to everybody for their info.

 

Rallitek springs seem like a nice product at a great price but too much drop for my application.

 

Beanboy- I think you nailed it- I am just concerned with the "harshness" of the Spec B Rev A struts- I know the Koni's have a pretty wide range of adjustment and can likely create a somewhat comfortable ride around town and then crank them up for autoX or trip to the mountains. I do a 90 mile commute daily and while I know I could live with the stiffness of the Rev A's I also know I can probably get similar performance with the Koni's while also getting the adjustability to back it off a bit for daily commuting.

 

Sactojesse- Moab is great, but I am really anxious to get back to St George, UT. Little Creek Mesa- FTW (Gooseberry is awesome, too!).

 

 

My key factor of importance here is:

I want to retain standard ride height AND want a higher spring rate.

 

Anybody have a set of Spec B Rev A Wagon or possibly Spec B Rev B Wagon springs they want to let go of inexpensively? I know lots of guys bought Spec B struts and went with STi (or other) lowering springs. The Koni's should be able to control either spring quite well.

 

My only concern for this completely untested idea is what will happen to ride heights with JDM Spec B wagon springs on USDM Strut with Koni Insert. I guess I am thinking I will take my chances if somebody can help me out with those paper weight springs sitting in the back of your garage.

 

 

Please PM me if you have the "regular"/ NON-Lowering Spec B Rev A Wagon or possibly Spec B Rev B Wagon springs you would consider selling.

 

 

The Megan OB setup does look viable- no pillowball and stock ride height still available. This might be cheaper than my dream of making something better out of normal ride height

 

Unfortunately, something in my head just keeps screaming, "Koni's, Koni's Koni's" I had a buddy with a G60 Corrado with Koni setup and I really loved the way that car handled.

[itsme]

Stop fighting it. Drink the kool-aid. You can set the ride height and dampning and adjust if it sags.