Official 5th Generation Suspension Thread

[nstg8r]

Yup, ping nstg8r, he's got the front installed with the quick releases. I think he was going to swap the back one too to match.

 

Both GTSpec and Cusco are very nice products, light and well made.

 

It's actually the front bar I swapped out to match the rear.

Here are the correct and confirmed parts numbers:

 

Front Bar - 687 540 A

Rear Bar - 692 541 A

Quick Release Levers - 00B 540 C

 

Front bar is a piece of cake, it just bolts right on. For the rear, you'll need to remove all the interior trim is the trunk. You'll also need to cut away part of the trim when you go to replace it. Yes, it sits up high, but with the quick release levers, you can remove the bar (not the mounts) easily without tools if you need to make space. The bar will give you a nice anchor point though, if you need to tie something down in your trunk.

[nstg8r]

FYI - last time I checked the cusco front was on backorder. May be a different story now.

 

 

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Here's where I got mine, but he had it shipped directly to me from Japan, so it took 6 weeks to arrive. eBay

[s2baru]

I can't recall who's running the HKS HYPERMAK but a local shop to me is running 35% off msrp. https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=621220701272451

[btran1384]

Need more information:

 

How many hookers are in the trunk.

 

 

Haha...I'll make sure to post it on the what did you shove in it trunk thread.

 

Seriously though...this is normal?

Pretty sure my rears are on highest setting....cuz I'm about to pull em out n try to fix...really don't want to do that

 

 

 

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[ncfree]

FYI - last time I checked the cusco front was on backorder. May be a different story now.

 

 

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Here's where I got mine, but he had it shipped directly to me from Japan, so it took 6 weeks to arrive. eBay

 

 

Rally sport direct. In stock. 25 bucks off. And ten minutes from my house.

 

Jk. The front is a different part number. But it is also for the 08 wrx so I'm guessing it's gonna fit....

 

Or was the other not for the 08 Rex up front...?

Edited July 4, 2014 by ncfree

[ncfree]

thanks guys. I think I'm gonna do cusco front and gt spec rear.

[nstg8r]

Rally sport direct. In stock. 25 bucks off. And ten minutes from my house.

 

Jk. The front is a different part number. But it is also for the 08 wrx so I'm guessing it's gonna fit....

 

Or was the other not for the 08 Rex up front...?

 

I don't believe the front uses the same strut bar as the 08 WRX, only the rear. Subaru uses two different bars for those cars as well.

 

Btw, they make a new "hybrid" bar for the front of our BM9 chassis, the part no. is 687 542 A. GTEASER posted about it a few months ago but said it's not available in NA.

 

Here's a site that lists pretty much every strut bar Cusco makes...

http://rpmware.com/catalog/group/51802

[nstg8r]

p.s. GTSpec also lists two different parts nos. for our car (GTS-SUS-1387) and the WRX (GTS-SUS-1322).

[sbao26975]

For a 2014 with the stiffer suspension, if i were to go with lowering springs, would going for a stiffer one help preserve the OEM struts? What would you guys recommend?

 

Thanks!

[fredrik94087]

For a 2014 with the stiffer suspension, if i were to go with lowering springs, would going for a stiffer one help preserve the OEM struts? What would you guys recommend?

 

Thanks!

 

If you change springs, change shocks. If you want to preserve your oem strut, running a stiffer spring is the opposite way you want to go.

 

Call RCE and order their black springs and bilstein struts. Plug and play. You will have a mild drop.

[sbao26975]

If you change springs, change shocks. If you want to preserve your oem strut, running a stiffer spring is the opposite way you want to go.

 

Call RCE and order their black springs and bilstein struts. Plug and play. You will have a mild drop.

 

Let's say I'm on a budget...what springs would be the best match for OEM struts?

[fredrik94087]

Let's say I'm on a budget...what springs would be the best match for OEM struts?

 

OEM springs would be a good match.

 

If you must go aftermarket and keep oem struts, go with RCE springs, but be ready to upgrade with Konis or Bilsteins.

 

I would advise you to get springs and struts and install at same time. I've been there....

[ncfree]

Ordered my stbs. Front cusco rear gt spec. I'll post pics when I get them and install them! Thanks for the help.

[Perscitus]

OEM springs would be a good match.

 

If you must go aftermarket and keep oem struts, go with RCE springs, but be ready to upgrade with Konis or Bilsteins.

 

I would advise you to get springs and struts and install at same time. I've been there....

This, plus although your mileage may vary (with the 2014 shocks being a slightly better match to the RCE springs), the 2010-12 shocks are no match for the springs alone.

 

Many of us who installed the springs while we were waiting for the Bilsteins to arrive learned this the hard way.

 

The spring rates on the RCEs ravaged the stock shocks. You need to pair them up with Koni inserts or Bilsteins. Otherwise within a 6-18 months (depending on your driving and road conditions) your stock shocks will be shot.

[sbao26975]

This, plus although your mileage may vary (with the 2014 shocks being a slightly better match to the RCE springs), the 2010-12 shocks are no match for the springs alone.

 

Many of us who installed the springs while we were waiting for the Bilsteins to arrive learned this the hard way.

 

The spring rates on the RCEs ravaged the stock shocks. You need to pair them up with Koni inserts or Bilsteins. Otherwise within a 6-18 months (depending on your driving and road conditions) your stock shocks will be shot.

 

Awww...looks like it's time to save up then.

[withoutworry]

I am waiting for my D2 coilovers in the mail.. pretty excited! will post pics once installed coming sunday

[s2baru]

Anyone needing cheap tires tire rack is closing out on Hankook v12. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Ventus+V12+evo+K110&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=835YR8K110XL&tab=Sizes

[dawkins20]

So can anyone here compare the Koni inserts/shocks to the RCE Bilsteins? I need to replace my stock struts on my 2011 GT as they are wallowing even more like a pig than when new. I am looking for a minimal drop at most as this is my daily driver in pothole infested philly.

[fredrik94087]

So can anyone here compare the Koni inserts/shocks to the RCE Bilsteins? I need to replace my stock struts on my 2011 GT as they are wallowing even more like a pig than when new. I am looking for a minimal drop at most as this is my daily driver in pothole infested philly.

 

Do you have a spring in mind for your drop?

[dawkins20]

Probably the RCE blacks since they have the least drop

 

 

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[GTEASER]

I thought the RCE spring / Koni shock combo the Fredrik had on his 2.5i was very nice. The Konis would work well with anything from stock springs to the stiff H&Rs that I have because they are adjustable. I have mine turned up almost all the way to full firm.

[brandon.mol]

I'm on OEM springs and struts right now, with a WL 22mm adj bar out back on medium.

 

I'm absolutely beside myself how terrible my stock suspension has become.

 

Where I live (Edmonton), the streets are terrible. And I mean there are potholes in the spring here that can take the wheel off your car. You are literally swerving around them one, after the other, after the other. Last year I taco'd an aluminum rim (out of round, lip bent, and a wobble) and knocked my right rear out of toe by 3.5 degrees. And thats on my winter 17's going 40kph (25mph) on a city street. The tire took it like a champ but my wheel and alignment didn't.

 

Also, they don't plow residential streets here in the winter. Thats right, they JUST DON'T plow the streets in a city of a million people, and we get a fair bit of snow (though not near as much as the east coast). Lets just say I put my AWD and skidplate to good use. The upside is that I can go drifting downtown at night on snow-covered streets, which is pretty cool.

 

Sooo..here is my conundrum:

 

I want to maintain as much ground clearance as possible, so I am contemplating these spring options, and strut options:

 

Springs:

 

1. 2012 OEM springs, currently on the car

2. 2014 OEM springs, which I assume are cheap, but no idea.

3. Blacks

4. Eibacks

 

 

Struts:

 

1. Bilsteins

2. Konis + "new" donor struts

 

I like the sound of the adjustability of the Konis and they are a bit cheaper, however, I am not comfortable doing the strut change myself in the front, so I don't think it is feasible to have a shop do the strut cutting/insert swap, etc. (I would do that myself) so I would need a second donor set of struts, which would probably make that option more costly than just going with Blisteins.

 

The bilsteins seem easy, and I like easy. I asked RCE about running OEM springs and they said "lots of people do it" and are happy with it. I want significantly more dampening is all so I was wondering if anyone has experience running OEM springs with Bilsteins? I can't find an example though, which makes me uneasy and says a thing or two about how wise it is to do.

 

The other aspect is ground clearance. I don't want to lose any (or much). Now here is where it gets interesting... I've been looking at photos various people have posted, and it would appear to me that my OEM springs are sitting about the same as any photos I have seen of the Blacks. I measured top-of-tire to fender in the front, and I've got 2 inches. Not sure how that compares to other setups (with 225/45/18s).

 

I assume this is because they are sagging so badly, and therefore I may not lose any ground clearance at all with a set of Blacks? I bottom out ALL the time, but the dealer says its fine and the struts are all normal, no leaks. Not worth the fight, because even a new set of OEMs would be only slightly less terrible.

 

However I am worried about it being too stiff if I get blacks.

 

There are basically three problems I want to solve by replacing struts or struts and springs:

 

1. Get rid of the bouncy-bouncy ride, and get rid of the nose dive.

2. Keep the wheels planted on the ground while cornering. Especially the rears. Seems to me like the rear struts have absolutely no rebound dampening at all.

3. Get rid of the highway wandering, especially with a cross wind. I feel like I am going to fly off the road. Changing my wheels to 8" 42-offset and thereby adding 13 mm of +scrub from whatever OEM spec is appears to have helped this, but its certainly not gone.

 

Advice?

 

My gut feeling is to get Blacks/Bilsteins and be done with it, but I am worried about harshness on rough roads.

Edited August 14, 2014 by brandon.mol

[GTEASER]

If you go with a stiffer spring, like RCE, you are not going to bottom out as much, if ever, because the spring rate is higher. And even tho you are lower, ultimately your clearance when hitting bumps and dips will be better because of that higher spring rate. I would suggest Koni, even on full soft they are going to be 100x better than the stock shocks, and when you are out on a nice smooth mountain road in the summer, you can turn them up stiffer for pure driving joy. On full soft they will probably be close to the Bilsteins, but probably a little less harsh. I have a set of donor struts from a GT and I can "build" the fronts for you. And overall the Koni's will cost quite a bit less than the Bils. Are you going to do your own install?

 

feesh is selling RCE springs in the FS section for a steal, new they were $350. He lives near me so if you buy them I could pick them up and then if you have me build the Koni fronts for you, I could ship them all at once and that might save you some on shipping. They would be ready to put in the car because I have tophats as well.

Edited August 14, 2014 by GTEASER

[brandon.mol]

^^^ That would be FANTASTIC.

 

I would be all over that... Do you want to PM me how much you would want to put that together for me? If you are interested, I would be willing to just pay you up front for the springs, donors, konis, shipping and of course your time...

 

EDIT: To answer your question, no I wouldn't do the install. I don't have a spring compressor and I am not comfortable doing it. I'd take it to a shop. I could probably do the rears myself.

Edited August 14, 2014 by brandon.mol
additional info.

[GTEASER]

Yeah, lets PM and we'll get you taken care of. Your car will feel like a completely new beast. Just let Feesh know that I will be picking them up and/or coordinating with him. Sometimes he works very near my house.