Help me build a budget suspension!

[DaveSTi]

Originally Posted by sisforsurfing

DaveSTI, quite a post. I'm impressed.

Are you not gung ho about Koni's because you don't think the work involved is worth it compared to other available solutions, that there are better options for the STi, or otherwise?

Thanks man, took awhile to write that out, haha.

If Koni put in the time to make a fixed perch option for the STi, I'd recommend it. Since they won't put in the time, why should I? It's a bunch of hacking, measuring, and test fitting. I wouldn't really push someone in that direction unless they felt comfortable with the work involved. Koni makes a great damper compared to the stock struts, KYB, and Tokico...its just work. The other option is to buy the GC housings and put the Konis in there...that's the route I'd go if I was focused on running Konis on my car.

My perspective with fixed perch options is that you pay a lot for a little. The little being bump travel. The strut location on the Impreza doesn't have a lot of room for conventional struts to have enough bump travel for the majority of roads around here. The stock STi suspension rides on the bumpstops with stock springs!

Ohlins FPS have yet to be torn into to find out what kind of travel they have or the bump stop they use, but the physical dimensions that a strut is able to provide on this car inherently limit the amount of bump travel possible. Prodrive's RB320 kit moved the spring seat location to try to coax more bump travel out of it, but even there we're not talking inches. It's kind of sad, really, but the only real way to maximize bump travel on the Impreza is to go with coilovers set at a decent ride height.

For a street car, travel is king. That's why I tend to push people to coilovers on this car. Like I said before, the stock suspension is already riding on the factory bumpstops. A lowering spring does nothing to help this. With that said, the fixed perch definitely have their place in the market. The Ohlins do a great job with what they can work with, never need to be rebuilt, are dead silent, and have enough adjustment range to handle any lowering spring out there. Simplicity is key with that setup, you can set it and forget it, which is definitely perfect for some people. Plus, they're pretty comfortable (most definitely have a softer progressive bumpstop than the stock struts).

[DaveSTi]

Originally Posted by CHAOS

what are you planning on doing with the car? did i miss it in this thread?

"I am looking for a better setup so that I can have more daily fun, sit a little lower, and compete better in auto-x."


X-Brace FTMFW!

[Vypurr]

Originally Posted by CHAOS

what are you planning on doing with the car? did i miss it in this thread?

I got a new job and am gonna have extra money sitting around, so I want a more fun DD. The car really does have enough power for me now, and making it handle better would be more fun on the roads around school (think great mountain roads).

I like to Auto-X, but I am thrown into SM because of my reflash, so if I could have some suspension to help pull me around, it would be nice to compete.

Essentially this is all for a DD though.

[DaveSTi]

Originally Posted by Vypurr

I got a new job and am gonna have extra money sitting around, so I want a more fun DD. The car really does have enough power for me now, and making it handle better would be more fun on the roads around school (think great mountain roads).

I like to Auto-X, but I am thrown into SM because of my reflash, so if I could have some suspension to help pull me around, it would be nice to compete.

Essentially this is all for a DD though.

You know what might be the best route to go for you then? RCE Tarmac Zeroes.

[CHAOS]

number one mod for being competitive... the driver mod.





but yea... will if we ever end up at the same meet ill take you for a ride or you can drive my car... itll give you an idea.

[Vypurr]

Thanks Jon. Hopefully I will be around at some point this summer to take you up on that! But for now I am stuck in CT

[CHAOS]

lol i totally forgot about that.

[Vypurr]

Where can I look into the RCE Sways? Their site makes no mention of them. Also, would you recommend I get aftermarket endlinks? If so, which would you go with? They all seem the same to me. lol

[TROLL]

another thing to consider is to do one mod at a time so you can experience first hand the difference it makes and allow yourself to adjust to it... thats really ideal, but i dont know if thats something you want to wait on.

[Vypurr]

Yeah. I don't have the ability to install parts at my new job so I was going to aquire parts over time. I am not sure if I will be able to space it all out though. First up will be the sway bars and probably an X-Brace if I can find one for sale (apparently they are really in demand). Then I will hit the coilovers, and follow it with an alignment. From there I will probably wait until I can get a larget turbo before doing more suspension.

[JnJAssociates]

Originally Posted by Vypurr

I got a new job and am gonna have extra money sitting around, so I want a more fun DD. The car really does have enough power for me now, and making it handle better would be more fun on the roads around school (think great mountain roads).

I like to Auto-X, but I am thrown into SM because of my reflash, so if I could have some suspension to help pull me around, it would be nice to compete.

Essentially this is all for a DD though.

If you are running with SCCA, then a reflash is allowed in SP classes...

[Honest_Bob]

Originally Posted by JnJAssociates

If you are running with SCCA, then a reflash is allowed in SP classes...

He's probably running more boost with that reflash. I think thats the catch.

[DaveSTi]

Originally Posted by Vypurr

Yeah. I don't have the ability to install parts at my new job so I was going to aquire parts over time. I am not sure if I will be able to space it all out though. First up will be the sway bars and probably an X-Brace if I can find one for sale (apparently they are really in demand). Then I will hit the coilovers, and follow it with an alignment. From there I will probably wait until I can get a larget turbo before doing more suspension.

Perfect, sounds like a plan to me

You can buy the RCE sways by PMing or calling RaceComp Engineering. They're on the iwsti.com forum and nasioc.

I recommend Kartboy endlinks.

before you throw anything at the car, definitely try an alignment first.