10 replies to this topic

[SUBARU]

As the title suggests, I've installed my Bilsteins. It was a relatively painless install and took me about 5 hours all up. It would've taken a lot longer if I didn't have a torque wrench! First impressions are that the car now sits quite a bit higher than it used to, approx 10-15mm. This can be fixed by getting new springs put in down the track. I will need to figure out which springs are best sutied to the Bilsteins moving forward. The car drives great, even without a wheel alignment been done yet. It feels much more stable on the road and the rear end doesn't float around anymore. The car has minimal squat and dive during acceleration and braking and corners like a demon. It's a hell of a lot smoother too, you can notice that it's a lot stiffer, but ride quality has not been compromised at all. The trade off of the extra height is far out weighed by the handling of these things! I'll be getting a wheel alignment ASAP as well as getting the front camber settings checked too. The next steps after that will be lowered springs, followed by a rear sway bar and then a front tower brace.

[Soop]

Your old suspension must have been shagged!

[B4TT]

do the front and rear swaybars before lowering it, better results

[Soop]

What make say that? Or do you mean, the sways will have a more noticable effect?

[SUBARU]

Your old suspension must have been shagged!

I think the fronts were OK, but ther rears wer a little tired.

do the front and rear swaybars before lowering it, better results

Why so?

[Matt]

Just watch because the springs designed for the B4 dont give anywhere near the same height as an RX with billies? Obviously due to the extra weight of the TT engine? King lows put my front about the same as a stock B4.....thats why it sits a fair bit higher

[SUBARU]

They are from a BH, so the back has higher springs too! Really not sure what springs to go for. Will suss it out though.

[B4TT]

I think the fronts were OK, but ther rears wer a little tired.



Why so?

Cos you might find you like the way it handles then and not want to lower it and compromise your ride comfort as lowing them does.
Lower the car too much youll loose handling and the car will become skittish and shit through the corners... stiffen it up just enough with the swaybars and leaving a little travel (roll) in the suspension and youll get a car that handles nicely... if you are still not happy with it then you should go out and perhaps lower it just slightly.
Only saying to do it this way so that the first thing you do isnt compromising the ride quality, you can do that next

[SUBARU]

Cos you might find you like the way it handles then and not want to lower it and compromise your ride comfort as lowing them does.
Lower the car too much youll loose handling and the car will become skittish and shit through the corners... stiffen it up just enough with the swaybars and leaving a little travel (roll) in the suspension and youll get a car that handles nicely... if you are still not happy with it then you should go out and perhaps lower it just slightly.
Only saying to do it this way so that the first thing you do isnt compromising the ride quality, you can do that next

Yeah fair call. Although the car kinda sits very high at the moment due to having BH5 springs... No weight from TT's in the front and no weight from a wagon at the rear is making it sit too high!
So new springs will be required. Whether I get the sways or springs first really makes no difference to me.

[B4TT]

ahhh good call no point have off-road style clearance

[Blaeven]

won't having the car on springs sprung for more weight, have the same effect as having the car lowered...? as far as reduction of body roll is concerned? he might not notice that much difference with lowered springs so long as he doesn't get ones that are too stiff