Wagon Suspension What are you running?

I am looking to upgrade my 06 LGT wagon's suspension & need some feed back of what's out there for our wagons. I am really looking for something that is made for the wagons that will be the best for street performance, I have no plans to track the car. I am currently running tein h-techs on stock struts, I love the height but I live in a bumpy area so I am either going back to stock or buy a coil-over suspension. All suggestions are welcome.

<---not on the new-to-me suspension.

 

Running RevA SpecB Bilsteins and springs off a JDM wagon.

 

As far as ride quality goes, I do get a touch of the Honda cut spring bounce on almost-smooth pavement that has very slight dips in it. Handles actual bumps far better than stock from the I perspective. Much more planted after hitting bigger bumps, and less harshness on the sharp small stuff that would crash right on through to the body.

 

http://www.stinkyteapot.com/kayakwagon.JPG

USDM SpecB Bilstein - wangan wagon springs with 1/4" spacers in the rear to keep wheel gap even.

HDs & pinks here. get some HDs and front mounts from a spec B and you'll be lovin life. the stock shocks suck with ANY springs.

Have had GPMoto coilovers and just put on Zeals. I think people are overly afraid of coilovers. If you get the right ones, adjust the dampening right, and have reasonable spring rates (you can buy different springs for your coilovers...I own a few), they can do fine and are very adjustable (height, camber, etc.). Since I take my car to the track sometimes too, coilovers are great.

 

I live where there are very bad roads and I do fine. Great thing is you can easily change height, camber, dampening, etc. If you can, drive some members cars with some coilovers.

KW2s...

 

They are the softest thing you will ride on other than Koni's or Bilsteins w/ stock springs. But, they have much higher spring rates, so they handle very well...

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e194/PhilTGT/122_2253.jpg

 

Swifts with stock struts. Firm but still a decent ride.

STi Pink springs with Koni adjustable shocks. Excellent ride , car's flat in corners. I'm very happy with this combination.

http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w360/G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2/8_17_08-Entirecar.jpg

I have KW's V.2 Coil overs. Great ride and handling. Some people say it feels BMW firm not harsh at all even with my 19x7.5 w 225/35/19. The KW's are set at a 1/4" below the max height that is stated in the instruction.

 

Whiteline adj. F&R sways set on soft. With the coil-overs didn't have to set them on hard to get great roll control.

 

Superpro poly LCA bushings. Really firms up the steering. Removes the wandering on the highway, when you hit ruts or grooves that you get with the soft stock bushing. It also reduces the correction you have to do in

 

Cusco F&R lower control arm brace. It make my wagon feel stiffer.

Last I got the AVO rear sway bar brace. It seems to make the rear react better since it has a stiffer mount.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/172407.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/112332.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u156/itsmebryan/112326.jpg

Cobb F&R sways, BC/BR Coil overs on 17" BBS rims w/ 225 45 GY F1GS/D3's. Corners perfectly flat and generates unreal cornering G's but ride can be harsh on Mass. back roads. If you go this route I would suggest that you get custom springs from BC/BR half way between stock spring rates and the standard BC/BR rates.

 

The BC/BR springs do eliminate rear squat thou!

Bilstein Spec B w/Swift wagons and JDM top hats at all four corners. AVO: Rear 20mm RSB and rear HD mounts and endlinks front/rear. 4boxparts rear adjustable link.

 

In-house but not installed yet: AVO LCA bushings, Whiteline roll-center kit. Looking for best price on Cusco front and rear braces, and the Spec B aluminum bits.

 

Adding the Bilstein and Swift springs, has all but eliminated the squat and dive compared to the stock. Takeoff, even with a load in the back, is very flat. Cornering is uber-flat and steering is ultra neutral compared to stock

I'm running JDM Tein GT Wagon Coilovers (6kg/mm F/R) w/EDFC. Whiteline sways F/R. Prett good ride, very predictable. Can tone down the dampening from the cockpit, works well on uneven back roads when I'm not pushing it too hard.

 

I was running Swifts on factory struts, but that was just WAY too harsh. I do want to get corner balanced by a professional. I can use a ruler just fine, but it would be nice to have the height and spring rates set up by someone who knew what they were doing(and has scales!)

I'm running Tein CS (comfort Spec) coilovers and love them!!!

 

Ride is smooth and you would swear it's not coilovers.

 

Also running JDM rear sway, STi front strut bar, A-Spec rear strut bar, Cusco lower f/r braces, Cusco lower rear power bar, and waiting to install the Whiteline FSB. If I'm forgetting something it is on my sig below.

I'm running GT Bilsteins, with wagon MT pinks in the front and SpecB wagon springs in the back.

 

After being with the set up for a few months now, I think the car needs a little more rear bar. (now stock, like front). I am waiting to re-evaluate the balance issue once I get some normal sporty tires on, rather than the STi 'cut slicks'.

 

(Pic taken on a recent camping trip, not really a 'car picture')

I'm running Bilstein HDs w/ STi wagon pinks in front and JDM LGT wagon springs in rear. I'm running a stock FSB and a JDM 20 mm hollow RSB w/ the AVO reinforcement brackets.

KW's V2 stock top hats keeps noise WAY down. (love em), Cobb FR and RR sways, Cusco control arm braces FR and RR, Cusco FR and RR strut tower bars, PIAA 18x7.5 225/40-18 Kuhmo SPT (soft tire), Rota 18x8 235/40-18 GY F1 GS-D3 (summer set), Stock 05 rims 17x7.5 215/45-17 GY (snow)

 

I think overall you should strongly consider the KW V2's...just an amazing ride, and superior handling. You wont regret it.

 

Just my 2 cents. let us know what you decide.

Looking for best price on Cusco front and rear braces

 

Subietonic,

 

you've seen this Egh?

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92379

 

Plus KOP should certainly work something better for you.

Subietonic,

 

you've seen this Egh?

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92379

 

Plus KOP should certainly work something better for you.

 

Yeah - I was going to PM DW and see what kind of a deal he could work for me. I had seen both sets for $155/each someplace but lost the link while I was traveling the past two weeks. Will check in with KOP too.

Thanks!

STi Pink springs with Koni adjustable shocks. Excellent ride , car's flat in corners. I'm very happy with this combination.

http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w360/G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2/8_17_08-Entirecar.jpg

 

What size wheel and tire are you running? How much do the sti pink springs lower the car?

Any thoughts on, experience with the Tein Basic coilover? I've seen some good reviews. Once you consider replacing the dampers (which are pretty whimpy) and the springs, the cost of coilovers is not so bad. It seems to me that putting better springs on (like the sti pinks) with out replacing the dampers is only a partial solution. I started thinking about just replacing the dampers, but found that to be pretty expensive anyway. So that's why I'm thinking coilovers.

What size wheel and tire are you running? How much do the sti pink springs lower the car?

 

225/45ZR/17 Bridgestone RE-01R tires on Rota Tarmac II 17" rims. I'd say the drop is about 1 inch maybe slightly more in the front due to the USDM top hats. Here's a couple of close ups. I'll try and take a few more pics with a ruler for reference.

 

http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w360/G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2/Front_height.jpg

 

http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w360/G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2/Rear_height.jpg

When I was running the Swifts on stock struts, it would bottom out very easily. The Swifts dropped it alot more then their literature stated, and you lost alot of the travel in the strut because of it. Stay stock until you can afford both struts and springs(or coilovers), otherwise you'll do it twice like I did.

Running JDM Spec B Bilsteins with JDM SpecB springs.

Any advice for an older leg? I want to get the STi GT-B springs for my car (30mm drop, way higher spring rate) but I'm not sure what shocks to get for them.

Non-wagon here...I've only read a few reviews of people running Cobb springs on stock struts, but I haven't heard anyone report bottoming out (as long as they trimmed their bump stops as it says in the installation instructions) and mostly I've heard good things...

 

but it's surprising how FEW people are running Cobb springs, given Cobb's overall reputation and the relative cost of the springs.

 

Joe