XT Springs and Shocks according to Subaru of America

I email the Subaru sport products division SPT regarding sport shock for a XT application. Below is their responce to my email.

 

Dear Mike:

Thank you for visiting the Subaru web site and for your message!

We have no immediate plans to offer a heavy-duty sport shock for any of the Subaru Outback models. The fact that the aftermarket also does not offer any upgrades may be an indication as to the low demand for this particular type of upgrade. Have you tried KYB? We do not endorse any aftermarket products but I know that they have some Subaru applications. I honestly cannot say I have heard of any other Outback owners with such a request.

If you are experiencing a concern with the original struts and you feel they have failed prematurely as a result of a defect, they are covered under your Basic 3-year/36,000-mile factory warranty. A Subaru Dealer would be in the best position to inspect, diagnose, and replace the shocks/struts if necessary.

If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to reply to this email!

Best wishes,

Samir Hasan

Subaru of America, Inc.

Customer/Dealer Services Department

 

TO WHICH I REPLIED...........

 

Dear Customer Service / Samir Hasan,

Thank you for the swift reply. "I'm the only Outback XT owner asking for enhanced shocks?" Nonsense! One read of the many web site posts from XT owners requesting to purchase products for enhanced handling characteristics and your words ring false. Read, buying CUSTOMERS...

Here's the deal. The XT model suspension height is raised just enough to classify this vehicle as truck and not a passenger car vehicle; A North American market specific. The XT's added suspension height is unique within all other Outback branded products. The only available strut/shock/spring is through Subaru - period.

It is of hope that Subaru would hear/see/get the opportunity in providing SPT sport components for the 250 HP Turbo XT Outback vehicles. The XT ownership base is waiting.. With a little attention this XT vehicle could make the shift from Good to Great. Just a thought.

 

Cheers,

Mike Schneider

Accenture - Partner

Denver office

I asked SOA if they could help me with a factory switch for running an aux light, their response was basically why would anyone want to do that, go to your dealer and if they cant help go to another...

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1427

 

Have you guys checked out this thread?

Nice. But, I do go off road. Granted, only dirt roads and passes in Colorado. Would a suspension like that handle the washboard roads as well?

My experience with washboard and ride is all dependant on speed - faster is better - skip across the top of the washboard. Our OBXT with 255/45/18s and coilovers on soft worked well recently.

 

RE: wish SOA offered options.

 

 

Nice. But, I do go off road. Granted, only dirt roads and passes in Colorado. Would a suspension like that handle the washboard roads as well?

^Ditto. Went x-c skiing up on the mountain this weekend, and on the way home the snow-packed road was all chewed up by chains. 35 mph = annoying bumps, 45 mph = smooth ride.

 

I think the rear sway is a bigger issue than the springs. SOA should already know that they nerfed our rear sways relative to the OUS Outbacks...

I want ride height and racecar handling!!!!

Air bags like a Range Rover...

Can you transplant LGT springs and struts to an OB?

could make the shift from Good to Great. Just a thought.

 

 

OMG....are you brainwashed too? Good to Great is the mantra for my company this year.....corporate speak FTW

Can you transplant LGT springs and struts to an OB?

 

no. The front spring seats impact the wheels. You can use LGT coilovers however - the smaller spring seat clears the wheels.

 

They are creating a new "Sports" market out of the OBXT model.

 

 

 

You should have told him that since they discontinued the manual wagon, more "enthusaists" than before are purchasing an XT to have that option. Therefore it would be in their best interests to consider this a real issue.

Hello,

I think that among other things people mainly buy the Outback for the ground clearance - throwing on LGT aftermarket coilovers (which lower the Legacy) would not be a very desirable option.

Amen to that. I want my same ride height with about double the spring rate and appropriate damping. In fact, I don't even care if it's adjustable damping. I just want properly matched shocks and stiffer springs...

 

Would improve the car's on-road performance, off-road performance, and would probably even help with comfort because my passengers certainly aren't comfortable when their heads are bouncing off the headliner because of the un-damped rears this car comes with...

 

Joel, very happy with his Cobb Stg 2+ soon to be StopTech BBK OXT

another owner's opinion...the only reason we bought the OBXT is that it had a 5MT and the LGT does not. A couple of other OBXT owners have expressed the same. I now love the look at the difference over the LGT. Plus it looks way cool dropped way down with LGT coilovers & bumpstops!

Hello,

 

eVoMotion - your car looks great, I agree. I'm not sure if this is the right thread to comment, but...

 

One major concern I had with the idea of switching to LGT coilovers was this: because of the chassis lift blocks on the car, to get to the same apparent ride height as an LGT, would require lowing the cross members further than they would be lowered on the LGT. This makes it likely that the control arms sink below parallel at your ride height, so that in any corner, you're gaining positive camber, which really hurts handling.

 

No doubt the better spring and damping rates make the car handle significantly better than other OXTs, but you would be at a distinct disadvantage compared to an LGT with the same suspension package.

 

Maybe it's the professional race team crew chief in me speaking, but... I'm not too keen on that idea, which is part of why I decided that despite the fact that the OXT can't crawl well, I still don't want to lower it - it will never be a performance car in a handling sort of way...

 

That said, I still think it's an awesome enthusiast car that Subaru should pay more attention to, especially since they were boneheaded about an LGT wagon for enthusiasts (ie, manual tranny).

 

Joel

... The fact that the aftermarket also does not offer any upgrades may be an indication as to the low demand for this particular type of upgrade.... I honestly cannot say I have heard of any other Outback owners with such a request.

...

Best wishes,

Samir Hasan

Subaru of America, Inc.

Customer/Dealer Services Department

 

Yep, the same quality market research which led SoA to believe Americans didn't want the WRX either. Surprise! There are enthusiasts outside of Japan.

 

Maybe they can't distinguish upgrades bought for Legacy GT's vs Outback XT's. I imagine there are lots of Accessports, swaybars, wheels, tires, etc. being upgraded. Why doesn't he hear any requests? Maybe because the responses have been so lame.

it's because the numbers don't justify it. the percentage of 5-speed manual legacy gt wagons is tiny compared to all the subarus sold in this country (i believe somewhere in the 1.5% range). how many xt owners are there that would want an aftermarket suspension? 20? 50? it's not enough for soa/spt to jump through all the hoops that they have to to do it.

Its the same old XT suspension discussion frame work, "the production numbers aren't there"

SOA's current position is that of the sole supplier for the XT's unique suspension components such as shocks. Why rock the marketing boat and encourage others to bite into this market pie. SOA's no Dummy in this regard.

 

What is the total production numbers to date for the XT model Legacy? And where could we find this actual data besides SOA? Cuz their not listening!

 

Cheers, MS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers, MS

Hi Joel - I am with you on the need to change the control arm height. I am looking at options to modify them; a lesson learned from dropping Datsun 510s long ago.

 

in relation to the thread - I 100% support SOA selling optional suspension options for our wagons.

 

 

Hello,

 

eVoMotion - your car looks great, I agree. I'm not sure if this is the right thread to comment, but...

 

One major concern I had with the idea of switching to LGT coilovers was this: because of the chassis lift blocks on the car, to get to the same apparent ride height as an LGT, would require lowing the cross members further than they would be lowered on the LGT. This makes it likely that the control arms sink below parallel at your ride height, so that in any corner, you're gaining positive camber, which really hurts handling.

 

No doubt the better spring and damping rates make the car handle significantly better than other OXTs, but you would be at a distinct disadvantage compared to an LGT with the same suspension package.

 

Maybe it's the professional race team crew chief in me speaking, but... I'm not too keen on that idea, which is part of why I decided that despite the fact that the OXT can't crawl well, I still don't want to lower it - it will never be a performance car in a handling sort of way...

 

That said, I still think it's an awesome enthusiast car that Subaru should pay more attention to, especially since they were boneheaded about an LGT wagon for enthusiasts (ie, manual tranny).

 

Joel