Official Suspension FAQ - Swaybars - Struts/Springs - Coilovers - Alignment

Nope, keep the WRX unit together as they came. They'll install as is. Make sure the LH WRX assembly goes on the passenger side of the Legacy and vice versa.

 

Just be careful with the clearances. Make sure the perch won't rub the tire when installed.

i am in love with this thread i could read it all day:wub:

The raceland coilovers will fit my subaru legacy outback?

sry to keep bugging you kenny, but you are saying subaru legacy 1998 kyb excel g struts wont work with 02 wrx springs? but if they i do i still need impreza front top hats? Edited May 7, 2013 by gergeek

No worries

 

Well, he has (from how it sounds) struts/springs/strut mounts (top hats) from an 07 WRX. Now, I believe he was asking me if he needed to use Legacy top hats instead of the WRX top hats. I was saying he didn't need to do that, and it actually wouldn't work. Legacy top hats won't fit on top of WRX springs.

 

He also could have been asking if he needed to "switch the top hats" as in, switch sides from left to right and right to left. That's why I said just keep the WRX assemblies as they came and switch the whole unit over to the left side.

 

That's what I was saying.

 

As far as what you just asked, lower spring diameters front/rear only have a 2mm/7mm difference, respectively. The WRX springs are the wider of the two models. Fronts should fit on the Legacy perches no problem. I do not know about the rears. If you have the two, or can find a way to physically compare the two together, do that. 7mm can be a large difference.

 

BUT, you probably wouldn't want to go with WRX rear springs anyway... Why? Because they have a much lower spring rate than the Legacy WAGON of yours. You have 200 lb/inch springs in the rear. WRX's are between 119 and 144. That's a huge difference... And is why people with Legacy wagons and sedans (especially wagons because of the increased weight in the rear and the weight distribution at almost 50/50) need to use 3/8" spacers to keep the rear from sagging. Honestly, that is terrible for performance. You are ruing the balance of the suspension and are killing the performance in the strut (it is more compressed at it's median than it should be).

 

After owning a wagon, I'd only make sure that I have brand new OEM/KYB struts front and rear, with sway bar upgrades. Nothing too stiff, just something to keep body roll at a minimum.

 

Why?

 

The suspension balance front to rear is already perfect (especially with a 5MT) and the car is so easy to rotate around every turn out there. It just needs to be a bit stiffer so it has higher limits. 17" BBS STi rims and some 215/45R17 Dunlop Direzza's or Toyo Proxes would yeild huge gains, along with Whiteline f/r adjustable sway bars (22mm/20mm respectively), and some stronger endlinks. If you really want to add to the performance add 04 OEM STi struts, with an OEM front spring and a King Spring OEM HEIGHT increased spring rate spring. The OEM rear STi spring is only 194 lb/in and will disrupt the balance that stock setup has.

 

That ^^ is my ultimate suspension setup for a 2nd Gen Legacy wagon. It's a bit different that where everyone else goes, but I think it would be the perfect balanced setup.

right now i have tribeca bar on the front with whiteline links....and an adjustable ralitek bar kit in the rear.....

 

..i have the sedan......the struts i have, need to be replaced (my car bounces) so i bought legacy bd KYB struts, and they are waiting to be installed...

 

i purchase 02 wrx springs with 5,000 miles on them for $55 shipped, and figure i would upgrade the springs at the same time i upgraded my struts...just trying to figure out what i need to make it work

Edited May 7, 2013 by gergeek

Well, first, make sure that the front springs fit on the front struts (I wouldn't use the back springs at all. There is no point). Then get the strut mounts from the dealer. You'll need ones from an Impreza. Just order OE 02 WRX stuffs from the dealer or a used setup from someone on NASIOC. The latter will be much much cheaper.

 

The third picture down in the following link will give you a really good look at how it's assembled

 

http://www.i-club.com/forums/socal-classifieds-103/socal-gauging-interest-wrx-wagon-suspension-101185/

Feeling quite dense after reading all this suspension info between these models.lol...I will soon be pulling out whats left of my hair from the last thread I read on this subject..

 

I want to know that I can go to an 02-03 wrx sedan that is being parted out as we speak to grab all struts springs and swaybars take them to my legacy which is ready for these parts and slap them in there. I don't care how much lower it will be I just want the spring rates and less body roll...

Feeling quite dense after reading all this suspension info between these models.lol...I will soon be pulling out whats left of my hair from the last thread I read on this subject..

 

I want to know that I can go to an 02-03 wrx sedan that is being parted out as we speak to grab all struts springs and swaybars take them to my legacy which is ready for these parts and slap them in there. I don't care how much lower it will be I just want the spring rates and less body roll...

 

Try having this stuff, and then much much more, floating around in your head all day long lol.

 

The sway bars won't fit. Front is different between turbo and NA models. The rear is a different shape and the impreza's doesn't account for the bulge of the Legacy's spare tire well. The front one is the exact same size anyway. The rear on a sedan is 20mm and the rear on a wagon is 17mm. If you want a sway bar, invest in a 20mm or a 22mm adjustable sway from Whiteline.

 

You can, however, take the struts/springs/top hats. Make sure you get the entire assembly from top to bottom. They will be a direct bolt in.

 

Spend the extra money on it's seat instead of the sway bars. They'll hold you better when the body rolls lol. The WRX struts and springs won't dramatically take away any body roll. They'll be less, but don't expect a huge difference. Left/Right reaction/direction changes will be a bit more a immediate. And your center of gravity will be reduced however much it drops.

 

Are these coming off a wagon or sedan? Is it a 4EAT or 5MT?

The struts are coming a off an 03 sedan 5 speed...going on a legacy sedan 4eat.

The front spring rate is 163 lbs/in and the rear is 119 lbs/in

 

The rears are 13 lbs/in less than the stockers. But the tradeoff is the dampening rate of the WRX strut. So, it shouldn't be too bad. You may end up wanting to put a 1/4" spacer in the rear.

see thread #288

 

 

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=31270661

 

 

Information about suspension upgrades too:

 

http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3033

Edited May 11, 2013 by gergeek

Hey I just got coil overs for my 1997 legacy gt and they sent me tge wrong parts two are right and two arent. All four should be the same right so I looked up pics of 02 wrx suspension and it looked like all four are the same but when I looked for coilovers for 02 wrx I think raceland showed the picture of tge two different types. Am I confused? I dont know how to explain to dealer to get tge correct part

wat.?

Zues, do you know if the steering rack from a 99' OB wag is the same as the rack on a 99' GT sedan?

Zues, do you know if the steering rack from a 99' OB wag is the same as the rack on a 99' GT sedan?

 

'tis not

 

On Second Gen Legacy's all NON-Outback models have the same steering rack. And ALL Outback's have the same, separate rack.

 

The Legacy's rack is 3.2 turns lock to lock with a ratio of 16.5:1

 

The Outback's rack has a lighter weight and is 3.4 turns lock to lock with a ratio of 19:1

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/rack-and-pinion-207376p4.html

Kenny wouldn't that make the OB's steering rack a better rack? Being lighter and a ratio of 19:1

Lighter, as in easier to turn. There's less weight, or resistance to input. Personally, it's nice to have light steering in parking lots and such... But, I'd rather have a heavier steering (but not too the point of some BMW steering weights, it's just stupid...) more of the time.

 

It's all about preference. The Outback is easier to maneuver off road with the lighter rack and doesn't take as much effort to turn all the time.

Do you think that 99' OB steering rack can drop in a 99LGT with no problems?

And yes BMW's steering is beyond heavy. I used to drive my client's X5 and that was an arm

Workout every time.

Edited May 18, 2013 by TexasLegacy2.5GT

The OB rack will be a direct swap with no issues.

 

And yeah, I dove an 07 335i 6MT a few months ago. I hated it. Such garbage in so many ways...

^^^this! German cars are almost over engineered to the point that when they start to go you just don't want to be owning it anymore at that time. #nightmare

 

And Btw thank you for all of your help Kenny. You rock!

Edited May 18, 2013 by TexasLegacy2.5GT

Well... As far as German car go, I really wouldn't mind owning one of the last couple of versions of the E-Class or CLK Mercedes Benz. I actually quite like those cars.

 

As far as the BMW, my problem was just with the way the car drove. It was a "hero car" to the point that it wasn't very fun to drive. The harder I drove it, the more and more I just kept slowing down and not actually wanting to drive it fast... It felt very numb. The whole feel of the car, that is.. The suspension was numb, the shifter was numb, the throttle was numb, the brakes were numb, and the steering was so heavy that there was no feedback whatsoever.... Oh, and the turbo lag was inexcusably terrible. And get this.... There is a retarded BUTTON beyond the "full throttle" position of the gas peddle to actually have the computer tell the throttle body to go full throttle.

 

There is seriously not one good reason to buy any newer BMW.

 

I'll take a BRZ thank you very very much..

 

 

And no problem buddy, that's what I'm here for

There is a retarded BUTTON beyond the "full throttle" position of the gas peddle to actually have the computer tell the throttle body to go full throttle.

 

whaaa?!

Yes. I do not kid.