Megan upgrade

I have about 5 years on my Megan Racing coilovers (the tall ones for the Outback). It's been 5 years of not very comfortable city driving, but they've been pretty good on the freeway.

 

I don't have the time and money to piece together a Bilstein setup so needless to say I'm looking for another coilover setup.

 

My understanding is that the BC/BR coilovers have somewhat better and larger dampers than the Megan and combined with Swift springs ride a hell of a lot better.

 

I'm getting sick of having to take speed bumps at 2MPH in an Outback

 

 

Any thoughts? Thanks.

In the scheme of things, megans, BC/BR, ISC, ksport and the like are all crappy coilovers. if you want something better, go for RCE tarmac1's or similar priced units.

 

that being said, i have a set of coilovers for sale that will put all other available for our cars to shame. - see here - http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-tri-state-ny-nnj-ast-4100-coilovers-vorshlag-camber-192432.html

I know that the BC/BR are in the same "class" as the Megans but...

 

1) Many reports show the BC/BR to be a better product

2) I can't afford to spend $3,000 on coilovers (If I was spending that sort of money I'd find a Bilstein setup for the Outback

3) The better coilover brands don't make Outback coilovers and I'm not going for the "my suspension collapsed" look.

Must you have coilovers? Its a wagon, why did you even put those on a wagon to begin with? I would just get KYB with some mild lowering springs.

What's wrong with coilovers on a wagon?

I'd recommend doing what I'm currently doing.

 

Get the BC/BR's.

Get the Swift Spring Upgrade

THEN have the BC's re-valved to match the swifts.

 

Install, enjoy.

Who can re-valve them?

some vendors on nasioc can. Contact circuit motorsports they should be able to help you

Price is good. I've sent them an email to ensure that they are in fact the longer Outback XT model. Some people like putting the Legacy coilovers onto the Outback and that won't work for me.

I'm in the same boat. Looking at getting rid of the Megan's as the one is completely seized and needs complete rebuild. Looking at going with the Koni and Espelir Active Super Down springs though instead of budget coils again. Interested in what your final decision is.

My final decision likely won't be anything you're going with as I have an Outback XT.

 

You're lucky that you have many more options than we do

I'd recommend doing what I'm currently doing.

 

Get the BC/BR's.

Get the Swift Spring Upgrade

THEN have the BC's re-valved to match the swifts.

 

Install, enjoy.

 

That is an awful lot of money to spend on a shitty coilover.

 

10/10 street cars don't need coilovers.

That is an awful lot of money to spend on a shitty coilover.

 

It's $1300. The vendor states that BC does the Swift install and valves them to match.

 

I got 5 years out of the Megans, I should be able to get the same from the BC.

 

And they might not be the best coilovers around, but until Stance and others make some decent ones for the Outback there's not much choice.

 

I don't have the same time, money or facilities at my disposal as you did to experiment with various spring and spacer combinations for a Bilstein setup.

So why not just buy a set of Bilstein HD's, pinks, and I have a spare set of spacers I'll sell you?

 

$1300 for shitty coilovers with expensive springs seems like an awful waste of money. Especially since, again, 10/10 street cars do not need coilovers.

Most people run coilovers on a street car in order to "slam" it. Since you're not really wanting to do that, it stands to reason that a spring and strut combo would be your best option.

 

I ran Megan's on my LGT for about a thousand miles before I sold the car and it was to go low. I'm running BCs on my WRX now because I want it lower than a spring and strut combo can get me without going with s-techs and a garbage spring rate. It is by no means the best option (spring rate is only somewhat matched to damping, but still better than s-techs and any strut), but I'm a hardparker and will sacrifice some performance to look awesome.

I don't see why 10/10 street cars must not run coilovers and I don't understand this hatred for coilovers. They're not much different from shocks/springs. Well they are shocks and springs, just in one smaller package.

 

Why am I better off with Bilstein HDs? Bilstein US doesn't even list them. How much fussing around do I have to do to get all the bits and pieces to work? Again, I don't have the time, space or money to monkey around with it.

Buy HD's, buy Pinks, buy Spec B front top hats, buy spacers, install. Not hard at all. Depending on your rear top hats, you MIGHT have to drill out one of the holes on the spacer.

 

As for coilovers, they are VERY different from struts/springs. It is not possible to get suitable street-friendly spring rates from a narrow OD spring and still retain sufficient travel. And despite what vendors on Nasioc might suggest, "custom valving" for expensive springs is not the "right" way to do things. Proper valving for stiff springs is not something any shop with a drill press can do. Unless they are completely redesigning the piston, which they aren't for $1300 total, you are probably just getting a set of OTS BC's with shiny grey springs that have the knobs turned to make them "custom valved".

 

Show me a coilover that can produce the ride quality of a strut/spring on a street car, and I'll show you a coilover that will cost you $3k/corner.

 

It's not hatred for coilovers. I love them, when used properly. It's just a lack of understanding why people want coilovers on cars they intend to drive every day. I did it for a while, on some of the street-friendliest coilovers you could get. And it was STILL way less comfortable than my current setup.

 

A stiff ride doesn't equal a great handling car.

What was the total cost of your final HD setup?

 

I wouldn't even know where to look for all those bits.

 

I know what the tradeoffs for coilovers are. I've had the Megans for 5 years. The BCs with swifts have got to be better.

 

I wonder if your Outback on HDs was as sure-footed in the twisties with as little body roll as mine with my Megans.

I paid substantially less than an average person would.

 

I think you can get the struts from Tire Rack for like $500, pinks from the forums or Japanparts for ~$400, the Spec-B top hats for like $150, and $280 for my spacers ($300 shipped if you want LGT wagon bump stops too).

 

Not only is my car very sure-footed, but it's extremely stable over bumpy turns as well. Considering the coilovers I had (Enduratech) were lightyears ahead of Megans, and the HD setup blows those away, I'd almost put money on it. I've got a LOT of seat-time in Subaru's and my Outback is one of the best riding and handling street-oriented setups I've ever been in. The only thing it lacks, is the steering response of a shorter wheelbase, but it makes up for it on the highway.

 

I've driven an Outback on Megans. It was horrible. Like kid-with-an-integra-and-turbodog-springs horrible.

 

BUT. If you liked the Megans, then there is no use going with a spaced out strut/spring combo. My car rides NOTHING like that Megan car. It's smooth, quiet, and firm but never harsh. If you thought the Megans were like that, then you'll probably think the HD/Pink combo is too "soft". You'll be wrong, but you'll also have been conditioned by low standards.

 

Remember. Stiff does not equal great handling. Neither does a lack of body-roll, which is a very common misconception.

Do you have a link to your build thread wtih part numbers, etc?

 

Tirerack only shows KYB struts.

 

As for "Pinks" Are we talking about STi Pinks? What kind of pinks are we talking about?

 

I'm not discounting your setup and I've never said that the coilovers would be better simply because they're stiff. I do however absolutely hate body roll and the "floaty" feel as I tend to get car sick quite easily and anything that feels disconnected from the road makes me feel ill. When I'm taking sweeping wide turns on the freeway, I need the car to be flat.

 

If someone would just sell a damn kit already. I don't have the patience or mechanical inclination to piece all this together, find the various part numbers for the washers, nuts, hats, etc...

 

Hence the appeal of the coilovers.

 

By the time I get all this into Canada I'm easily looking at $2,000 with shipping, taxes, duty, etc... not to mention a couple hundred more for installation, alignment.

 

again, hence the appeal of the coilovers. The only reason I have the Megans to begin with is because there weren't any other reasonable options 5, 6 years ago. I hate them in the city, but they're vastly better than stock suspension on the freeway. My reluctance to go with your setup is partly the complexity of the setup and the fact I haven't ridden in it to see if I like it.

Tire Rack lists the HD's under the 09 Spec B (that's where I got them, anyway).

 

Pinks are the STi pinks (JDM Wagon's, to be percise). Are there other Pink springs I'm not aware of?

 

There is a thread somewhere that I started. I kind of lost interest in updating it, though. I compiled a mod list after my accident, with part numbers. If I get some time, I'll post it.

 

What's that quote? "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten."

Spec B struts, STi springs...

 

This is why it's so confusing. By the time it's done, there are parts from 3 different cars going to make this work.

 

And why do people with Spec B's ditch the Bilsteins for other setups?

 

If I go this route and it feels even remotely floaty on the freeway curves, I'll be upset. And I get the whole "you get what you pay for" thing. Being unemployed makes spending good money on good things a little bit harder.

I'd appreciate a part number list if you have time.

 

And LGT wagon bump stops? How low was that thing? I don't want Legacy low, half way in between would be best.

Because the OE Bilsteins aren't great.

 

And it's not confusing. It's only parts for one car, the Legacy. It's not Outback specific, but they aren't foreign chassis parts.

 

If you want a shitty, stiff ride, then get the tarted up pig-in-a-dress BC's. It sounds like that's what you really want with precursors like "if it feels even remotely floaty...". You are setting yourself up to fail with anything but cheap coilovers.

I'd appreciate a part number list if you have time.

 

And LGT wagon bump stops? How low was that thing? I don't want Legacy low, half way in between would be best.

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/jpg-1.jpg

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/jpg.jpg

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/jpg-2.jpg

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/file-72.jpg

 

The rear wheel doesn't sit nearly as far forward as it appears in that last pic, it's just the camera angle.