Koni Adjustable Strut Inserts with Ground-Control Coilover Conversion for BK Wagon

I have been researching suspension upgrades for my USDM 1998 Legacy GT Wagon (BK Chassis Code). The following thread is a reference for myself as much as it is for others reading this. It may or may not turn into a DIY thread as I move forward.

The car as it now sits:

USDM 1998 Legacy GT Wagon, 100% stock N/A 2.5 EJ25D, 4EAT automatic

100% stock Wagon struts and springs (probably factory original, I'll have to check the service records to be sure).

Stock front swaybar

Stock front endlinks

Stock rear swaybar

Stock rear endlinks

Stock bushings all around

JDM STi Carbon Fiber Front Upper Strut Reinforcement Bar (fits okay, but some of the underhood insulation needs to be trimmed and the windshield washer sprayer hoses need to be rerouted due to tight clearance when the hood is closed).

Factory-spec alignment (last aligned about 3 years ago?).

WRX 11.5" front brake upgrade with EBC vented dimpled sport rotors

H6 Legacy 11.5" rear brake upgrade with EBC solid dimpled sport rotors

DOT-approved stainless brakes lines

JDM BG5 GT-B 17" wheels with Michelin UHP PilotSport AS3 215/45/R17 tires (summer mode)

Stock USDM Legacy GT 16" "Snowflake" wheels with Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 studless snow tires (winter mode)

Operating climate - PNW (Portland Metro area).

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g432/camroncamera/IMG_9367_zpsbb9b89c6.jpg

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g432/camroncamera/IMG_9374_zps1510a2d6.jpg

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g432/camroncamera/IMG_9570_zps3b77ad10.jpg

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g432/camroncamera/IMG_9567_zps13fd4449.jpg

Suspension Goals:

Eliminate much of the current body roll

~1" drop for Summer Mode

Option of stock height or ~0.5" above stock ride height for Winter Mode

Lowered height must not allow the bumper to scrape on our driveway ramp. Fine tuning ride height might be necessary.

Appropriate alignments for each height setting.

"Sportier" ride for "getting the groceries" or taking the twisties in the Gorge

Must be wife-friendly (it's her daily driver)

Budget is a factor, but no cheap imported knockoff coilovers. I'd prefer to pay more for quality components and support USA manufacturing where it makes sense to do so.

Right now my favored approach is Koni adjustable strut inserts paired with a Ground-Control Coilover Conversion Kit, plus appropriate swaybar/endlink upgrades. The Ground-Control kits are made in USA, and come with genuine Eibach springs which can be ordered in just about any spring rate and length. The Koni's are a bit of a hassle to install, but are very adjustable from soft to firm. With a carefully selected combination of springs and Koni dampening, I believe I might be able to attain most of the goals listed above. Also, since the system is built from several different sources, I can obtain the components separately as budget allows.

To be continued...

Reserved post #2

The following are various useful suspension-related resources which I have found educational for this application.

Main LegacyGT.com 2nd-Gen Suspension Sticky:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/official-suspension-faq-swaybars-struts-springs-coilovers-alignment-171914.html

FAQ Legacy vs WRX Suspension swap questions from NASIOC:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=974624

Koni Insert Install Step-by-Step from NASIOC:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1219607&highlight=koni+install

Camber Bolt FAQ and Tutorial from NASIOC:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1590221

Patrick Olsen's writeups on Koni/Ground-Control Conversion on his BD Legacy from several years ago:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=439463 (Part 1)

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=486769 (Part 2)

Ground Control springs on Tokico D-spec or HP ?

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1216901

A few typical suspension discussions here on LegacyGT.com:

"Sedan vs Wagon struts":

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/sedan-vs-wagon-struts-203139.html?p=4331926

"Riddle me this? Coilover question":

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/riddle-me-thisi-coilover-question-206924.html?t=206924

"tax return is here, looking to upgrade suspension. suggestions needed":

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/tax-return-here-looking-upgrade-suspension-suggestions-needed-221143.html

"Strut & Spring package"

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/strut-spring-package-211913.html?p=4530501

Ground-Control's Website (this is for reference only and is not an endorsement):

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/category.php/CA=90

https://www.facebook.com/GroundControl

Ground-Control Camber Plate Reference Images from NASIOC:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2522941&highlight=ground+control

Koni vendor and Sponsor of LegacyGT.com:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/koni-sport-shocks-sale-179858.html

New discussion on NASIOC about Tokico D-Spec adjustable struts being out of stock everywhere, possibly discontinued. I was also considering D-Specs for my suspension build if I didn't go with the Konis:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2615627

Tokico D-Spec Installation Writeup on NASIOC:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1833239

Some general useful Legacy Wagon Suspension discussion:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1496770&highlight=koni

Spring vs. Tophat interchange discussion with images:

http://www.rs25.com/forums/f9/t182827-gd-struts-gc.html

Koni Official Installation Instructions .PDF:

http://www.koni-na.com/pdf/boltstrut.pdf

Some part numbers for reference (this section is to try to differentiate the the housings of various Subaru factory strut housings to determine which units will work best for a Koni/Ground-Control conversion). It is a ridiculously long list that will likely be trimmed once I have a fuller understanding of which struts housings have the exact same dimensions):

20313AA121 Legacy 1990-1991 STRUT RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1990-1991 LEGACY 4WD

20313AA131 Legacy 1990-1991 STRUT LEFT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1990-1991 LEGACY 4WD

20313AA281 Legacy 1990-1991 STRUT RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1990-1991 LEGACY TURBO ONLY 2WD & 4WD

20313AA291 Legacy 1990-1991 STRUT LEFT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1990-1991 LEGACY TURBO ONLY 2WD & 4WD

20313AA721 Legacy 1990-1991 STRUT RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1990-1991 LEGACY 2WD (NON-TURBO)(NON ABS)

20313AA731 Legacy 1990-1991 STRUT LEFT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1990-1991 LEGACY 2WD (NON-TURBO)(NON ABS)

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Legacy/1990/name/0

20361AA401 Legacy 1990-1991 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1990-1991 LEGACY 4WD ALL (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20361AA411 Legacy 1990-1991 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1990-1991 LEGACY 4WD ALL (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20361AA701 Legacy 1990-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1990-1994 LEGACY 2WD ALL (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20361AA711 Legacy 1990-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1990-1994 LEGACY 2WD (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20650AA101 Legacy 1990-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1990-1994 LEGACY (AIR SUSPENSION TYPE) for LS EQUIPPED WITH AIR SUSPENSION ONLY

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Legacy/1990/name/0

20314AA001 Legacy 1992-1994 STRUT RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1992-1994 LEGACY (NON-TURBO) 2WD & 4WD

20314AA201 Legacy 1992-1994 STRUT RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1992-1994 LEGACY 4WD TURBO ONLY

20314AA211 Legacy 1992-1994 STRUT LEFT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1992-1994 LEGACY 4WD TURBO ONLY

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Legacy/1992/name/0

20361AA401 Legacy 1992-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1992-1994 LEGACY 4WD TURBO ONLY (non air-suspension)

20361AA411 Legacy 1992-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1992-1994 LEGACY 4WD TURBO ONLY (non air-suspension)

20361AA701 Legacy 1990-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1990-1994 LEGACY 2WD ALL (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20361AA711 Legacy 1990-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1990-1994 LEGACY 2WD (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20362AA121 Legacy 1992-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1992-1994 LEGACY 4WD ALL (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20362AA131 Legacy 1992-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1992-1994 LEGACY 4WD ALL (non-turbo, non air-suspension)

20650AA101 Legacy 1990-1994 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1990-1994 LEGACY (AIR SUSPENSION TYPE) for LS EQUIPPED WITH AIR SUSPENSION ONLY

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Legacy/1992/name/0

20311AC020 Legacy 1995-1998 STRUT RIGHT passengers side FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1995-1998 LEGACY ALL

20311AC030 Legacy 1995-1998 STRUT LEFT drivers side FRONT drivers side ASSEMBLY for 1995-1998 LEGACY ALL

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Legacy/1995/name/0

20363AC000 Legacy 1995-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1995-1999 LEGACY 4WD Sedan & Wagon

20363AC010 Legacy 1995-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1995-1999 LEGACY 4WD Sedan & Wagon

20363AC600 Legacy 1995-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1995-1999 LEGACY 2WD Sedans

20363AC610 Legacy 1995-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR, for 1995-1999 2WD SEDANS

20363AC700 Legacy 1995-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1995-1999 LEGACY 2WD Wagons

20363AC710 Legacy 1995-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1995-1999 LEGACY 2WD Wagons

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Legacy/1995/name/0

20311AC120 Legacy 1999-1999 STRUT RIGHT passengers side FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1999 LEGACY ALL, NOT GT

20311AC130 Legacy 1999-1999 STRUT LEFT FRONT drivers side ASSEMBLY for 1999 LEGACY ALL, NOT GT

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Legacy/1999/name/0

20311AC200 Outback 1996-1998 STRUT RIGHT passengers side FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1996-1998 LEGACY OUTBACK & SUS

20311AC210 Outback 1996-1998 STRUT LEFT FRONT drivers side ASSEMBLY for 1996-1998 LEGACY OUTBACK & SUS

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Outback/1996/name/0

20363AC201 Outback 1996-1996 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1996-1996 Legacy Outback

20363AC211 Outback 1996-1996 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1996-1996 Legacy Outback

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Outback/1996/name/0

20311AC220 Outback 1999-1999 STRUT RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY for 1999 LEGACY OUTBACK & SUS

20311AC230 Outback 1999-1999 STRUT LEFT FRONT drivers side ASSEMBLY for 1999 LEGACY OUTBACK & SUS

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Outback/1999/name/0

20363AC221 Outback 1997-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1997-1999 Legacy OUTBACK ALL (and SUS Sedans)

20363AC231 Outback 1997-1999 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1997-1999 Legacy OUTBACK ALL (and SUS Sedans)

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Outback/1999/name/0

20310FA600 Impreza 1997-1997 STRUT RIGHT FRONT passengers side for 1997 IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT WGN & RS MODELS ONLY

20310FA610 Impreza 1997-1997 STRUT LEFT FRONT drivers side for 1997 IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT WGN & RS MODELS ONLY

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Impreza/1997/name/0

20360FA021 Impreza 1993-1996 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 1993-1996 IMPREZA 2WD CARS (base, L or LE models) ONLY

20360FA031 Impreza 1993-1996 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 1993-1996 IMPREZA 2WD CARS (base, L or LE models) ONLY

20360FA082 Impreza 1993-2001 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT passengers SIDE REAR for 1993-2001 IMPREZA 4WD CARS ONLY (L, LE, LX, LS, BRIGHTON & BASE MODELS)

20360FA092 Impreza 1993-2001 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT drivers SIDE REAR for 1993-2001 IMPREZA 4WD CARS ONLY (L, LE, LX, LS, BRIGHTON & BASE MODELS)

20371FA001 Impreza 1993-2001 HELPER for REAR SHOCK LEFT or RIGHT SIDE for 1993-2001 IMPREZA 4WD CARS (L, LE, LX, LS, BRIGHTON & BASE MODELS)

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Impreza/1993/name/0

20311FA220 Impreza 1998-2001 STRUT RIGHT FRONT passengers side for 1998-2001 IMPREZA ALL (EXCEPT RS & OUTBACK SPORT WGN)

20311FA230 Impreza 1998-2001 STRUT LEFT FRONT drivers side for 1998-2001 IMPREZA ALL (EXCEPT RS & OUTBACK SPORT WGNS)

20311FA860 Impreza 1998-2001 STRUT RIGHT FRONT for 1998-2001 IMPREZA all RS & OUTBACK SPORT WAGONS

20311FA870 Impreza 1998-2001 STRUT LEFT FRONT drivers side for 1998-2001 IMPREZA all RS & OUTBACK SPORT WAGONS 1998-2001

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Impreza/2001/name/0

20360FA242 Impreza 1996-2001 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR passengers side for 1996-2001 IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT

20360FA252 Impreza 1996-2001 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR drivers side for 1996-2001 IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Impreza/2001/name/0

20310FE040* Impreza 2002-2003 STRUT RIGHT passengers side FRONT for 2002-2003 IMPREZA WAGONS ALL

20310FE050 Impreza 2002-2003 STRUT LEFT drivers side FRONT for 2002-2003 IMPREZA WAGON ALL

20310FE140* Impreza 2002-2003 STRUT RIGHT passengers side FRONT for 2002-2003 IMPREZA SEDANS ALL

20310FE150* Impreza 2002-2003 STRUT LEFT drivers side FRONT for 2002-2003 IMPREZA SEDANS ALL

*I find it curious that the Front struts for "All" 2002-2003 Impreza Sedans are listed under same part number. I expected WRX Sedan, with the wider track, to be separate from base model Impreza for the same year, and the base Impreza sedan to share struts with Impreza wagon.

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Front/Subaru-Impreza/2002/name/0

20360FE040 Impreza 2002-2002 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2002 IMPREZA WAGONS ALL

20360FE050 Impreza 2002-2002 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2002 IMPREZA WAGONS ALL

20360FE140 Impreza 2002-2002 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2002 IMPREZA SEDANS ALL

20360FE150 Impreza 2002-2002 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2002 IMPREZA SEDANS ALL

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Impreza/2002/name/0

20360FE040 Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA WAGONS (EXCEPT TS, OUTBACK SPORT & WRX)

20360FE050 Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA WAGONS (EXCEPT TS, OUTBACK SPORT & WRX)

20360FE140 Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA SEDANS ALL (EXCEPT RS & WRX)

20360FE150 Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2002 IMPREZA SEDANS ALL (EXCEPT RS & WRX)

20360FE5209L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA TS & OUTBACK SPORT WAGONS ONLY

20360FE5309L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA TS & OUTBACK SPORT WAGONS ONLY

20360FE5409L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA WRX WAGONS ONLY

20360FE5509L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA WRX WAGONS ONLY

20360FE6209L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA RS SEDAN ONLY

20360FE6309L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA RS SEDAN ONLY

20360FE6409L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY RIGHT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA WRX SEDAN ONLY

20360FE6509L Impreza 2003-2003 SHOCK ASSEMBLY LEFT REAR for 2003 IMPREZA WRX SEDAN ONLY

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/c/SUSPENSION-WHEEL/SUSPENSION-WHEEL-Struts-Rear-/Subaru-Impreza/2003/name/0

http://www.koni-na.com/cat_search_form.cfm

Koni '95-'99 Legacy-specific inserts - Front: 8610-1318 Sport-Yellow (as used by Patrick Olsen, 2004)

Koni '95-'99 Legacy-specific inserts - Rear: 8610-1317 Sport-Yellow (as used by Patrick Olsen, 2004)

Koni '99-'01, '02-'03 Impreza-specific inserts - Front: 8610-1351 Sport-Yellow (Subaru 99-01 Impreza 2.5 RS AWD / Subaru 02-03 Impreza, 2.5 RS AWD & WRX)

Koni '99-'01, '02-'03 Impreza-specific inserts - Rear: 8610-1352 Sport-Yellow (Subaru 99-01 Impreza 2.5 RS AWD / Subaru 02-03 Impreza, 2.5 RS AWD & WRX)

Koni '04-'07 Impreza-specific inserts - Front: 8610-1351 Sport-Yellow (Subaru '04-'07 Impreza & WRX Sedan & Wagon excl STi)

Koni '04-'07 Impreza-specific inserts - Rear: 8610-1440 Sport-Yellow (Subaru '04-'07 Impreza & WRX Sedan & Wagon excl STi)

Koni Impreza-specific inserts - Full set of 4 (I think? Says "Complete Kit 1140 3561 Available early 2014"), front and rear: 1140 Sport Kit (Subaru 02-03 Impreza & WRX Sedan & Wagon excl STi).

"Each KONI 1140 suspension kit contains a complete car-set of KONI high performance dampers and precisely tuned H&R Sport Springs."

https://www.koni.us/pdf/KONI_H&R_PR.pdf

From a recent MR2 Forum post about the 1140 kits: http://www.mr2oc.com/showthread.php?t=504810 "Well that was disappointing. The tech at koni said that the kit is composed of the strut inserts and your standard off the shelf H&R sport lowering springs. Back to the drawing board for me."

Reserved Post #3

The following is from http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4331926&postcount=7 and has been trimmed:

I am setting ALL of the details straight, here and now....

 

Subaru Legacy rear suspension info:

 

1) All 95-99 L and GT models BOTH sedan and wagon, use the same rear struts.

 

2) ONLY 95 Outback models use the same struts as the 96 to 99 L and GT models.

 

3) All 96-99 Outback models use a TALLER strut than ANY other 95-99 Legacy.

 

4) All 95-99 sedans have a rear spring rate of 132 lbs/in.

 

5) All 95-99 wagons have a rear spring rate of 190 lbs/in.

 

6) ALL 95-99 GT and L models have one height of spring.

 

7) ALL 96099 Outback models have a taller spring than any other 95-99 Legacy.

 

8) ALL aftermarket OE replacement struts made are model specific.

 

9) They make a rear strut for the 95-99 L and GT models.

 

10) They make a rear strut specifically for the 96-99 Outback models.

 

 

Subaru Impreza WRX rear suspension info:

 

1) There are MANY differences in the WRX rear struts between sedan and wagon.

 

2) ALL 5MT sedans have a rear spring rate of 119 lbs/in.

 

3) ALL 4EAT sedans have a rear spring rate of 132 lbs/in.

 

4 ALL 5MT wagons have a rear spring rate of 132 lbs/in.

 

5) ALL 4EAT wagons have a rear spring rate of 144 lbs/in.

 

6) ALL 02/03 WRX have rear springs with a lower diameter of 150 mm.

 

7) ALL 04-07 WRX have rear springs with a lower diameter of 150 mm.

 

8) So, 02/03 springs have to be paired with 02/03 struts.

 

9) 04-07 springs have to be paired with 04-07 struts.

 

10) The BIGGEST difference sedan and wagon is the camber between the struts.... Sedans have more camber and sedans have less.

 

SO, WRX WAGON struts are CLOSER in design to the second gen Legacy struts than WRX sedan struts are... Anyone who says pair WRX sedan to Legacy sedan and WRX wagon to Legacy wagon is a complete MORON. ALWAYS try and pair WRX wagon struts to ALL second gen Legacy's. Just make sure that you keep the years paired between spring and strut. 04-07 WRX wagon struts are the best. They are closest in camber and have the highest spring rate of all the WRX models.

The following is from http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4426113&postcount=14 and has been trimmed.

You have a wagon. I had a wagon. It was a 98 GT 5MT. Is yours a GT? What trans? The wagons weight distribution is 53/47 for a MT. Almost perfectly even. Wet, 1696 lbs up front and 1504 lbs in the rear. An auto is 54/47, which is close.

 

The Ultimo's max rating is 505/315 lbs/in Which is about 9/5.5 kg

 

Your stock wagon spring rates are 132/190 lbs per inch. Stock sedan spring rates are 132/132 lbs/in. Why? There is up to around 200 extra pounds over the rear tires because of the extra wagon body/sheet metal. The extra 58 lbs/in keeps the rear from sagging.

 

Now, this is where I get to the bit about sagging....

 

The ONLY reason a Legacy will sag is when the spring rate is too low and/or the spring is shorter. Both are the case when someone installs a set from a WRX into a Legacy, with the wagon being affected the most for obvious reasons, and is usually what most people swap onto their cars.

 

If you go with height adjustable coils, even with a wagon, you shouldn't have a need for spacers. If you do, a 1/4" spacers should be just fine.

 

As far as an alignment, definitely get some camber bolts. And remember, the lower you go with the height... The bouncier the ride is.

 

[...]

Question: Is the *front* spring rate for a 1998 Legacy GT Wagon with 4EAT also the same as all other trim levels of BK Wagons at 132lb/in? So far this is the only reference to stock front springs rates that I have found for my car. I am surprised to see that the front is a significantly softer rate than the rear (at 190lb/in for rear Wagon springs).

EDIT: Corroborating info can also be found here, so it is probably valid: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=31606279&postcount=288

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/JoKerNZ/springspecs.jpg

 

 

In the above chart, it shows that the stock spring rates for a BD Legacy are: Front: 132 lbs/in

Rear: 132 lbs/in

 

The 02/03 WRX rates are:

Front: 163 lbs/in

Rear: 119 lbs/in (manual) or 132 lbs/in (automatic)

 

My question is what does this do to the handling? Going from 132/132 to 163/119 sounds like some major understeer is going to happen.

Yes, front spring rates of all 2nd Gen Legacy's is 132 lb/in as far as anyone knows.

As far as the rear springs of the Legacy wagon, they are stiffer than the sedan springs because there is more weight in the back as well the possibility added weight by putting stuff in the hatch. Wagons have a weight distribution more towards center than the sedans, so increasing the front spring rate was not "necessary" as it actually comes out to be more balanced and more willing to rotate in a turn than the sedan is.

To answer the question in the quote:

The 31 lb/in rate difference between 2G Legacy and 163 lb/in WRX springs, and losing 13 lbs/in in the rear, isn't going to make as much of a difference as you think. Tendency to understeer wouldn't be increased very much at all if I'm honest.

This is quoted from the first post from the NASIOC "FAQ Legacy vs WRX Suspension swap questions":

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=974624

Specs:

Ground Clearance:

Legacy = 6.1 (both sedan/wagon)

Legacy Outback = 7.3 (SUS+wagon)

 

GT springs are 25% stiffer than L model springs.

Outback/SUS springs are taller/stiffer than L/GT springs.

Is there any basis for the claim of GT springs being 25% stiffer than L Model springs? Or that Outback springs are stiffer still?

There's a 50/50 chance that the L springs may be different than the GT springs.

Why?

They have different part numbers.

Why could they be the same?

I've seen parts for different models of cars that have different part numbers yet are still the EXACT same item. So, there is probably no real way to confirm spring rates.

The only thing that can be confirmed between the two Chassis' is the away bar thickness.

There's a 50/50 chance that the L springs may be different than the GT springs.

 

Why?

 

They have different part numbers.

 

Why could they be the same?

 

I've seen parts for different models of cars that have different part numbers yet are still the EXACT same item. So, there is probably no real way to confirm spring rates.

 

The only thing that can be confirmed between the two Chassis' is the away bar thickness.

Thanks Kenny. I am about halfway through the 15 pages of that FAQ, maybe someone will shed more light on that as I read through it.

 

10) The BIGGEST difference sedan and wagon is the camber between the struts.... Sedans have more camber and sedans have less.

 

SO, WRX WAGON struts are CLOSER in design to the second gen Legacy struts than WRX sedan struts are... Anyone who says pair WRX sedan to Legacy sedan and WRX wagon to Legacy wagon is a complete MORON. ALWAYS try and pair WRX wagon struts to ALL second gen Legacy's. Just make sure that you keep the years paired between spring and strut. 04-07 WRX wagon struts are the best. They are closest in camber and have the highest spring rate of all the WRX models.

 

^^^OK This is finally lodged in my brain lol.

 

Okay, so the PHYSICAL MOUNTING DIFFERENCE between WRX sedan struts and WRX wagon struts is something to do with the mounting ears at the bottom of the struts, right? Does this mean that the SEDAN factory strut mounting ears are longer (to account for the wider track of the sedan), or that the ears are the same length but the bolt mounting holes are spaced closer to the edge than those on the wagon's factory strut? Or does it just depend on the manufacturer which approach they take? I think my Google-fu has helped me:

from http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/309670-post62.html

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f63/jimmybikerider/WRX%20tech/comparison.jpg

Okay then. What about Non-WRX Impreza sedans? Do they have the same narrow track as a the WRX Wagon? I'm thinking the WRX Sedan had the flared fenders, allowing for the wider track of this sport model, while a base Impreza sedan would have the same track as the Wagon, whether the Wagon is WRX, OBS, RS, etc. (depending on model year).

Normally one wouldn't care to use base Impreza struts, since there is no upgrade in doing so. However, when doing Koni inserts, the strut is being gutted anyway for the use of its housing. Does this expand the strut housing donation pool for Legacy drivers that want to go with Koni inserts?

Yes, non-WRX Impreza's have the same track as the WRX wagon.

I would believe that using non-WRX Impreza struts for use with Koni inserts is definitely something that can be done, as I believe that Koni does sell an insert for the Impreza that is the same across the board except for the STi, which has inverted mono tube struts.

Yes, non-WRX Impreza's have the same track as the WRX wagon.

 

I would believe that using non-WRX Impreza struts for use with Koni inserts is definitely something that can be done, as I believe that Koni does sell an insert for the Impreza that is the same across the board except for the STi, which has inverted mono tube struts.

That is great news, It will help my search for donor struts. Not much coming up on local CL at this time though.

EDIT: Here are the *body* width specs for the various 2004 Impreza trim levels according to http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza2004.html and http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/wrxsti2004.html:

Impreza RS Sedan: 68.5"

Impreza TS Sport Wagon: 66.7"

Impreza Outback Sport Wagon: 67.3"

Impreza WRX Sedan: 68.5"

Impreza WRX Sport Wagon: 66.7"

Impreza WRX STi Sedan 68.5"

EDIT #2: Here are the *track* width specs for the various 2004 Impreza WRX trim levels according to http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/wrxsti2004.html:

Impreza WRX Sedan: 58.5 Front / 58.3 Rear

Impreza WRX Sport Wagon: 57.7 Front / 57.3 Rear

Impreza WRX STi Sedan: 58.7 Front / 58.5 Rear

(Still researching track width specs for RS, TS, and OBS)

EDIT #3: From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_Impreza_%28second_generation%29:

Subaru (Impreza - Second Generation): [Compared to the first-generation Impreza,] Body dimensions for the sedan increased by 45 millimetres (1.8 in) in length, 40 millimetres (1.6 in) in width, and 25 millimetres (1.0 in) in height; wheelbase increased by 5 millimetres (0.2 in). To satisfy Japanese vehicle size tax regulations, the width of the hatchback increased by just 5 millimetres (0.2 in) to 1,695 millimetres (66.7 in) and therefore remaining in the limit "5" classification. As Subaru had intended to homologate the sedan chassis for rallying, the decision to increase the width of the sedan—which placed it into the higher taxed number "3" division—brought added stability. Likewise, the 20-millimetre (0.8 in) increase in track for the sedan also worked the aid handling, with the hatchback gaining just 5 millimetres (0.2 in).

From http://www.cars101.com/subaru_legacy_archive98_99.html

1999 Legacy GT sedan and wagon specifications - Curb weight: (app) 3100--3200+ depending on options

From http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/riddle-me-thisi-coilover-question-206924.html?p=4426113#post4426113

I had a wagon. It was a 98 GT 5MT. [...] What trans? The wagons weight distribution is 53/47 for a MT. Almost perfectly even. Wet, 1696 lbs up front and 1504 lbs in the rear. An auto is 54/47, which is close.

 

Your stock wagon spring rates are 132/190 lbs per inch. Stock sedan spring rates are 132/132 lbs/in. Why? There is up to around 200 extra pounds over the rear tires because of the extra wagon body/sheet metal. The extra 58 lbs/in keeps the rear from sagging.

Again I am borrowing Kenny's helpful post above from another thread. Just to be clear, he is addressing another member but the info applies to me as well. So, as is well-established in this thread, I have a mostly stock USDM 1998 Legacy GT Wagon with 4EAT. The only difference in weight as it sits now might come from the non-factory WRX/H6 brake upgrades (which adds a few pounds of unsprung weight) and 17" JDM alloys (which subtracts a few pounds back). When the JDM front bumper is finally installed, the front end of the car might lose 20 pounds or so of sprung weight due to the lightweight JDM bumper beam (total JDM bumper+beam+fogs is 33.4 lbs, I don't know how much the USDM bumper setup weighs). In Winter Mode, the stock 16" Snowflake wheels will bring the unsprung weight back up a few pounds again. I'll probably put the USDM bumper + beam back on for Winter Mode as well, so the front will gain back 20 or so pounds of sprung weight.

So, taking into account the factors above (overall, the weights haven't really changed that much), my total vehicle weight (sprung+unsprung) is maybe 3200 lbs wet for Summer Mode and 3250 lbs wet for Winter Mode. (At 6.1 lbs/gal with a 15.9 gallon fuel tank, there is a greater change in weight just by whether the gas tank is full (~97lbs) or empty; plus add 300 lbs for a driver and one passenger).

----------------------------------------------------

Anyway, here are a few real-world weight breakdowns for my 3200 lb. (fueled) 4EAT GT Wagon:

Summer Mode, low fuel, no passengers, unloaded (-75lbs) = ~3125 lbs Total

54/46 weight distribution = ~1688 lbs Front Axle (~844 lbs per front wheel) / ~1437 lbs Rear Axle (~719 lbs per rear wheel)

Summer Mode, fully fueled plus two small adults (+300 lbs) = ~3500 lbs Total

54/46 weight distribution = ~1890 lbs Front Axle (~945 lbs per front wheel) / ~1610 lbs Rear Axle (~805 lbs per rear wheel)

Summer Mode, fully fueled plus 4 adults and gear/luggage (+700 lbs) = 3900 lbs Total

~52/48 weight distribution = ~2028 lbs Front Axle (~1014 lbs per front wheel) / ~1872 lbs Rear Axle (~936 lbs per rear wheel)

Winter Mode, fully fueled plus two small adults (+350 lbs) = ~3550 lbs Total

54/46 weight distribution = ~1917 lbs Front Axle (~959 lbs per front wheel) / 1633 lbs Rear Axle (~817 lbs per rear wheel)

----------------------------------------------------

The per-wheel values above are calculated from the total vehicle weight on the ground, not sprung weight. In other words, the weight of the tires, wheels, brakes, hubs, knuckles, and portions of the axles, steering and suspension, etc. is included in the values above, even though they are not suspended by (or not *completely* suspended by) the springs.

Is the *sprung* weight of an unloaded stock 1998 Legacy GT Wagon with 4EAT a known value? And is the sprung weight distribution about the same at 54/46 (depending on load) as the full vehicle weight?

It probably seems a little silly to calculate everything to the last pound for a daily driver that will likely never see the track. But, if I have the luxury of selecting Eibach coilover springs by length (in 1" increments) and by rate (in 25lb/in increments), I think sprung weight values would be important to know in order to choose appropriate springs for my goals stated in post #1 above.

you should go to a public sump site and weigh it out on their scale.. soooo preciseish

I have done this with all of my cars, but it was a public dump haha

Anyways...

My bone stock 1998 Legacy GT 5MT wagon weight 3200 dead with a full tank of gas. This is how I got F/R weight distribution based off of Subaru's advertised weight distribution specs.

I have done this with all of my cars, but it was a public dump haha

 

Anyways...

 

My bone stock 1998 Legacy GT 5MT wagon weight 3200 dead with a full tank of gas. This is how I got F/R weight distribution based off of Subaru's advertised weight distribution specs.

Thanks Kenny - if you weighed in at 3200 lbs with 5MT, maybe I should add 100 lbs across the board for my weight calculations due to the 4EAT.

I doubt it 100 lbs more. I'd say more like 50 lbs at the least, though.

My 1999 Outback Limited 4EAT only weight 3,300 lbs!!

Here's a tip. When driving up an approach don't go straight drive up it on an angle. This works with my Supra.

Yes, thanks for the suggestion, that is pretty much how we do it on a daily basis anyway. The photo where the car was straight-on is mostly for illustrative purposes, but does show the worst-case scenario. I think I can get lowered the amount that I'd like without scraping the bumper.

For the last couple weeks it seems like I've been searching forums, reading all the suspension threads I can find. I've learned a lot, but its so much to take in that sometimes I still end up with a swiss-cheese concept in my head (lots of information, but a fair amount of holes lol). If you learn and follow the swap guidelines, it's pretty straightforward if you are doing a straight swap, but when doing the Koni inserts with Ground-Control coils like I am planning, things get a bit more complicated.

I have read Patrick Olsen's writeups thoroughly, and my takeaway is that Legacy-specific Koni's in a Legacy strut housing = too short bump travel. From http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5465887&postcount=2:

What's even worse, though, and the reason I said the fronts can't stay as they are now is this (with the car on the ground):

http://www.submariner.org/thepno95/Pictures/Subaru/Suspension%20stuff/Koni%20GC%20install/front%20-%20Koni%20weighted%20-%20small.JPG

 

In case you're not sure what you're looking at, that's the bump stop sitting about 3/4" above the top of the strut, and that's with the car not lowered as much as I want it to be. That's also immediately after install, so the car hadn't been driven and the springs hadn't had a chance to settle yet. Now that I've driven 10mi or so and looked again the clearance is even less. Not good, not good at all. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gifhttp://forums.nasioc.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif I imagine the Noltec C/C plates are at least partly to blame, as I've read in the Suspension Forum that guys have found they add about 1/2-3/4" of ride height. Even taking that into account, though, I wouldn't have enough clearance to make me comfortable. I could also trim off some of the bump stop - I could probably gain about an inch there. I actually thought of doing that when I first put the bump stops on, but they were such a PITA to get on there that I didn't want to pull them back off again, cut them, and then try to work them back over the strut shaft. I guess in the short term that's what I'll do, and then I'll have to see about possibly using some WRX or Impreza struts instead of the Legacy ones. That's gonna take some research.

 

Pat Olsen

'97 Legacy 2.5GT sedan

If lowered, it just gets worse. Cutting the bump stops shorter helps add some bump travel, but not a lot. I think I learned that WRX-specific Koni's in a WRX Wagon strut housing gains a little bit more bump travel as well, must be the strut housing and the Koni insert are both slightly shorter. There is an add-on accesory called D-REX extenders that allows the Koni insert to sit deeper in the strut housing for an additional 1/2" bump travel.

The above quote was from Patrick Olsen's earliest Koni installation, and he later explains that he had to eventually switch to a custom shortened Koni and housing setup.

With the Ground-Control sleeves, the stock lower spring perch determines the mounting height of the coilover sleeves. The lower the sleeve, the longer the spring one may choose, giving more spring rate/spring length/ride height choices.

EDIT: I believe the Koni bump travel issue is really a front-strut issue, not a rear strut issue.

What I would like to know is if older GC8 struts (~2000 Impreza RS2.5) would make better donor strut housings for Koni inserts than GD WRX Wagon strut housings. I think that it is a shorter strut, and I think that the lower mounting ears are Legacy compatable. Or, maybe the strut is the same length as a GD Impreza, but the lower spring perch is lower on the strut body. I don't know yet. I also don't know if the GC8 strut housing body is the same diameter as GD struts, bit I suspect they are all the same.

I've found a couple different Subaru strut comparison photos through Google like this http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/118004-the-unofficial-how-to-lift-your-impreza-thread/:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/Kostamojen/Impreza%20Suspension%20Lift/suspensioncomparo.jpg

or this:

http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh586/BEMphotos/FrontStruts.png

but it would be really helpful to find a thread with pictures of all Impreza, WRX, STi, Legacy 1, Legacy 2, Outback, and Forester struts all together in a sort of suspect lineup for comparison. The Supension stickies, while full of great info, don't have a lot of photos, and people keep asking the same question over and over because they can't always visualize the components they are reading about ("will 'X' strut work with 'Y' spring and 'Z' tophat on 'BC/BJ/BF/BD/BG/BK/BE/BH/BT/GC/GD/GG' car?"). lol

Much too complicated for my taste.. It doesn't seem to be worth the hassle.

Mostly it's complicated to me because I don't have any of these struts or coils laying around to examine and compare. I think it will all go together without too much trouble once I find the correct recipe of suspension components, thanks to the knowledge already shared by suspension folk such as you, Kenny, and also to those Legacy drivers that have pioneered these setups and kindly written about their experiences. Figuring out that recipe is kind of a fun mental exercise for me, and I hope I can also add my writeup to the knowledge base in the coming weeks as well.

 

EDIT: I believe the Koni bump travel issue is really a front-strut issue, not a rear strut issue.

 

What I would like to know is if older GC8 struts (~2000 Impreza RS2.5) would make better donor strut housings for Koni inserts than GD WRX Wagon strut housings. I think that it is a shorter strut, and I think that the lower mounting ears are Legacy compatable. Or, maybe the strut is the same length as a GD Impreza, but the lower spring perch is lower on the strut body. I don't know yet. I also don't know if the GC8 strut housing body is the same diameter as GD struts, bit I suspect they are all the same.

 

From the main Legacy Suspension Sticky:http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3506716&postcount=2

I've heard wagon and sedan rear struts are different, won't you get 'ass sag' with sedan struts in a wagon?

[snip]

GC/GF (first gen. Impreza) stuff also works in Gen 2 Legacy's, but GC/GF Impreza rear shocks and springs are

shorter

, and so you get the 'ass sag', regardless if it's from a wagon or a sedan.

I knew I read somewhere that Gen1 Impreza had shorter struts. This description talks about the rears only, so I don't know about the front struts being any different than Legacy struts for sure yet.