Group buy - Bilstein, Eibach?

I'm casting around for a enhancement solution (other than coilovers) for our OB XT's current suspension. It would seem we could encourage a manufacture to make a run of springs and/or shocks for the USDM OB XT's. Or at least get the issue on their radar. Do we start with a writing campain..? Is this something we could assemble here on the LGT site?

 

Cheers,

Mike

 

P.S., A OB XT could easily widen its market reach (this year and the next) with a "sport suspension and brake" option. SOA, put the crack pipe down!

I have two 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i wagons and I'd sure like to upgrade to Bilsteins and better sway bars.

 

I'd buy 2 sets if the parts were available.

 

Please keep me in mind, or let me know if you want someone to help on this project.

 

Paul

That's one reason I haven't picked up an OB XT yet. The Bilsteins would seal the deal.

CObb was supposed to have sway bars 1Q05, but so far nada.

I'll be in Germany in next week and will explore first hand what they have as a OB suspension. Yeah, it will slightly lower than our USDM OB XT's, but it has gotta have some decent shocks attached; TUV? well, the demands of high speed driving available on the autobahn anyway.

 

Cheers,

Mike

Mike, you know you can count me in on that option. shocks and spring upgrads for me...

 

Even though I have the coilovers, I would still want to go back to a more durable set up for some nice offroad ventures. Right now, I can still do it, but know that will blow out the coilovers...and I won't be rebuilding these.

 

So, as you find stuff out, make sure to keep me in the loop

 

cheers

jon

Jon, no worries. I'll see what can be dug up at a local Subie dealer in Wiesbaden. The fatherland's gotta have something! Subaru and Rally racing is all the rage there, so my chicken shite logic tells me there must be resources.. I'll keep ya posted.

 

Cheers,

Given the popularity of the Outback in North America, they should be able to justify it. Bilstein struts sound like just the right thing for the slightly bouncy feel of the Outback.

 

I thought the JDM 20mm rear sway bar was already the recommended sway solution. So probably just need better dampers.

Given the popularity of the Outback in North America, they should be able to justify it. Bilstein struts sound like just the right thing for the slightly bouncy feel of the Outback.

 

I thought the JDM 20mm rear sway bar was already the recommended sway solution. So probably just need better dampers.

 

 

Bilsteins HD or Sport setting have helped the ride of every car I used them on in the last 30 years!

 

My opinion is that Outbacks don't need much to make this car a great overall package!

 

Bilsteins, sway bars, bushings, brake pads and stainless lines, and better tires would really make a difference.

I am in - great idea.

I would be in for a set of Bilstein HD's too. I contacted Bilstein USA about a year ago, and they said they were not even thinking about offering it for the Outback. Hopefully things have changed or will change soon. Hard to believe there is still not one single aftermarket replacement......coil-overs don't count

Can you get a set for 05 LGT Wagon (not OB)

Reviving an old thread. Has anyone found good quality dampers for our OBXTs yet?

Does anyone know if the JDM Outbacks have firmer shocks? I recall the Legacies (or at least certain models) had Bilsteins. And they have the stiffer rear sway...

I asked AVO Turbo World to check on that for us and they never came back to me.

I've emailed a couple of times over the course of a year to Bilstein USA and nothing. Checked around with others (just recenlty 2/2006) and there continues to be ZERO aftermarket quality shocks for the OB XT application. Go figure!!

 

SOA, where are you?? I'm sure SOA has their hands full working on a world class HVAC solution.........

 

Cheers, Mike

I wouldn't get my hopes up for SoA. They're the ones that selected the tamed down skinny rear sway and the wimpier shocks, right?

 

Maybe past demographics showed that true rough road ride quality was important to Outback buyers. But the OB-XT is a totally different animal. Should have kept the JDM tuning.

 

Couldn't a coil-over manufacturer relatively easily address this request? It should be just a longer shock body than the Legacy's.

Good point. Perhaps we could do a group buy with someone like GPMoto. I wonder how many pre-orders they would need in order to make a batch of those. I would definitely go for it.

 

My ideal set of coilovers would have adjustable height that goes from stock to -2". Or maybe +.5" to -1.5", something along those lines.

i have a better idea

 

legacy bilsteins + a 2" spacer?

Can you XT guys do me a favour? I have created a thread under the site suggestions section asking the mods to create an outback only sub-forum for suspension and brakes to consolodate all the outback stuff, and if you post a +1 in there, maybe we'll get that forum.

 

+1

legacy bilsteins + a 2" spacer?

 

That's a good idea. A properly engineered spacer or adapter, to let us use any Legacy GT struts.

 

I assume overall suspension travel wouldn't be compromised--we don't actually get 2" additional stroke, do we? I think the big bump stops rule that out.

you just need the difference in ride height placed at the top of the strut.

 

 

you would also need to check the clearance at the top/back of the tire and the bottom/outside of the strut spring housing

That I think is where the problem will be since we run a considerably larger tire.

I don't think that's too much of a problem as many people have successfully installed LGT coilovers on their OBXT.

something like this, which might work

 

http://www.scorpionsubaru.com/product.htm

 

http://www.scorpionsubaru.com/photos/things_small.jpg

 

i emailed to find out if the blocks would work

I dropped our OBXT with Ksports 3". After replacing the rear bumpstops we have no clearance issues with 255/45/18s (stock diameter).