[Team Scream]

So last night I decided to break down the WRX struts/springs I had and install the 2005 STi springs.

Using Harbor Freight spring compressors, the job took me about 45 minutes and that included cleaning and detailing everything as good as I could.

Today I decided to install the struts and see where I ended up.

I blew out all 4 corners in less than an hour, and I did install Paranoid Fabrications 3/8" butt spacers.

It looks like I am running about -2* camber up front right now hahah, but my buddy owns an alignment shop so I will swing by there in the morning and get it squared up.

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a HUGE difference in ride quality this drop made, the car actually feels like it can handle a turn now without plowing the front end around the corner.

It is a little squishy still, but I get a really good feeling that with the group-n trailing arm and lateral link bushings installed, it will firm things up rather nicely and should make for a very sporty ride. That all happens when I do the 6 speed swap here in a few weeks.

Anyway, with the 3/8 spacers and STi springs, there is no saggy butt whatsoever, in fact it looks like it rakes forward ever so slightly which is fine by me for now. Once I get all the 07 STi stuff installed, I can re evaluate the stance when I get it corner balanced, and even though I will probably NOT run coilovers, we can bias the weight using spacers, so it may very well be that the spacers are not required......time will tell.

I am really happy with this ride quality so far after about 20 miles of driving around with the STi springs on WRX struts.

I may be completely content with STi struts and stock STi springs when this is all said and done, especially with the group-n stuff installed everywhere.

I have sitting in my garage right now, a complete 2007 STi driveline, Brembos, R180, trans, knuckles, hubs, struts, front control arms, trailing arms and lateral links. I also have a 2005 STi steering rack and 2005 STi front cross member to hold the steering rack.

I pressed out all the bushings from the lat links, knuckles etc.
Pressed out the bearings from the rear hubs and all of that stuff is getting treated in one way or another. Knuckles and trailing arms are getting bead blasted and powder coated, the lateral links are getting polished and anodized. The brake calipers are in MINT condition (which is exciting to me because I love shiny gold Brembos).

I am going to run STi BBS wheels for a while, so those are getting blasted and powder coated (probably "solar black").

Anyway, sorry for the non related STi swap ramble.
The post was mainly to let everyone know how stoked I am with my temporary suspension set up.

The Foz is transformed!!!!!!!!

 

[stan_t]

Awesome, congratulations.

'07 STi drivetrain would be my dream setup. It I ever blow my transmission, that is the route I will go.

Stan

 

[meathooker]

pics!?

 

[Tuned200]

x2 for pics.

 

[repsofchrist]

Props for using Harbor Freight tools! Me too. Show us some pics.

 

[FXTSPORTS08]

This sounds like its going to be an awesome build! Post some pics of your current ride height when you get a chance because I am getting everything in order to do STI springs and struts as well.

 

[The Black Box]

It is a little squishy still, but I get a really good feeling that with the group-n trailing arm and lateral link bushings installed, it will firm things up rather nicely and should make for a very sporty ride.

These wont make much if any difference. Bigger swaybars especially the front will make the most noticeable improvement.

 

[fourortwowheels]

+1 larger front sway FTW! the bushings are a good thing to add, once you have everything else...

 

[Duderotomy]

 

[Team Scream]

+1 larger front sway FTW! the bushings are a good thing to add, once you have everything else...

I hear ya.
The bushings are all part of the big picture and are going on with all of the swap parts when that happens..

I will take a few pics for you guys tomorrow morning when it is light out.

 

[toddlamp]

Don't you know the rules? Anyone under 100 posts much post a picture or they'll get banned. Geez. noob.

But seriously, how dare you entice us and not provide pics.

 

[fourortwowheels]

I hear ya.
The bushings are all part of the big picture and are going on with all of the swap parts when that happens..

well im all about bushings! ive replaced a bunch already and couldnt be happier. some do increase NVH but thats the compromise for handling!

heres a few recommendations for ya! ive done all of these...

sti groupn tranny mount
sti groupn pitch mount
kartboy tranny crossmember bushings
kartboy rear diff outrigger bushings
kartboy botox bolts(not a bushing but helps bring 2gether the rearend)
sti groupn or whiteline front strut tops
sti groupn or superpro(2piece makes install easier) rear trailing arm bushings
whiteline steering rack bushings
whiteline alk offset bushings

i will eventually address the lateral link bushings and front trailing arm bushings

 

[Team Scream]

well im all about bushings! ive replaced a bunch already and couldnt be happier. some do increase NVH but thats the compromise for handling!

heres a few recommendations for ya! ive done all of these...

sti groupn tranny mount
sti groupn pitch mount
kartboy tranny crossmember bushings
kartboy rear diff outrigger bushings
kartboy botox bolts(not a bushing but helps bring 2gether the rearend)
sti groupn or whiteline front strut tops
sti groupn or superpro(2piece makes install easier) rear trailing arm bushings
whiteline steering rack bushings
whiteline alk offset bushings

i will eventually address the lateral link bushings and front trailing arm bushings

I have all of those, ready to be installed, Including the lateral link bushings.

 

[Team Scream]

Some pics of the drop

Ok as promised, here ya go fellas!
I think she looks fantastic so far....
Definitely getting the Sport grill and bumper very soon!

 

[neoshi]

gotta love that stance. i sit about an inch lower than that and i had to take off my mudguards

 

[Team Scream]

gotta love that stance. i sit about an inch lower than that and i had to take off my mudguards

Thanks neoshi,
I was quite pleasantly surprised with the stance when I got it finished on Sunday.
I took it down and had it aligned yesterday -1.2* camber front and rear, 0* toe front and rear and 5.3* caster on the rear (caster is fixed/non adjustable on the front).
Feels and rides better than stock, no additional harshness at all.
Handling is dramatically improved.
Still needs the steering rack for sure.
These things are extremely vague with the stock steering rack...man I cannot believe they thought the steering ratio was acceptable when they built them.

 

[neoshi]

Yeah I hear ya... I have an STI rack sitting in my garage waiting to be installed. I went back home to SF and did some twisties up in Marin and kept cursing the rack on the hairpins because I was turning close to full lock and my arms were flying due to the stupid ratio.

 

[stan_t]

Very cool. Mine looks higher in the front, wonder why..

Stan

 

[abacall]

Excellent! I had the same suspension setup for about a month. I eventually swapped out the WRX struts for the STi dampers. You will not look back.
The STi units are much better matched to the springs. Much less bobble, squat, dive, and roll. The overall ride quality also went up.
I wish I had all those parts waiting in my garage.... The STi rack (or even WRX) is on my to-do list. The stock rack's faults are that much more evident with a more aggressive suspension and wider tires.

 

[Team Scream]

Yeah I can tell this is actually really close to a solid street setup.
It could use to be a slight bit stiffer for my tastes, but like others have said a little beefier sways front and rear will calm down the roll a bit I think.
I pulled the trigger on all of the STi mounts and such that Peaty has listed on his sway bar write up, and since i have a 2005 STi rear bar sitting here, I will throw that on and see what that gets me.

On my STi I run 245/45/17's on stock BBS wheels and it is a really nice set up.
I am thinking more along the lines of 245/50/17 for the Forester...
You guys have any personal experience with 245/50's ?
I would like a little bit of sidewall compliance, and while the 245/45's are super nice, they seem to harden up after a year and things get a little bit bumpy.

Ultimately I would like to minimize body roll, have a stiff enough sidewall to not roll the tire too much, and still be just soft enough to keep road noise down as much as possible.

There has to be a happy medium in there.

What about slightly higher spring rates that do NOT drop the car (any more than running stock STI springs) using STi struts? Does such an animal exist?
If I can keep the same overall height I have now, yet run STi struts when I do the 6 speed swap, then life just might be perfect for me over here in Fozzieland !!!!

P.S.
I got off work early today so I raced home and installed my brand new TurboXS (catted) turbo back (Forester specific) exhaust....
You wanna talk about a really nice upgrade? man this thing sounds so freaking amazing right now it is off the hook!

My initial impressions of the exhaust from an installers point of view is that everything fits together nicely.
I am a little disappointed by the placement of the rear 02 sensor bung.
They put it about 6 inches farther back (towards the rear of the car) than they should have, and the orientation of the sensor is just ridiculous as it sits at 9' oclock and required me to unhook the sensor lead from the stock mounting points just so I had enough room to reconnect everything.

My other gripe is the lack of an 02 sensor bung on the downpipe.
I had to drill a hole and tig weld my own bung in place for my wideband, but other than that, fitment is outstanding.

The tip extends out a bit further than the stock muffler does which is really nice.

Give me a few and I will take a pic if needed, but I think there are enough other people that run this exhaust already....this is nothing new far as I can tell.