I need help......

[subieyacht]

Ok, so i need some feeedback. should i get some prodrive springs right now, or should i just hold out untill i can do the AGX swap? And has anyone heard anything about how the H&R springs Work with our cars? Thanks!

[Tris_STi]

First off.. what kind of legacy? What year?

Next, even though subaru suspension is cake, compared to other cars, you're gonna want to replace struts and springs at the same time, if you're planning on upgrading both.
AGXs are good, so are whitelines, although expensive and have an expedition time from AUS...
H&Rs are made for the 92-94 AWD models, and can fit the 90-91s, with modification.
If you want an all-out-never-do-it-again suspension setup, design yours right from the top mounts, all the way down. (Tip: start with GroupN tops :wink: )

[shazapple]

Im planning on getting a set of H&R springs and GR2 shocks for my car (since thats the only type of shocks available without changing other stuff). They lower the car 1.5" in the front and 1" in the back and evens it out.

[Pwise2326]

I have yet to get my suspension swap posted up, but depending on your model year, the AGX's probably aren't going to bolt up like you'd want them to, which is why I swapped my whole suspension for 02-02 WRX parts. Tris is right, doing it all at once is the easiest and best way to do it, TRUST me! I have the STI group N top mounts, the AGX's, but I managed to get a hold of some V7 STI pink springs (I was originally going to go with the Prodrives). Just remember that in the strut-top/spring/strut setup all of the parts need to be for a 02-03 WRX, meaning you'll have to go to a dealer to get a: front metal upper spring seat, front/rear rubber upper spring seats, and rear lower rubber spring seats. When you swap out your suspension parts, you'll have to steal the spacer (that goes between the upper metal spring seat and the strut top mounts in the fronts) - this is essential! and the rubber bumpstops that go on the strut pistons, as well as the plastic dust boot to keep that piston clean. The swap takes about 4 hours to do with a buddy, no air tools, and one floor jack and 1 pair of jack stands. The springs themselves are supposed to lower the rear more than the front to keep that rearward rake for better handling, and the WRX's strut pistons are slightly shorter than my '98's stockers, so this is the drop I got:

Front:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2005/05/Ryan070-1.jpg

Rear:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2005/05/Ryan069-1.jpg

overall:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2005/05/Ryan068-1.jpg

The AGX's are great, the suspension was quite stiff at first but its settled a bit, you can always adjust, right now I have the AGX's set at 2 in front and 3 in the rear (both out of 4 settings for WRX AGX's). The Prodrive springs will lower the front a little more to even it out so you don't get the STI "saggy butt" look, but your handling won't be much improved (if your really not looking for crazy performance, it isn't an issue. More to come, PM me with any questions.

Plus, everyone needs a little pink in their diet...
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2005/05/Ryan071-1.jpg

[subieyacht]

ive got the same car as pwise, and do you know if the agx'z for the gc8 fit, cuz there 8 way ajustable in the rears instead of just 4, and i think that would be nice

[Pwise2326]

They do fit, but the rear will be higher and the front will be a little higher (almost stock). The extra 4 clicks aren't going to make it stiffer, just more variation between them...but you most likely wont be able to tell the difference from a half step to a whole step, plus the GC8 springs are designed for a lighter car, the WRX weighs just about the same as our Legacy's, which is why I went with WRX stuff.

[Tris_STi]

Werd. The GC8 is quite the lighter platform in comparision to the Leggies..
WRX stuff just seems to work better, anyway, when it comes to suspension bits. It can be had cheaper, and there's more of it around --The WRX is the most popular Subaru ever (good and bad thing), which makes aftermarket parts easier to find! (again, good and bad)
Too bad the legacy rear suspension changed in 95, otherwise it'd be the same as the 1st gens, and thus, my suspension compendium over on LCO could come in handy here...

[Pwise2326]

...which is exactly why all the WRX stuff has to be a complete set in order to work on a Legacy, there is no interchangability of the parts at all, but the whole WRX unit bolts up no problems.

[belladonna]

Too bad the legacy rear suspension changed in 95, otherwise it'd be the same as the 1st gens, and thus, my suspension compendium over on LCO could come in handy here...

so if i understood you correctly, a wrx suspension swap is not possible on a 1st gen?

[Tris_STi]

I'm sorry you didn't understand me correctly, but that's nowhere near what i was getting at.

WRX swaps are not only possible, but recommended.

My comment was mainly to the point that if the Legacy's rear suspension hadn't changed in 1995, then it would still be the same as the 1st gen's rear suspension. And then, the info I have available to me (and you!) over at LegacyCentral, would/could be easily applied here. However, I'm seeing quite a few 2nd gen legacies here, so the information may not be as pertinent.

[Pwise2326]

So long story short -- first gen can mix and match WRX suspension parts as it is the same, second gen -- not interchangable, but can be bolted up as a complete unit in a BD/BG/BK.

[subieyacht]

ok ive got another question now, can i use springs designed for a legacy on the wrx struts?

[Pwise2326]

nope, you'd have to get WRX springs, which is actually beneficial to you because you have more products to choose from! I'd go for the Prodrive's, theyre cheaper than the STI's and give the car a more evenly lowered look, not the "saggy butt" look of the STI's I have. If you really want to go through with the WRX conversion, PM me and let me know cause I'll send you all the info and as many part numbers as I can find so you can get everything to make it work. With the AGX's, STI top mounts, misc WRX parts from the dealership, and the springs the whole swap cost me around 1,300, which isn't bad, a great setup for less than the cheapest (both cost and quality) coilovers.

[subieyacht]

well i hope to have the money buy end of summmer, so well see what happens, i might start peicing it togther now

[Pwise2326]

thats what I did, as I had enough to get something I picked it up, had a whole bunch of boxes hanging out in my room until I had everything I needed, thats the only way you can do it, you can't put it on piece by piece because nothing mix-and-matches. If you are smart(er than I was), you'll when you go to the dealership to get the WRX pieces you'll need, you should pick up an extra set of spacers, bump stops, and dust boots, that way you can build all the WRX units beforehand (strut tops, spring seats, springs struts, etc) and just unbolt the legacy ones, drop them out, and bolt the new WRX units in, you'll be done in no time, took me 4 hours cause a.) I didn't use any power tools, and b.) I had to take apart all the OEM legacy stuff to get those 3 things, spacer, bump stop, and dust boot, before I could assemble and put in the WRX stuff.

[gator gt]

If you are smart(er than I was), you'll when you go to the dealership to get the WRX pieces you'll need, you should pick up an extra set of spacers, bump stops, and dust boots,

or you can go to the junkyard and find good examples that way! :-D well, until you find out that the yard doesn't like people taking suspension pieces apart. They failed to mention this the first few times I brought suspension pieces through for them to charge me. Never did....so next time I went back, I went through again no problem.

third trip..."Hey, you takin' apart strut assemblies?"

"yup."

"We sell those as whole units"

"Hmm, first couple times you guys never said anything. Sorry."

"We sell those as whole units!", he repeats frustratingly.

Whatever, I got what I needed and now I know.

Moral: be wary of your junkyard's policies.....but always look out for the better 'price'.

GGT

[Tris_STi]

Subaru suspension is not only easy, it's.. ...amazingly easy, to be honest. I took my sweet time in removing a set of GR2s from my old 91 FWD, cause I was scared to get in there and do it. I thought there'd be all these bolts, and I'd have to deal with the springs, and it'd be a huge mess, and--
Nope. Completely false.

It's the easiest thing to unbolt, provided the installer didn't tq your lower hub bolt to 400+ ft/lbs, (well, something ridiculous) and it don't take long atall.

I also agree with pwise, it's alot easier, and probably smarter if you 'piece together' your suspension over time. Like many things, if you rush it, it's not gonna turn out the way you wanted. If you've taken your time, researched your setup, and got everything you need (even if the parts have to sit in your room, only being admired) it makes the entire process much more fun, and of course, FUNctional. :wink:

[subieyacht]

how did you like the gr2's. ive heard the diffrence in performance isnt worth the money