general coilover details..

[STIll inspired]

so i am planning to drop the legacy a little bit here soon. i have a 2000 legacy gt and she is a project going into motion.

i want an aggressive stance to grip the road but not looking to destroy my undercarriage or rub all day long... to put it simple i want to keep it clean. i don't want to have to run any camber i want my tires to last hahaha and i don't believe it is necessary for a daily driver. i may be getting a six speed drivetrain swap in about a year or so and this is one area i question.

i know that most Subaru's are pretty interchangeable with parts but for me to run coils on sti suspension components i don't believe that i will be able to run the same coils, post swap, assuming that i do get coils now which i believe would have different mounting locations/patterns/ or what ever you would want to describe them as. (sorry for my broken writing and weak descriptions) anyway i would like to get decent coils and that is the bottom line. i want the option to adjust dampers too.

i understand that adjustable dampening comes at a price and i am okay with that. i plan on going autocrossing but i want to be able to handle my towns roads day to day without killing my back. so my question for you is what brand would you recommend and what are their features. what in your opinion would fit the bill? also with my assumptions of the interchange ability am i correct or incorrect. thanks. i would like to get a multitude of information on this topic since it will be a major modification and i want good result.

as of now i have looked into D2, ISC, and a few others thus far. D2 prices are my tops for the most part. looking for whatever help you can provide thanks

[mycargoesvroom]

If you get an 04 STI trans you should be fine.

Coils are pretty harsh for daily driving so if you want something comfortable/adjustable I'd look into Tokico D-Spec struts and what ever spring gives you the drop/performance you're looking for.

[STIll inspired]

i can handle a little bit of punishment from day to day. i just want to get coils knowing that no spring strut combo can compare to coils. and as for adjustability i just like the idea of being able to stiffen them up on track outings or spirited drives.

[Huffer]

You're being far too general about "coils". The coilover segment is extremely specific, spring rates, rebound adjustment and not to mention rebuilds, and pillowball mounts.

I will tell you this - the correct spring and HD Bilstein strut combo will romp allover a poorly chosen coilover setup all day, every day, on and off a track.

[STIll inspired]

thanks but i don't believe i am being too general. i just would like to know what people hae experienced with their setups and what they would suggest for what ever reason. are billstein struts adjustable?

[Huffer]

^^ not being too general? What kind of spring rate are you looking for? How many damper & rebound settings do you want? Do you know what shock tuning is?

[mycargoesvroom]

You're being VERY general.

Since you're considering buying cheap ass ebay coilovers thinking they could even come close to comparing to a good strut/spring combo I would save your money and take your time doing the research.

[Huffer]

Ok, let me break it down for you here:


so i am planning to drop the legacy a little bit here soon.

BE specific springs will drop the car a little - maybe 50mm max. Coilovers will drop it a lot more, but the MINIMUM drop will start around 40mm.

i want an aggressive stance to grip the road but not looking to destroy my undercarriage or rub all day long... to put it simple i want to keep it clean. i don't want to have to run any camber i want my tires to last hahaha and i don't believe it is necessary for a daily driver. i may be getting a six speed drivetrain swap in about a year or so and this is one area i question.

1. Grip does NOT equal coilovers. Grip = good tires, good alignment with SOME negative camber and a lower center of gravity. Everything is a compromise. Negative camber isn't a problem if you take care of your alignment and rotate your tires.
2. Plenty of people have aggressive stances without coilovers.
3. A six-speed tranny has nothing to do with grip.


i know that most Subaru's are pretty interchangeable with parts but for me to run coils on sti suspension components i don't believe that i will be able to run the same coils, post swap, assuming that i do get coils now which i believe would have different mounting locations/patterns/ or what ever you would want to describe them as. (sorry for my broken writing and weak descriptions) anyway i would like to get decent coils and that is the bottom line. i want the option to adjust dampers too.

Your car has a multi-link suspension for the rear. The only Subaru's that run a multi-link suspension are 2005+ Legacy, and 08+STi/WRX.
There is very limited information on whether or not those suspensions bolt in to the BE platform.

"Decent coils" - what are these? How well suited are they to your conditions and expected driving environments? Adjustable dampers will need a rebuild after every competitive season of autox - and frankly, the beefy BE platform isn't a competitive chassis.


i understand that adjustable dampening comes at a price and i am okay with that. i plan on going autocrossing but i want to be able to handle my towns roads day to day without killing my back.

Are your roads flat? Pot holed? Gravel?
Choosing an adjustable damper is a good idea, but without the right spring rate you're basically sleeping on a concrete mattress with a rubber frame.


i can handle a little bit of punishment from day to day. i just want to get coils knowing that no spring strut combo can compare to coils. and as for adjustability i just like the idea of being able to stiffen them up on track outings or spirited drives.

If all you want is to adjust the dampening, then maybe you should look at using Koni inserts in your stock struts. Did you research those?


are billstein struts adjustable?

Research much? Bilsteins are not adjustable, but they are rebuildable and revalveable.

[prodriver1]

I am of the opinion that strut/springs have far more grip than coilovers ON THE STREET, the build up to the limit is much more progressive on the strut/springs

[mycargoesvroom]

Well said Huffer.

[STIll inspired]

i asked what people would recommend for my intentions. which would be some autocross track days, day to day driving, and the occasional back road blast. i did not want to get into spring rates and detailed information directly because you can look at numbers all day and they won't tell me how the actual product performs and that is why i ask what some may recommend.

i apologize my formatting was off. i know coilovers don't equal grip but they will help keep my car planted. i don't want an agressive stance that is going to cause harm to my car i was just describing what i was aiming for. i don't want to rub and scrape all day wheel gap is fine, but i don't want lots of it. 3-4 inches of drop is what i am looking at.

as for the six speed that is a future mod as i plan on building my car. i was getting too the point of how my entire suspension most likely would be changed (which i was not sure about before hand now i am and thanks) after swapping a six speed in. hence why i am not going all out on $2000 or more coilovers that indefinitely will be better suited and engineered. i know there are better products out there i just need something to do the trick for a while till i change things up a bit.


thanks for the other information as for researching no i have not done a lot of research due to the fact i recently made this decision and turned to some fellow subaru enthusiasts for help. i am trying to help a friend out by giving him my struts since one of his snapped and he needs them as soon as possible. i would have loved to taken my time to research; i just thought i could turn to you guys for help without getting bashed like i may have on other sites i guess i was wrong.

if it pleases a moderator enough to close this thread be my guest. i just was looking for some help.

[Huffer]

To give you help, you need to be more clear.

Have you even looked at what 3-4inches of drop does to your static camber and how youd combat that with your desire to have no camber at all?

No-ones bashing anything except your clear lack of research. You cant make a decision to get part A and then ask us to help you choose one without clear guidelines.

If you want us to pick a coilover system for you, give us the brand, model number and ill flip the coin for you.