2004 gt suspension

[RobE30]

I apologize if this has been covered before. From some of the reading I've done it seems like 2004 was the "best year" for BH suspension. Is there a difference in spring rates, shock valving or? Id like to tighten up my 02 GT wagon but don't really want to lower it (I already have a lowered BMW E30) so I'm trying to gather up the stiffest OE bits that there are.

I was planning on getting a hitch to use my bike rack (so I can put kayaks or whatever on the roof) but I'm worried that it will be too much weight for the OE suspension, ie slam the rear. Any suggestions guys?

[Huffer]

"best" year? Hah... it's the same from 2000 to 2004.

Are you sure you want to stiffen the suspension if you're planning on hitting some mountain trails?

Your OEM gear is fine for kayaks, bikes. Those things don't weigh 500lbs.

[RobE30]

The only reason I thought 04 was the "best" is because I saw some guys w 05 up OBs fitting their cars with the 04 stuff. I recently did a trip to Cleveland with my inlaws and all their stuff in the back. The car sat really low in the back and made it handle a little squirrelly up front.

As far as hitting trails, they would be hit gently. I don't plan on offloading this car too much. Originally I was going to swap in OB suspension but Ive come to realize this is a fun car and I should just improve what I have.

[Huffer]

05's are a different gen - slightly different design but rumor has it you can retrofit 05+ into 00+. Never actually seen it done. Interesting that 05's are going the other way. Doesn't really make sense as the Legacy was manufactured consistently from 05+ as well.

I digress - if you max out the load carrying capacity of most vehicles - they will sit lower regardless of the kind of suspension you're using. If you plan on doing that kind of weight & load often, you might as well change your vehicle to one that is better suited for hauling loads of gear.

Using a trailer helps to distribute the load more evenly - at the expense of fuel economy.

In terms of upgrading your suspension - Bilstein makes some heavy duty replacements for the rear shocks, pair that with your existing GT springs and you'll be good to go. The GT's have a 15% firmer spring rate than the standard Legacy L.

[RobE30]

Thanks for the info on spring rates. I think I'm going to just install new shocks and see where that gets me then go from there.

There is so much I have to do to this car I feel like I have ADD! The damn exhaust fell off today so I know what tomorrow holds! I'll post about that elsewhere