Front H&R springs not seating properly...

[amgarrety]

I need help ASAP, as I'm in the middle of lowering my car on H&Rs and have just run into a problem. My rears installed fine, but I'm now on the front struts am noticing a problem seating the springs. The bottom of the springs seat fine into the strut, but the top of the spring tapers and doesn't seat well into the top hat (the stock springs don't taper).

Has anyone encountered this? How did you deal with it? I need to fix it before a snow storm rolls in tonight.

[heli-mech]

Do you have the PN's from the springs? Never seen a tapered front spring on any model Subaru before?

[amgarrety]

No, the Subaru springs aren't tapered, the H&Rs are. And that's the problem.

I've talked to some others and have heard this problem exists for others using H&R springs with OEM top hats.

[Huffer]

I believe you have to use Impreza top hats with H&R springs for the BE/BH...sansMYSTI had a thread about this when he lowered his BH GT wagon.

[amgarrety]

It is interesting that I hadn't heard of this problem prior to swapping the springs, considering how many people use H&R springs to lower their cars. I ended up calling MRLancaster to make sure I wasn't the only one with this problem, and I apparently it happens to everyone.

I ended up reusing the BE top hats, but to eliminate metal on metal rubbing, we cut up a bike intertube and used spray adhesive to adhere it to the bottom of the top hat. I'll look into Impreza top hats to see if that will fix it for sure. From the sound of it, my method will hold up fine, but I'd still rather do it right.

[Huffer]

Interesting! Maybe you can do a DIY for the front struts? I wonder how much "error" there is.

[ecoflame]

From everything I've learned about H&R's you need '04 Impreza top hats P/N 20323FA000 for a correct installation. There have been people who have managed to use the stock top hats however not many.
I'm currently awaiting my top hats, once I receive them I'll document the whole install.

[amgarrety]

Good to know, I'll watch your installation and make a determination from there. I think I'll be fine though. I'm just trying to avoid pulling my suspension apart again.

[rougeben83]

the HR springs were patterned after the EDM spring size, which is like the JDM variant; you need the impreza spring perches (the metal plates) to make this work as these springs dont taper like the USDM ones at the top.

This has been a known issue with these springs for a while now. Its not a deal breaker, but you do need to buy the plates to make them work.