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View Full Version : WRX Suspension in BD 95 sedan: Installed



deadlydave
08-10-2006, 01:44 AM
Products: 02 WRX KYB GR2 struts, Stock 03 WRX springs, Stock 04 WRX STi front spring perches. Leftover dust boots from old struts.

I have had a boatload of trouble finding an accurate answer on what non-legacy struts/springs i could have put in my legacy. I took a chance, and used the setup listed above. I only helped install them, they were done by an experienced suspension installer, with air tools. Not only is it foolish to not use air tools, but there is no way in hell the suspension would have even come off without them.

Good: Rear 2003 WRX sedan Springs and 2002 WRX struts, when put together, will fit the rear of a 95 legacy sedan, with the stock strut top/spring perch assembly, witout any modification.
Good: Fronts Will Fit too, but the upper spring seat/perch thinger MUST be from the 01-04 wrx or STi.
Good: Car no longer handles like a burrito, but it is actually higher than it was with the shot stock suspension with 142,000 miles. I'm indifferent, but it's food for thought.

Bad: Needed to know about the front spring perches....before attempting install. (I lucked out and the installer had his from his STi. If anyone knows where I can get 04-05 STi front spring upper spring perches, PM me.)
Bad: Rust. It sucks.

Ugly: We discovered that I've been driving with a BROKEN front Driver's side spring for...god knows how long.
Ugly: Rear strut top/spring perch assembly on passenger side was almost totally broken. It was rusted, cracked, and bent to holy hell, I will be replacing in the next 1-2 weeks. Car is still drivable.

My advice: replace the rear strut top assemblies. I cannot emphasize enough, use air tools. Don't rush. Make sure you thoroughly wash in your wheel wells during the winter. WD-40 is your friend.

Pics coming soon, i promise :smile:

Edit: I knew that upper spring perches would probably be needed for the front, but actually knowing what an upper spring perch was and where to get one would have helped lol. All turned out ok in the end.

no1subarufan
08-10-2006, 11:50 AM
Sounds great!! About how much did the whole install cost you?

no1subarufan
08-10-2006, 12:39 PM
Just bought these springs. Looking for struts now. Paid 60 dollars total.

ryankenn
08-10-2006, 01:35 PM
I guess others could then just buy lowering springs for an 03 WRX to avoid the car sitting higher.

Nice job.

deadlydave
08-10-2006, 02:45 PM
ok, i'm not so good with inserting the pics, but they are all at this link:
http://www.cs.sunyit.edu/~trifard/images/struts/
Observe the broken front spring, and totally dead rear strut.

no1subarufan:
Struts: $350, Shipped, shox.com
Springs: $40, from unysoc.com wrx owner (Ed)
Work: $150, a unysoc.com member (byr011)
Front Spring Perches: I have to find new ones, he gave me his STi's old ones.
Final Cost: $540, plus cost of new spring perches, TBD. great deal on the springs.

ryankenn:
Yepers, it is my plan to get some whitelines or similar to fit the rex struts, eventually. The first order of business is replacing that shot rear passenger strut top. Then thicker rear swaybar, then rex fun springs.

micro
08-11-2006, 03:37 AM
you really should have checked ebay for you gr2's i got mine for about $150 shipped on ebay. got my pro-kit springs for about the same.

deadlydave
08-11-2006, 10:33 AM
i'm having issues on ebay right now--some other schmuck named dave fell through on a bunch of deals and i'm getting emails from sellers I've never looked at. still, your probably right :smile: right now the front is higher than the back, so i want stiffer stock wrx-length springs in the back, and a set of those pro kits in the front. This is thinking for another time though, i have some parts that have to get replaced first.

no1subarufan
08-11-2006, 11:02 AM
Does anyone know the part number on the front spring perches, and where I can get them for cheap.

deadlydave
08-11-2006, 02:49 PM
i'm looking for the same part--the installer let me use his, but i must replace them. i'll let you know if i find anything.

no1subarufan
08-11-2006, 03:27 PM
I found some at subarugenuineparts.com, but they were $54.33 a piece. I also think there diagram is wrong. They have #7 called the strut mount and not a spring perch.
1) FRONT WHEEL BEARING 2) KNUCKLE 3) LOWER CONTROL ARM
4) BUSHINGS 5) LOWER BALL JOINT 6) STRUT
7) STRUT MOUNT 8) COIL SPRING 9) STABILIZER BAR
10) BUSHINGS 11) BRACKET 12) LINK
13)CROSSMEMBER
https://www.trademotion.com/schematics/ ... 732080.gif (https://www.trademotion.com/schematics/images/mechanical/F732080.gif)

deadlydave
08-11-2006, 06:05 PM
they are missing a piece--#7 is the spring perch thinger, the strut mount is not even there.--it would have 3 bolts sticking up from a triangular piece of rubber.

deadlydave
08-11-2006, 11:51 PM
just for reference, it's been a few days since the suspension's been installed, and i have to say WOW. The car is handling very neutrally--no crazy oversteer, and waaay less understeer than before--even with the stock 14mm rear swaybar. Other than the total pain in the ass finding the front upper spring perches, I highly reccomend it.

micro
08-14-2006, 06:21 AM
those ebay emails you are talking about are scams.

deadlydave
08-14-2006, 08:47 AM
ahhhh, thank you. I havent replied, and now i wont.

AussieDan
08-14-2006, 11:03 PM
haha, byron strikes again ;)

looking good dave!

deadlydave
08-29-2006, 09:08 PM
thanks. :grin: go fast parts are always a plus.

JMoney
03-23-2007, 02:31 PM
If I get Tein Basic's for an 02 sedan with no tophats. Can I use my existing Legacy tops hats?

LunchBox04V
03-23-2007, 11:47 PM
Another question, I have a '99 Wagon (BK), and would like to get a set of AGX's. What different items would I need to do this? Also, I would like to see the car a little lower than it is now (rather than higher). Could I some MILD lowering springs for a WRX wagon?

No kidding on hard to find info. Should make a sticky if someone figures it out. (Maybe they already have!)

LeggoMyLeggy
03-23-2007, 11:59 PM
Another question, I have a '99 Wagon (BK), and would like to get a set of AGX's. What different items would I need to do this? Also, I would like to see the car a little lower than it is now

Mine is a BK with GR2 on Intrax springs. I got it that way when I bought the car. If I would have did it myself I probably would have gone with Teins or HRs. Although I'm pretty lowered the ride is pretty good. The previous owner did roll the lips on the tire wells though. I could see where he had applied the pressure on the inside paint of the wheelwell lip.

sheepdog
03-24-2007, 12:01 AM
I made this a sticky, as I'm sure this info will be valuable to a whole lot of people. I'd just email Jamie at subarugenuineparts, I'm sure you could get the part numbers from her. Also, surf NASIOC or something and see if you could score a set of stock suspension from a wrx.

shazapple
03-24-2007, 12:26 AM
Its already in the threads of note :wink:

sheepdog
03-24-2007, 01:43 AM
Ahh. Well I guess I'll un-sticky it then lol.

deadlydave
03-24-2007, 08:32 PM
If I get Tein Basic's for an 02 sedan with no tophats. Can I use my existing Legacy tops hats?

Are they springs or coilovers? If they are just springs, you MUST use 02 WRX tophats. If they are coilovers, i do not know.


Another question, I have a '99 Wagon (BK), and would like to get a set of AGX's. What different items would I need to do this? Also, I would like to see the car a little lower than it is now (rather than higher). Could I some MILD lowering springs for a WRX wagon?

If you want the SPRINGs for a WRX wagon, you should also get the struts to match them--the WRX wagon struts. The springs would be matched to the bound/rebound rates of the struts. For the front of the car, you should get the AGX's for an '02 or '03 WRX, springs to match the struts, and top hats of the same year that the springs and struts would be. I can't help you with the back though--I don't know about wagon rear suspension compatibility.

Illnastyimpreza
02-19-2008, 12:05 AM
so wrx suspension works? good to know.

I would like to keep stock like comfortability...but I DON"T want my car any higher...

what springs should I go with ???

Reason
02-19-2008, 05:45 AM
so wrx suspension works? good to know.

I would like to keep stock like comfortability...but I DON"T want my car any higher...

what springs should I go with ???

I think Dave had TEIN springs and the car was slammed.

deadlydave
02-19-2008, 07:58 AM
Yes, I had Tien springs: S-Techs. They are extremely low.

If you want a stock like ride without a saggy rear, I believe Tanabe makes firmer springs for the WRX sedan struts that lower you less than the S-techs and even out the front and rear heights.

If you use wagon springs and struts (WRX) for the rear, then you will not have the slight sag in the sedan.

Also, coilovers work, but then you would lose stock ride comfort.