Tein Coilovers for the BD/BG/BK

[Perdue]

I'm hoping Sybir will chime in on this, as I'm making plans already (read: not going to Iraq, so I'm trying to work OT and a second job to get money together for a place and a legacy). I'm looking for info on fitting the WRX/STi Tein Coilovers to a BD.

Boxer 4 Racing lists 2 sets that are within my price range. The Tein Basics for $899, and the Tein SuperStreets with Pillowball Upper Mounts for $1399, which is a bit expensive. Can I get the Tein basics and use the stock BD tophats/mounts or should I just spend the extra $500 to get the tein tops, which also appear to be camber plates? Should I get the STi coils, or the softer WRX coils? What year to use my tophats, and what year to use their tophats?

Plan right now is to sort of build a sedan of what Sybir had...outback bumper, GT hood, skirts, and rear lip, and all black. Rota Boosts in Gold or Bronze. Then inside a mild system with a carputer and leather. Looking for more luxury/daily-driverness in this legacy.

[omahasubaru]

Koni's & Ground controls will ride better and handle better than doing either of those Teins.

In my years of autocrossing and trying lots of suspensions, the JDM bits just aren't valved right for our roads or for the style of autocross events.

They are for perfectly smooth curcuits.

My $0.02


Save up for something better and you'll be glad you did. Any of the european bits are good. PSS9's for a GC would be very nice for you.

[Huffer]

^^ I agree - if the car doesn't see rough roads (ie. potholes less than 1" deep) then coilovers will be great.

If you do see undulating ground/rough roads, then coilovers will be murder and you'll wish you'd spent the money on a decent set of progressively rated springs and adjustable shocks.

Will KYB AGX shocks work with Legacy top-hats? If they do, then combine them with a nice set of H&R's or Whiteline's...Eibach if you can find them.

[deadlydave]

Wow, guess this deep-6's my idea for the tein flex's.

[Perdue]

Yeah. I may just end up going with legacy specific H&Rs and GR2s again. I liked the stance my old legacy had, so it'll work again I guess.

[Reason]

If I get that Outback I'll keep my STi top hats, I like to join up AGX struts and H&R's or whiteline springs. If I get a sedan I'm doing TEIN flex. RI has some of the worst roads I ever seen. I been all over the country. You drive on our streets you swear you are off roading.

[omahasubaru]

If you do see undulating ground/rough roads, then coilovers will be murder and you'll wish you'd spent the money on a decent set of progressively rated springs and adjustable shocks.

You CAN have coilovers that ride well, I was only saying those Teins would ride poorly.

[Bimmerman]

You CAN have coilovers that ride well, I was only saying those Teins would ride poorly.

Case in point: a friend of mine has a 92 BMW 325i that he recently retrofitted with a set of TC Kline Racing double adjustable coilovers and 500 lb/in springs(really high spring rate for those of you that don't know). He also has 17in M5 style rims on the car with Yokohama sticky tires, 27mm front and 24mm rear Turner Motorsport swaybars, X-brace, and no rear interior(for weight savings).

The car rides better than it did stock, even on our crappy back roads here in CO. The car is a bitch on small bumps, though, but it really is not that bad. I think it rides about as well as my (for now)stock Legacy in terms of general comfort. Performance-wise, it's on a completely different plane; he's competitive against similarly-prepped E36 M3s despite the power difference.

Just goes to show that coilovers don't necessarily mean a poor ride. Granted, they are Koni shocks, but any comparable European suspension should be fine on US roads. I have no experience with Tein/Cusco/other JDM type suspension, so I can't comment to their comfort.

However, if you want a cushy ride, buy a Buick.