Fix for wagon/sedan saggy butt syndrome

[deadlydave]

Paranoid Fabrications came out with these:

These will fit on our BD's at least--the bolt holes are the same size and spacing for both the 02-03 impreza and 04+ impreza. Get the spacer that fits whichever tophat set you are using for you WRX-converted people out there. I wish I had these when I had the WRX suspension, I would have never lowered my BD beyond stock and may have still been driving it now.



So, the back of your wagon hanging a little low? well, here we go.
These spacers fit in between the top hat and the body.
02-03 impreza
$25 for HDPE 1/4"
$35 for HDPE 1/2"
$55 for Alu 1/4"

04-07 impreza
$25 for HDPE 1/4"
$35 for HDPE 1/2"
$55 for Alu 1/4"
These prices include shipping within the US (does not include CA tax.)

http://www.camotoy.com/products/saggybutt/images/IMG_4647.JPG
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1462904

[Huffer]

That is pretty slick. I had thought about suggesting some shimming technique, but the full-size spacer is far safer at even load distribution.

[deadlydave]

i know, i'm crying on the inside. If I didn't lower my car, i wouldn't have had it re-aligned. If it wasn't re-aligned, the front diff may not have been damaged, and if it wasn't damaged, I'd still have Ol Red. A great solution though for those who dare to switch to GD impreza suspensions.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Are the studs long enough to go through this and still have enough thread engagement?

[Mr. Sociable]

I was going to suggest using steel rods instead of a strut/spring combo, though the ride might ahve been a bit harsh...


this works too I suppose.

[deadlydave]

Are the studs long enough to go through this and still have enough thread engagement?

Oh yea. For the 1/4 inch, i'm sure they're long enough. The 1/2" might be close. The studs were awful long and a pain to undo the rearmost nut.

[kyle86na]

What about a quarter incher and a strut-tower bar? I plan on getting one soon, and I dont plan on taking any crap out of my trunk, so I would like the spacer to keep my wheels out of my fenders... Better do them at the same time...

[deadlydave]

how thick is the end plate on your bar?

[kyle86na]

I dunno, Havent bought one yet... I am sure I can figure it out, it is not beyond my ability to press in longer studs if needed, or only have a few threads in the nut and have it welded closed...


Lol, as long as I dont have to get at those nuts two more times, ill be fine ;)

[d1giPhux]

Hmm.. i was thinking about getting some WRX eibach pro kit springs for my legacy. Boxer4 racing said that I wont get the sag, and also wont need legacy struts, or top hats. But if i do get the sag.. will this work with those springs? Anyone have a diagram / pic of where these would go on the suspension?

Here is a pic of the suspension on the BD, someone should mod it to show where these go.. im just a bit confused.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/03/rearstrutpng-1.jpg

[Huffer]

The spacer goes between the tophat and the body of the car.

[d1giPhux]

Hmm.. interesting. Wonder if it would cause any damage to the car body?

[Huffer]

Not if it's made right. It's essentially the same as putting washers on the bolt studs - except that this spreads the load evenly across the entire spacer.

[deadlydave]

You need to make sure you have the right tophats too. I haven't seen 02-03 tophats, but 04-05's are much simpler in appearence and construction than the stock legacy units.

[d1giPhux]

so.. the stock top hats would, or wouldn't work?

[Huffer]

so.. the stock top hats would, or wouldn't work?

READ the first post, or click the link. You'd need 02-03 or 04-07 Impreza tophats right now, but I bet Paranoid Fab. would be able to make one for any stock top-hat.

The real reason you want to get these is because WRX springs will give a saggy appearance on a Legacy. If you use WRX springs you're going to be using WRX tophats. Geddit?

[patrickscycleshop]

The studs in the top strut mounts where they bolt to the body are pressed in to the mount, simply press them out or beat on them with a hammer if thats your style, just dont bend the strutmount. find some 8x1.25 metric bolts in the length you need and bolt them to the body with the PAranoid Fabrications spacers in any thickness you would like, the best thing to do is to tack weld them in to keep them from turning as you tighten them, you need to use minimum of grade 8 fasteners. I bet someone makes those fasteners in the longer length they look like wheel lug studs that are pressed in from the back of hubs on some cars.

[impreza_GC8]

I've used these spacers on my 2.5RS AutoX car for over a year now. They really evened out the stance and there was enough room for a rear tower bar with the smaller spacers by P-Fab. I guess that would be the 1/4" ones.

[patrickscycleshop]

im referring to the thicker ones if people used them, ive actually never installed them on mine, im still awaiting the parts, 3-1/2 weeks now......just waanted to throw out some food for thought after getting my strutmounts and looking at the studs. can hardly wait to get all my stuff.

[WinterKnoll]

im referring to the thicker ones if people used them, ive actually never installed them on mine, im still awaiting the parts, 3-1/2 weeks now......just waanted to throw out some food for thought after getting my strutmounts and looking at the studs. can hardly wait to get all my stuff.

Yeah same here...I bought these, I'm just not sure if my lowering springs are going back on my car. Kind of thinking about selling the car in which case I'll just sell the lowering springs isntead of reinstalling them. But from what I've been told, the thicker 1/2" spacers will need longer studs.

[Benfolio]

Yeah from what I remember I did NOT have 1/2" of stud above the nuts on my rear tophats. 1/4" would be all I need to get my car back to being level though.