Ride Report wanted: King springs, or whiteline opinions!

[d1giPhux]

Nice.. thanks for the great reviews guys! Sounds like 04 sti springs may be the way to go. Do you think the sti struts are a good bet (are they stiffer then GR-2s?.. or would GR-2's be decent enough with the sti springs?

Thanks for all the great info.. those sti springs look like the perfect height.. and thanks to the great review sound like they may be a very good choice. Do you NEED the top hats to run them.. or do they work with the LGT tops hats? I'm still not clear on all that.

Thanks again guys! glad to get some more insight. Have anymore pics with the sti suspension?

[Robbks]

04 STi springs will need 03+ WRX or STi rear top-hats due to the rear springs being tapered at teh top
fronts are all the same

but 01-02STi rear springs are non-tapered, the same as the LGT

however, there are differences in the strut length and spring perch height from LGT to the STi's and WRX's again and as such i can't guarantee correct ride-height from using the STi springs on LGT struts.

As a complete bolt-in solution, try to get the 01-04 STi spings, struts and top-hats as a package.
Also, the JDM Bilsteins may be a good solution too (if you can get them freighted in). very similar height to the STi's and a slightly smoother ride.

[d1giPhux]

The JDM bilsteins.. who makes the springs for those?

So if i got STI springs it would be a best bet to use the sti struts / rear top hats as well too eh? Hmm.. might have to check out some of the options from JDM land. Whats good stock stuff from over there that would lower me a bit but give me a good ride as well? Something sedan specific perhaps...

thanks for the help.. not sure of my options really, so I'm still gettin all this.

[httrdd]

Here is the setup the guy is offerering. Whiteline springs with 02 WRX struts. It has about 20,000-30,000 on them. I will give you a report after the install. I am paying 125 bucks, cause he wants them gone!

[d1giPhux]

^ nice.. thanks for rubbing it in! ass! haha.

are those whiteline springs on there wrx specific? So your probably going to get even more of a drop then eh?

btw.. whats the white stuff coiled/wrapped around the spring?

[httrdd]

I am researching the white wrap now. Not sure about them being wrx specific though. I am going to call him again. I will keep an eye out for you though. I usually find some pretty good deals out there!

[Huffer]

It's just a plastic bit that is supposed to protect from corrosion. All it does is get dirt trapped, become brittle and fall off.

digi - Bilsteins are just like any other OEM strut - big, beefy but rebuildable. They fit OEM springs as long as you have the right top-hat. Don't get things so confused.

[d1giPhux]

thanks for clearing that up huffer.

yeah.. so looks like whiteline is out of the picture since they are now discontinued and no longer made for the sedan. At least the rears are no longer made.. as according to PDM.. and according to reason they are discontinued all together. Lame.

Its looking like I'm gonna have to go with Sti springs in the future. I can either go with a full used setup, or get BD specific sti springs for the high cost of $400... just for the springs shipped from japan land.

[httrdd]

You do not have to lok for BD based springs. If you are swaping in sti/wrx struts then you can find sti/wrx springs that fit.

This should be sticky!

[d1giPhux]

I wasnt planning on swapping in new struts.. thats the thing. Mine are basically brand new. However if i find a good deal on struts / springs / top hats outta someones car or something.. then thats a different story all together.

[Kraziken]

Actually, I'm pretty sure the coiled part around the springs is a silencer, not to protect against corrosion. I bought those for my springs.

Dang, didn't know they discontinued the spring. I'm riding on borrowed suspension while my coilovers are rebuilt. I regret selling mine now.

[Robbks]

^^ yep, the wrap stops the springs from hitting each other under hard/ sudden compression.

If you want to keep your struts then get BD/BG specific springs (BG will just be a bit stiffer and maybe higher in teh rear) due to the different lengths of struts/ springs that are out there.
Even BD/BG Bilsteins have different length/ height struts and simply changing springs could make the car sit un-even or at an incorrect height.

[d1giPhux]

Reason: how you like the BG stuts on your sedan? I still have the feeling that BG struts on a BD sedan would make the car jacked up somehow.. or be too large for the spring application.. unless your running BG springs too.

Anyways.. where the hell can I even start looking for some nice STI / bilstein stuff? Seems like its almost impossible to find.. even by sellers here on the forums. I guess the struts might not be that much of a problem.. but finding some good springs seems like it could be quite the challenge. Not to mention.. i don't want stuff from a BG.. cause its probably wagon specific and will sit higher then i'm looking for.

[Huffer]

Reason: how you like the BG stuts on your sedan? I still have the feeling that BG struts on a BD sedan would make the car jacked up somehow.. or be too large for the spring application.. unless your running BG springs too.

Anyways.. where the hell can I even start looking for some nice STI / bilstein stuff? Seems like its almost impossible to find.. even by sellers here on the forums. I guess the struts might not be that much of a problem.. but finding some good springs seems like it could be quite the challenge. Not to mention.. i don't want stuff from a BG.. cause its probably wagon specific and will sit higher then i'm looking for.

Dude, WHAT?!

The BG = BD in terms of struts - they are THE SAME. The valving barely changes because the JDM BG simply has a 70lb hatch on the back - the springs set the rebound rate.

You have to search the forums - scoobydrifto (here and NASIOC) is selling a complete BG Bilstein set with JDM STi springs for $500. If you're smart, you'll buy it. The Bilsteins will outperform your KYB GR2 AND they're rebuildable. You could keep your GR2s for spares (when you eventually have to send your Bilsteins in for a rebuild) or you could flip them for $150 and have some cash back.

Trust me - BG suspension will be FINE on your BD. Stop over thinking it, it's not that complicated!

[d1giPhux]

Well.. its complicated.. when you don't know! I own a sedan.. not a wagon. Hence why i thought there MAY be a difference. I thought the springs in the BG wagons were much higher then a sedan? I mean.. isnt that the point of having a wagon.. to carry lots of heavy crap?

I didn't know he was selling springs with those struts.. or else i would buy them. but i'm pretty sure its JUST the struts for $550 + shipping.. which is a bit high for me. I'll re-look though. Thanks for pointing out that BD / BG spring sizes IN FACT DO NOT MATTER!

[Robbks]

Springs are the same physical length (BD-BG) just the BG has a lightly stiffer spring rate.
this "may" push the rear of a sedan slightly higher (5mm) when un-laden.
add some tools/ emergency water and a decent sub to the boot and it'll level it out..

[2.5GT]

1. What type of suspension setup do you have?
KYB shocks/ H&R springs. Daily/spirited driving.

2. Do you know the part numbers? Where did you buy it?
KYB GR-2 struts:
Driver's front (LF) - 334112
Passenger front (RF) - 334111
Driver's rear (LR) - 334116
Passenger rear (RR) - 334115

H&R Sport springs:
29868
Front - 1.25"
Rear - 1.0"

Bought both the shocks/springs at tirerack.com

3. How does the car feel under heavy turning? Does it stay flat or have body roll?
Moderate body roll, less body roll than stock suspension. All depends on your driving style and other suspension mods. The only upgrade to my suspension components are the KYB shocks/H&R springs, strut bars and Kartboy rear subframe bolts. There is more than noticeable body roll around corners and S turns, but lesser than stock suspension. Bigger sway bars may solve that problem.

4. How does the car feel for everyday driving? I'm talking cracked roads, speedbumps, missing pavement.. etc
Comparable to stock ride quality. The vehicle feels just ever-so-slightly stiffer than oem suspension.

5. How much did it lower your car in the front? How much in the back?
Front - 1.25"
Rear - 1.0"
Our vehicle's body line is not a straight shot arrow. The rear wheel arch is lower than the front. So when lowering the car, the rear seems to "sag". My remedy to fix this "sag" is rubber spacers that you can find at your local Advance, Autozone, Pepboys etc.

[d1giPhux]

^ wow.. awesome amount of info man! and that drop looks much better then i remember the H&R's looking like. Looks good with the rear spacers too. Do you think those spacers will ever wear down and fall out? Do they make the ride hard at all?

[httrdd]

Looks like they would. I would find ones a little more sturdy. The ride height looks awesome!

I am really considering new rims now seeing those BBS!

[d1giPhux]

yeah.. the bbs are definitely sick. Too bad they are a pain in the ass to find.. and also expensive when you do find em! I really like some of the 'drag' series rims myself.. they make some decent ones.

[B's Legacy Wagon]

Great thread/posts ill have to start following this one.I like that you guys are icluding info on the sedan modles vs wagon in your conversations,because i am running a wagon myself and will help me get ideas by listining to you all

[d1giPhux]

yeah definitely a good thread.. lets keep the reviews coming from different suspension setups.. they are very useful!

[2.5GT]

As far was wear, I've only had those rubber spacers on...err..say about 2-3k? They are actually epoxy glued to the seat of the spacer to the spring. It held pretty sturdy and no problem with them fall out (yet). I've taken some pretty hard corners and turns, so far so good. Ride quality is about the same, not sure it it made any difference at all. If you go to my member gallery, you'll find more recent pics of the ride height.