Hi all.
I need some advice on suspension/handling mods for my V5 sti wagon.
I came to this car from a 96 classic saloon with coilovers, the 96 felt firm with a hint of understeer when provoked but the sti seems a lot lighter and dare I say twitchy and light on steering.
I would like a lower setup with neutral handling.
At present the wagon has std sti fare so was thinking bc coilovers with 22 mm arbs then the roll centre kit???? Ideas anyone?
Cheers
Tim

 

Anyone recommend anything or does this sound right?

 

Fit a 22 adj rear arb and forget. Will dial out the understeer and trim up the car's handling nicely

Don't fit BC's. For the road OE longer travel with rarb rules

 

Stiffer REAR arb, leave front alone.
New droplinks all round, unless already done.
Anti-lift kit.

PROPER geometry setup from someone who KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

I have had mine done twice, once by Powerstation, once by Carnetix, (After new suspension).
BOTH times I was asked what I wanted, how I drove, etc and tyre wear was discussed.
THEN the setup was done, and finally I was allowed a test drive, AFTER the person who set it up drove it to check that it was as he thought it should be.

Quicker turn in, flatter, and less understeer.

 

Cheers guys I apreciate the help.
What if I wanted to go lower? Does that change things, I realise I would need coilovers but what else?

 

Lower spoils the ride

Alcazar's on the money. Certainly do the recommended and then if you're not happy go from there, but Impreza's dont like going low

 

Ok sounds like a good plan
Any particular makes to go for or avoid and which droplinks shall I get?

 

Whiteline are a massive name in the suspension world.
I've a set of their droplinks on the back of my Type R.

I would say do the steering rack bush as well as that gives a much taughter feel to the steering imo.

 

Steering rack bush, I had not thought of that cheers.
I know the names of all the makes just wanted some owner feedback to see if there was a clear favourite

 

Very true.

Replaced the 30mm lower Prodrive springs on my (Bugeye) wagon with stock items and I'd never put lowered springs back on: jarring ride and steering continually deflected by mid-corner bumps.

Bonesetter and Alcazar are right.

 

There is one more handling mod you could consider:

Fit 17" wheels and 205/45 R17 tyres (or possibly 215/40 R17s).

This (along with a small 22bhp power upgrade) was all the RB5 had suspension-wise over the standard classic turbo saloon. But it was sufficent to have EVO mag vote it the greatest handling 4x4 ever out of 14 assorted Imprezas, Evos, Porche, Cosworth, Integrale, Audis and Skylines way back in 1999.

Haven't tried it on mine but if you do then let me know how it goes.

Sam

 

Ive got 17s on it at the moment so unable to help you as I have no experience of 16s mate sorry