How to replace front suspension struts
 

Hi guys, I started the replacement of my front suspension struts and logged the step by step guide for any of you DIY’ers. I’ve included a host of tips to make the job easier and hopefully some will find it useful.

https://youtu.be/XPcIMvooooU

I haven't seen these released in the UK/Europe as yet.
Personally, I wouldn't be re-using 15 year old struts on a 140mph sports car.

Inverted widetrack front struts:
kyb 5510035
kyb 5510036

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32480809425...fuBSY#shpCntId
https://www.ebay.com/itm/32480809425...fuBSY#shpCntId

+ $115 to get them through customs
Depending on exchange rate £380ish in total.

Rears:
kyb 5510029 (UK equivalent 321004)
kyb 5510030 (UK equivalent 321005)

Thanks for the info on this - can I ask you two further questions;

1. Can you confirm that these will fit the widetrack 114PCD blobeye? I assume that these are the original spec inverted KYB struts?
2. Assume that you’d recommend replacement springs too - Do you have any info on OEM spec springs?

Thanks again - much appreciated 👍🏻

Yes - they are for widetrack 114.3pcd fronts.

The stock sti springs were black. At static ride height: 195lb/in front, 171lb/in rear. Fully compressed: 223lb/in front ,195lb/in rear.
The Prodrive sti did not have a stiffened suspension, it also used the above springs.

Prodrive did make a lowering spring set for the widetrack.
Prodrive lowering spring set were red:
S05/D5/001 FRONT: 234lb/in
S05/D5/001 REAR

They came with a 10mm shorter, internal, front bump stop, because of the spring's lower front ride height.

I have made widetrack front springs, similar to the Prodrive widetrack fronts:
WA/A2: 246lb/in front - it's linear rate from 15mm above ride height to coilbind.

These any good?


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224701537...q&LH_Auction=1

Are these not the ones?

https://pedders.co.uk/pedders-ezifit...4-3-pcd-803049

100 pcd bug

No current stock.
Pedders widetrack: from 2 years ago - non-inverted, 60mm front bump stop, 350mm front, 335mm rear. Spring rates 210lb/in front, 214lb/in rear.

Thanks again 2pot - so what are your views/recommendations regard the springs. I think you’ve convinced me that I should replace the struts with the KYB inverted dampers you referred above, but still unsure what the options are with the springs. Keep the old ones on? Or replace? Are the std OEM springs (or similar) still available do you know? I’d prefer the ride to stay similar to std where possible. Any views/recommendations appreciated - thanks again 👍🏻

Your front springs are red - not the stock height black. Any lettering left on your front or rear springs?
OEM sti ride heights were 385mm front, 365mm rear - wheel centre to arch (with new springs and struts and a full tank of fuel).
Red S05/D5/001 fronts were 18mm lower than stock.
Surface rust only, you could re-paint/powder coat the springs. Any flaking off of the metal, you need new springs.

sti widetrack fronts: 20330FE921
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=

The originally transparent tubing, on your existing springs, would need replacing, if you re-paint/powder coat. Check inside that tubing, as springs may fail around that area, if the powder coating has failed and moisture has been held within the tubing, so flaking/narrowing the wire.

Just replaced the struts, springs and top mounts on my wide track Sti with OEM. Everything had to come from Japan and took the best part of 3 months.

So I thought I’d do a quick update on my replacement front suspension struts of my ‘05 STI widetrack.

Wanting to keep the car as standard as possible I decided to source KYB struts from the US and 2-pot provided me with replacement springs/bump stops and I sourced top mounts from IPC (eBay).

Today I stripped the old struts apart and found that they didn’t have any bump stops fitted (expected them located inside the dust cover). Is this normal? I thought not, but someone has said that the KYB inverted struts have the bump stops internal to the damper - is this true?

Second question: does anyone know of the part no. (or spec) of the top nut that sits through and above the top mount?

I’ll edit a video and put another link here when I get to putting the suspension struts together to show what/how I got on with it.

Any help with the above questions will be appreciated. Below is a photo of my old suspension strut stripped.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...ccac3bbd7.jpeg

The new struts usually come with a new top nut, rolling around in the box.

Bump stops are internal on inverted struts - fitting is as per the install info, attached to your email of the 22/11.
As per my amended info, after installing the new bump stops, DO NOT use Prodrive's suggested 40N/m when tightening the lower nut - incremental install torque must be as per my info, or you risk irreversible damage to the locating flats in the base of the strut housing. Ensure no internal grease transfer is left on the threads, before beginning to torque.

2pot thanks - just looked at the attachment you emailed me! I’ll have a go at changing the bump stops over this weekend.

I’ll also check the KYB box again in case they’re in there and I’ve missed them. Thanks again

Out of interest, how long did the US sourced widetrack struts take to arrive?

If you want genuine top nuts, for originality:
https://www.dlmotorsportparts.co.uk/...u-lock-nut-m12

That's a handy link above.

They didn’t take too long, perhaps 3-4 weeks from ordering. All the import duty taxes are added too, so was much easier and quicker than I expected.

You were right too - they came with new nuts in the box.

At last, this is Part 2. In this video I show what parts I sourced, how to strip a suspension strut, replace the internal bump stop in my new KYB dampers and re-assembly. I hope you enjoy.

I also need to give 2pot a special mention as it’s his detailed instruction that I followed throughout which made the task that more straightforward - thanks buddy

Well done! Seeing it all in video must be a great help to others.
I wonder if you're the first, in the UK, to fit those aftermarket front, widetrack, 114.3 pcd struts?

Additional info for others:

If you want new front inverted STI strut dust boots:
2 x 20322AC000 https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=
The above image is wrong - it's showing rear inverted dust boots.
Or here:
2 x https://partsouq.com/en/search/all?q=20322AC000
Don't order 20322AA000 by mistake! - those are the standard non-inverted front dust boots.

If new cone washers required 20326AA000
2 x https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...&var=0&dc=&gen
Make sure you fit cone-side up INBETWEEN the top mount and the spring perch.

Check the front top spring seat central locating holes for circularity, before re-assembly, as they may have been incorrectly tightened/damaged/made oval in the past.
If damaged:
Front perch 20323FA000 https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=

Front upper rubber isolator - 2 x 20325FA000 https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=


Using 33N/m lower nut torque removes the, very real, possibility of rounding off the flats on the base of the strut housing, or stripping the M10 x 1.25 pitch threads on the damper insert. Removing ALL grease transfer onto the M10 threads, before torquing, is important.
Torque incrementally: 10, 20, 30 then 33N/m

You can lightly grease the strut housing rubber seal, before re-inserting the damper insert - reduces the chance of inverting the seal.

The stiff front stops are tricky to remove :) (the rears are much softer/easier).
Best to put the M10 end of the damper insert on hard ground and slide/press the bump stop towards the ground. That helps clear the first/tightest node of the bump stop.

The OEM/KYB front stop is 60mm, the Prodrive front stop was 50mm, the replacement front stops in the video, are 40mm.

But has the work on the front suspension stopped the knocking?

After nearly 2 months from starting (it was supposed to be an afternoon of old strut out and new strut in) the cars finally back on the road. All the knocking noises have gone and the car feels much better for the brand new front struts.

A big thank you to 2pot that has helped and supported me through the process. I’ll drop my 3rd and final video into the chat below. Any questions, please ask 2pot 🤣 oh yes, I’ll be starting the rears later this year ….. let the next adventure start 😁

Thanks for making these videos, really useful!

A couple of questions:

1. What springs do you have here? are these the 2005 Prodrive STI Springs? If so, please can you post some photos of the car, I would love to have a look at the ride height as I'm currently looking to buy new springs for my Widetrack Blob.

2. The Dampers you are using do not look like original KYBs, are they a generic replacement part?

2POT, do you have any experience with FEAL Fixed Perch Struts? I have some ready to go on my car - are they any good?

1. They are Eibach-made WA/A2 front springs- linear spring rate from 15mm above ride height to coil bind. 10mm lower ride height than the Prodrive front 05-07 red sti springs and 5% stiffer.

2. KYB have finally released aftermarket widetrack front struts - in the US and Asia markets. Do you mean they are silver instead of black?

indeed - the struts are silver instead of black and have a different logo on them, something like "Strut-Gas-a-Just" are these KYB??

Yes they are.
Part numbers as per post #3

thanks, good to know.

do you have any experience with FEAL Fixed Perch Struts?