Need assistance on spring selection gb270 wagon
 

Hi all,

I have recently become the owner of a 2007 gb270 wagon. I believe the springs have gone soft as when I was replacing the front top mounts they weren’t under a lot of compression. The car also seems to roll a lot and bottom out over potholes and small bumps worsened when breaking. The previous owner had a set of eibach lowering springs from scooby world. Although they do not sell them for this year anymore. There are a couple of questions.

1. Does the fitment of springs differ between salon and wagon model ? I cant seem to find much literature on wagon springs

2. what spring brand would most recommend?
I have heard eibachs are the best for comfort and relative performance

Any links/ help would be greatly appreciated

not sure where youll get them but you'll defo need specific wagon springs which will have stiffer rears to counter the extra weight/overhang

that’s exactly what I thought but I can’t seem to find any that mention this anywhere

oem springs on oem struts are loose and soft, thats normal
and yes wrx handle like a boat , maybe member 2pot will have some idea

as gb270 it comes with pro-drive springs from factory. Previous owner replaced with lowering eibachs on kyb excel-g struts. @2pot any idea ?

The GB270 used inverted struts - they are shorter than the non-inverted excel-g wagon struts.
Non-inverted struts require longer springs, or the spring will be loose and may dislodge at full droop.
The kyb excel-g wagon struts are much softer - the Prodrive wagon springs would over-heat/wear out excel-g dampers.
I do have a spring set that will work with a newage wagon, with inverted or non-inverted struts. But, they are too stiff for the excel-g's.
With the correct bump stops, they would work with KYB Ultra SR non-inverted wagon struts:
KYB 324034
KYB 324035
KYB 324036
KYB 324037

Or, you could use KYB Ultra SR inverted saloon struts (with a change of the internal bump stops). But, you would need Pedders off-set front top mounts, additional camber bolts in the lowest strut mounting hole - to regain the loss of negative front camber. Fitting saloon aluminium lower control arms (in your case with the auto headlight adjustment bracket), would also allow the use of saloon struts - I'd fit the longer saloon front driveshafts at the same time.
KYB 321002
KYB 321003
KYB 321004
KYB 321005

thanks a lot mate that has cleared it up a lot. would you say there is any difference in either set up you have suggested? Also what springs do you have ? Many thanks again

gb270 comes with eibach springs made to prodrive spec.
nothing near to springs from prodrive factory

ahhh okay that’s good to know thanks :)

WA/A2 front
WA/A3 rear
£325
Made for me by Eibach

Bump stops would depend on which struts you use £65

Inverted struts on smoother/faster roads - internal bump stops.
Non-inverted poorer/uneven roads - external bump stops.

It is possible to fit Koni inserts into your existing excel-g housings. If they are wagon excel-g's, you will retain negative camber.

I’m brand new to all this, I’m 21 and this is my first proper car. I do enjoy putting spanner’s on things I changed the egr valve on my mums seat Leon it was a nightmere but got it done.

From what I have been reading I take it there are meant to be bumpstops. when I changed the front top mounts as I didn’t see any external ones.

could this be why it’s bottoming out all the time?

Also How can I tell if my current excel-gs are the wagon versions ? I’m working from eye sight and paperwork but the previous garages haven’t included part numbers useful 😂

I thought it may be the springs being soft as when I spoke to rich at FB tuning (he’s local) he said they might gone as I didn’t have spring compressors and managed to use ratchet straps and a heavy friend to compress them.

I’m in two minds about completely changing everything as the dampers I have are currently fine I believe. It will be £1000 all in for a new set up using the springs and shocks you have recommended.

I understand that stiffer dampers are required with stiffer springs how long would I get out of the excel gs with ur springs and bump stops

Really appreciate you sharing your knowledge

The bump stops slide onto the 21mm diameter chrome shafts, under the dust boots.
Stock bump stops are 60mm long at the front, 90mm long at the rear:

The attached should be replaced with shorter/stiffer stops, if running lowering springs

Your original struts gb270 had 40mm diameter chrome shafts and the bump stops are hidden inside the strut.
The front dust boots are different between the 21mm (non-inverted) and 40mm (inverted) versions. The rear dust boots are the same.

Your springs should not be loose, when the suspension is in full droop - check the fronts. That could mean you have springs for inverted struts on your non-inverted struts - excel-g struts are for a wrx. Any numbers on the springs?

The wagon excel-g struts have the part number stamped into the circular body, above the lower mounting bracket.
front right 334462
front left 334463
rear right 334356
rear left 334357

You couldn't use my springs on excel-g struts, you'd be seriously under-damped - very bouncy :)

hth

Mark

Cheers for the reply mark. I have had a poke around. No front dust covers or bump stops.
Rears had dust covers and I assume bump stops as there is no issue with the rears bottoming out. I didn’t have the wheel off so couldn’t poke around at the top of the strut.

all the black powder coat has rusted off the springs but in the paper work that came with the car it said in 2016 it has had ehibach pro-kit lowering springs as in the picture.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...b0d98c470f.jpg

no part numbers so not too helpful.

but I believe these are currently on the car as it sits quite low.

I think my first port of call should be to get some dust covers and bumpstops on the front and see how that effects it.

any recommendations of bump stops ?

many thanks

What are the measurements from wheel centre, vertically up to the arch?

around 34 cm on the front and about 33.5 on the rear makes me think salon springs that have sagged maybe ?

@2pot would kyb 910142 bump stops be the ones to go for or are there shorter stiffer ones you would recommend ?

You're too low. Especially with excel-g's, which have little compression damping = comfort.

Wagon minimum 355mm front. As long as you have higher rate springs and plenty of compression damping.
You'll get all sorts of suggestions as to the optimal rear ride height - lower or higher than the front. Personally, the stock sti, 365mm or stock wrx, 375mm rear heights are fine.

Re: the kyb 910142 kit - the dust boots are correct, but the 60mm bump stops are too long and too soft, for your ride heights.

Try either of these, they're both the same bump stop - fit dome side up.
Optimal F8-7662
Febi 27848
Don't use any other suggested alternatives!

You could use these front dust boots and bin the bump stops:
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=
The plastic is not quite as tough as the KYB/oem version.

The oem front dust boots are 2x 20322AA000

If you still get contact then add these - Raid HP 300025 Clip-On Bump Stops 21mm diameter :

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