Suspension set up
 

Hey all im looking to get the suspension on my hawk sti tweaked a bit. My plans are to fit Tein s techs and a rear arb and drop links. My question is will fitting just the rear ARB and droplinks have any negative effects? Originally I wanted to do front and rear but not sure if its overkill for my needs? I should point out the cars just a weekend car and rarely gets driven hard and no intention of ever tracking it. I see theres some bad reviews on the Teins but Im putting them on purely for the looks.

i'm certainly no fan of the STechs but my tastes lean towards performance rather than aesthetics. With that being said, they do make a car look the dogs danglies. just be aware that there will be some serious performance compromises that even the slightly stiffer spring rate and lower center of gravity can't overcome. But as a boulevard cruiser you will be set. however, your dampers will take a beating, especially if they are still the original units. so be prepared for a fairly bouncy ride. as far as a rear bar is concerned, i would suggest a 22mm adjustable rear ARB. A larger one would be potentially dangerous.

I was always told when it comes to the rear arb, the bigger the better, leave the front one alone or the understeer will come back:wonder:

Is this not the case for a newage?

Thanks

As far as I know the shocks are original (~56k miles) and fully expect to have to replace them at some point. Had a read on the american subaru site already about the tein springs and they seem to really hate them. When I done a search about them here though the opinions seem to vary hugely. Would fitting a roll centre adjust/bump steer kit dial out the issues or would it make no odds? Dont really want to fit them to the car if its going to completely ruin the handling. With regards to the arb I was going to uprate as the bushes on the standard one are starting to perish and thought it might be a worthwhile upgrade just now but again if its going to ruin the handling or be dangerous as you said then I might just get the bushes on the standard one replaced and save any headaches.

The roll center kit will definitely help the geometry issues. so a wise decision if you decide to get those as well. They won't however help with the soft spring rate for the amount of drop. You will still have travel issues up front. definitely trim your bump stops upon install, that will help a bit.

as far as the rear ARB goes, its definitely not a case of installing the biggest one you can find on the rear. wow, that is the worst bit of advice I'd ever heard. just so wrong. like most suspension mods a little bit goes along way. The choice of which size bar to use is dependent on numerous factors, such as how do you drive, what do you want the car to do and when, what springs, dampers and geometry, and what tyres. point being, suspension is a system and you should be aware of what will happen when you change a component.

long story short, with the standard 20mm front ARB an adjustable rear 22mm rear would be a good solution with the spring choice and stock dampers. Whiteline also offers a 24 and 27mm bar diameter. IMO too large for standard springs/struts and standard front bar.

What to expect with a larger rear bar? Less understeer through increased front grip and better rotation in a turn. Also,expect lift throttle oversteer in the stiffer settings mid turn. Please understand this old impreza party trick; when it happens, how you make it happen, how you can make it stop and what will happen when you dont (think butt end in hedge). I prefer to instill a healthy sense of caution when recommending this mod to novices. its a fantastic mod, for sure. Usually my first mod on an impreza.

if you remain stock sized bar up front definitley pick up some uprated bushes, they are a minor mod but still a noticeable one. Also make sure you uprate your rear droplinks as well. They make a big difference even on a standard bar.

I wouldnt be fitting any of the parts myself but ideally i'd want it all done at once then get everything set up and checked. As I said the car doesnt get driven hard so any advice on what suits my needs best is much appreciated. Im thinking I might be aswell just leaving the arbs well alone and maybe just doing the drop links and some new bushes as you say.

well, the advantage of going with an adjustable rear bar is you can set it at softest setting first. it's still an improvement over stock but is very mild and controllable for a novice. i am sure you will love the improvement, i just want to warn you of the potential scenarios. its not a ton of money for one, but a ton of enjoyment.

What size should I go with if just doing the rear? 22 or 24?

Like I mentioned above, if you are staying with a stock front bar, use a 22mm adjustable rear. Set it at full soft and get used to it for a few weeks or days. Its super easy to adjust. All you need are set of spanners and some ramps. If you have no idea about working on cars, meet up with some locals to teach you and help you out. Great way to meet fellow enthusiasts as well as understand how your car works.

i'm a big proponent of working on your own car as much as you can. The understanding you gain from wrenching helps your driving too. You learn how things work and why and it helps you with the kinds of input you put when actually drive. And it saves you money, which ain't bad either. :)

Cheers for the advice. Will gopefully have everything sorted in the next few weeks and have made a decision on the Teins. The springs were a christmas present and I would like to fit them but if anyone has any other input on them good or bad then its much appreciated.