babber

A mate of mine has got a Forester Turbo and wants to lower it. Can anyone suggest someone that can supply a set of uprated springs? Can anyone suggest how much lower he can go?

Thanks in advance, Phill

stevem2k

JDM Forester Sti springs or Tein do a couple of versions depending on the required drop.

1-3" depending on what you go for...

Steve

MJW

Isn't that kind of defeating the object of the Forester though ?

MikeWood

Phil

If it's got self levelling rear suspension, then he can't as all it will try to do is jack itself back up to the same rideheight.

If he wants to lower it in order to make it handle better, the first step would be to fit 17" wheels and tyres.

Mike

Butty

iTrader: (2)

It is if you need the height.

Its not if the Forester is used as a stealth wagon but modded to Impreza power levels.

Phil, also try Eibach. They don't have ready made spring kits, but they can do single sets for about £250, if you know what dimensions and rates the current springs are.
They priced up a set fro me to drop 40mm at front, 25mm at back but keeping the same spring rate.
I think I have the spring lengths and lengths somewhere in my office if any use?
These are from a JDM S/tb model that didn't have self level struts that Mike mentions.

Nick

babber

Mike,

Didn't even think about the self leveling suspension to be honest with you, so thanks for mentioning it Do Prodrive do a set? I managed to get a set of prodrive springs for my Legacy

Just spoke to him, and he said he didn't know if it had it or not. I told him to start the engine up and bounce around in the back. The car should stay level (ish) if it has it ? Is there a more positive way of telling?

The Forester is a 98 (R) S/tb. Mentioned the wheel option, but wouldn't that mess the speedo up? What tyre sizes would it require on 17" and then on 18" wheels?

The spring rates and lengths would be a great help if he can't get off the shelf ones. What about coil-overs?

Thanks Phill

babber

In a way I suppose. I got an RB5 WR and a Legacy Turbo (that I use to dump up the pub, go to tip in etc) Although the RB5 is lovely, everyone notices it. The Legacy on the other hand is just so stealthy. Great for blowing away Novas and the like Lol, the look of horror, as I get blasting past

Mind you the Legacy has a full Hayward and Scott decat, so it noisy when you press the throttle to the floor

Phill

PALATINE

get the teins s/tech's I love em
ring RC Develpoments and ask for KC and ask for The same springs as on Ira's car
tein or get the coilovers

Ira

babber

Oh hello, that Forester looks like a bad boy. I want to sell my Legacy Turbo now and get one!!! His is black as well BTW. I'm sure when he sees the pictures he'll be convinced he needs to do something. Is it lowered 70 mm all around?

So the springs are £180, do you know how much the coil-overs are likely to be. The ones on my RB5 were £800 (AVOs, I think)

Thanks, Phill

PALATINE

Thanks
70 front 55 back
Coilovers are about £800 for super wagon and a bit less for type wagon
check out the web sitehere

ps tell him to check out www.subaruforester.com

MikeWood

Phil

The rear dampers have an additional reservoir on the side of them if they are self levelling. The were normally painted green as well but as the car is an older one you won't be able to see that anymore! All the later cars have them but some of the early ones didn't

The tyre size we use for 17" is a 225/50 and it's actually slightly smaller in diameter than the std one but not by enough to need the speedo recalibrating. We are working on an 18" option at the moment but have yet to finalise the spec.

Mike

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Hi Mike,

Would my MY01 UK S Turbo have the self leveling suspension?

I've had a poke around, but can't find the reservoirs!

Is there still a Prodrive suspension kit for this year (MY01) of Forester (as on the IIRC Evo test car)? The car is on 100k, so I suspect the car could do with a revamp on the suspension system.

Thanks
Andy

babber

Mike,

You are the daddyo So is the reservoir visible from looking into the wheel arch at the strutt? I guess a quick clean with a pressure washer would reviel the colour? Thanks for the tip

I think he wants to put 18" on it to be honest, and have a set of Kahns in my garage that he's got his eyes on. Shame one of them is bend (fell off the road) but did tell him the tyres wouldn't be any good? Not sure what size will be correct.

Thanks for all the sound advise, Phill

MikeWood

Phill

It is possible to see behind the wheel on the side of the damper.

Remember that the std offset on a Forester is different to an Impreza and should be around ET48. The tyre will also need to something like a 225/45, 235/40 or even a 225/50x18 to keep the rolling radius within limits.

Mike

babber

Mike,

I'll get him to bring it around and I'll have a look later Another daft question, will the off set be written on the wheels. When fitted to an RB5 with coilovers, they sometimes rubbed the arch. Another good reason for changing them....

Thanks for the advise on the tyre sizes, Phill

MikeWood

Phill

The offset should be on them somewhere. I would think that they are probably ET45-48 anyway, hence the catch on your Impreza.


Andy

We did some work a long time ago on a suspension kit for Subaru in Japan but they didn't take it in the end. The numbers didn't stack up here either as we couldn't see many people going for a suspension upgrade on a Forester that costs over £1000.

Mike

stevem2k

17" ET48 fit perfectly. ( The old scoobysport/MiM wheels for example )

225/45 or 215/50 rubber works nicely on 17's.


Steve

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I guess I will be looking at non-self levelling dampers and get some lowering springs from somewhere!

Steve,

I thought the old SS/MIM wheels had an offset of ET45, hence they catch on the Impreza.

stevem2k

mine are marked up as et48

Joth

You can put in WRX struts and springs of that year for a 2.5-3" drop, or get the forester STI struts and springs for a 1" drop.
Tons of info at www.subaruforester.com or www.gtrydaz.com/forum
98 S/Tb, ive got one myself!

Tentenths

Babber

You mentioned in an earlier post that your mate's car is a s/tb. That's a JDM (Japanese Domestic Model) and as such it almost certainly won't have self levelling fitted. Mine definitely hasn't and I've never heard of one that has.