G10

Morning,
Last year I bought an STi JDM hatch, which is now forged (engine went due to fuel regulator pipe!!!) and I am looking to improve the suspension. I have bought a Perrin rear lockdown kit (still to fit) but am wondering what else is recommended as a relatively cost effective way to improve the handling.
Thanks

forgedmarco

iTrader: (10)

Group n mounts everywhere and decent shocks/ springs.

Gambit

iTrader: (6)

What year is your hatch?

ive an 09 330s and from having had it from standard suspension in 2015 and going through various evolutions on suspension it now has....

Cosworth CS400 coilovers
MY11-14 revised lower control arms
Eibach Anti Roll bars
STI Anniversary upper & lower front strut braces
STI Anniversary front subframe strengthening kit
Kein 3pt rear strut brace
rear whiteline brace bars (for anti roll bar mounts)
Superpro bushes on Steering rack & anti rollbar mounts
everything else is replaced with new OE subaru, droplinks, balljoints, Top mounts etc

makes for great driving car now across all road types - recently done 400mile across Donegal on subaru run across tarmac rally stages and it perfect, loads of people complaining about crashy suspension, bottoming out, rattling their teeth etc - i honestly could have done another 400mile it performed that well on the road

hedgecutter

iTrader: (5)

I've basically got R205/Anniversary/Sti chassis and suspension parts like Gambit, on my 09 spec C, ie all the braces and strengthening parts, plus sti rear lateral links and support arms. All bushing is standard spec C Grp N. I've recently installed Ohlins struts, but I can't tell you what they're like until alignment; seems much smoother and modern round bends, but has lost some of the original rawness, which I miss.
I regret putting thicker roll bars on; it came from Japan with Cusco bars one step up from oem, and I went another size adjustable up from that to 22mm, which isn't necessary, and requires adjustable droplinks. First lot were Whiteline, either rust in weeks, or bearings/ bushings fail, absolute junk for a stiff car. Superpro items still look newish after five years.
Uprated the rack bushes, first with Whiteline, failed within 3 months, now Powerflex black which have been in 5 odd years. Had 2 sets of Whiteline front top mounts for increased castor, both failed within 6 months.
When the hatch was facelifted, all sti's got spec C shocks, which are great. Sti Bilstein yellows and pink springs are another step up, all available from Japanparts or uk based DL Motorsport.
The stiffer rear subframe bush inserts, or GrpN bushes, are probably best value for money...I guess that is what the Perrin kit is?

JdmSti2006

Ohlins road and track coilovers with dfv valve

G10

Thanks for the replies. It's a 2008 hatch.
When I had my hawk, I heard Whiteline wasn't too great.
I will install coilovers when the oem suspension fails, which didn't take too long on my hawk and the coilovers were cheaper than oem parts! I don't have the funds for full Gambit / Hedgecutter treatment so I think the subframe inserts (which I have) and up rated antiroll bars. What are the oem diameters for the front and rear?
Thanks

Gambit

iTrader: (6)

front bar is 20mm, rear bar is 18mm (facelift cars got 21mm front, 19mm rear)

but they are solid bars - a lot of aftermarket bars are hollow so the diameter isnt a true reflection of increase - ideally you need to try to get the actual ratings on the bars. when i picked up a set of eibach bars 2nd hand i was a bit concerned they would be too stiff as they where 25mm front & 22mm rear - so i dropped Eibach a few emails and they came back with the actual ratings compared to standard for me

Factory bars
Front = 285 lbs/in
Rear= 185 lbs/in

Eibach Bars (two settings on the bars)
Front = 468-531 lbs/in
Rear = 331-432 lbs/in

which put my mind at rest

G10

That's really useful information. Thank you