Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

My 95WRX 4 door has alloy wishbones, if you did change them you'd also have to fork out for different ARB front droplinks also.

Interesting about the steel bonnet on the wagons also. A guy in the office carpark just got a WRX wagon and we were checking the VIN plate to see what he'd bought was what he was told! I lifted the bonnet and realised it was steel. I thought all WRX's had alloy bonnets so I assumed it had been replaced at some stage, indicating a crash maybe. Didn't have the heart to tell him, sounds like it was a good job I didn't

Justin

[Edited by Jay m A - 8/5/2002 1:02:11 PM]

TelBoy

My 97 WRX has steel wishbones, to a lot of people's surprise, but it is a wagon, so i think they "only" got the steel items.

Is there any benefit to changing them to the aluminium versions?
I'm assuming the weight saving would be marginal, but would i notice them in any tangible way on the road? Thanks,

Terry

Claudius

Hi Terry

I think half of the wishbone weight is considered unsprung weight and the reduction in that should improve handling.

Tone Loc

iTrader: (1)

Hi,

Can't really say what benefits you'd get but why are people surprised you don't have them on your WRX? It's only the STi that has them. Personally i'd spend the money elsewhere 'cos they won't be cheap such as uprated anti roll bars/links, dampers/springs etc. but if you've already done that then i'd be interested if they do make a big difference.

Tony.

TelBoy

I use the word "people" in the sense that Powerstation (who have obviously seen a lot of Scoobs) reckoned that ALL imports have aluminium wishbones, and were surprised that mine didn't.

One of those urban legends which probably nobody knows the answer for sure, whether all WRX saloons had them, and not wagons, or if it's as you say, only the STi's. Bit like ally bonnets - mine doesn't have one, lots of people assume it should. Not so.

I have had a lot of stuff upgraded already. The only problem is that the castor angle on one of my front wheels is out, and Powerstation could have corrected it with shims if the wishbones had been ally, but couldn't adjust steel ones. But i don't want to go to the hassle of changing them if it would take a Schumacher to notice the difference...!

Terry

Tone Loc

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm, must get under the car then and see if i've got alloy ones then (WRX 4 door). Wouldn't mind if i did have them . Aren't they a nice pink colour on the STis, that's the reason i thought they only did it on those. Maybe they're a subtler shade on the WRXs?

Tony.

AJbaseBloke

Well, the TT Legacy B4 has them too

Seriously though, lighter is nice, but the extra rigidity is nice too. And while tower bars are nice, stiffening the bits nearer the road works well too.

I believe one theing to note is that the front end links need to be changed when going to the alloy A arms. I don't know if they are avaialble (or compatible for that matter), but a few places have stiffeners for the front lower arms - Cusco makes a cheap one.

Best of luck.

jonny gav

iTrader: (1)

all the jap wrx's got them apart from the wagons.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

My WRX 95 Wagon has steel. My STi6 00 Wagon was steel and I changed to alloy. It was expensive and there were no tangible benefits.I was surprised that the weight difference was only 20lbs v/v17.8lbs for the alloy pair.
With hind sight I would have been better going to Power Station for bump steer and anti-lift and leaving it at that.

TelBoy

Harvey,

Thanks very much - exactly the information i needed.

Which sort of confirms what i though - leave it alone. Definitely on my "nice to have" list, but having spent what i have done already, that's a long way off..!

Terry

harvey

iTrader: (48)

My STi 6 Wagon has an alloy bonnet.
My WRX Wagon 95 M/Y in original condition from Japan had steel bonnet but that is now alloy.
Other older WRX Wagons I have looked at were steel bonnets too.

Stelios

The real benefit is not weight but ,afaik, that by fitting them u do get more caster and subsequently more dynamic camber.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

No change in camber between steel and alloy wishbones but you can get special bolts (concentric?)which allow increased camber generally beyond 1deg 30 min neg to about 2 deg on the front. AFAIK. Ask Power Station for instance.

Stelios

harv i am talking caster angle. Static camber is indeed unchanged. but turn the wheels and u see what happens if different caster.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Thanks for that Stelios. What is the effect on handling as I could feel no difference?

Andy.F

The increased dynamic camber should result in better turn in. (assuming the car is running the standard 1.5 or less degrees static camber)
A further advantage of the alloy arms is that they can be shimmed to further increase castor. This has the double benefit of reducing bump steer as the steering arm ends are elevated slightly as a result.