Parf7

I am considering lowering a 2001 WRX (wagon) with the Subaru/prodrive spring kit has anyone done this? How much is the car dropped by? Is body roll improved?
And has anyone suffered from premature damper failure due to the lowered springs? And if this does occur will it be covered by the manufactures warrenty as they are prodrivr items? - Thanks

ZIPPY

Yes they do improve the handling when you are pushing it and they lower the car by about 2.5 inches, your warranty wont be affected due to them being Prodrive items and i havent heared of premature shock failure due to them being fitted.

Zippy

Apple

Before


After


Piccies not really taken to show spring drop so see what you can make out...

They lower the car about 30mm on front and 25mm at rear. Ride is stiffer but not bone jarring once you get used to it. I find the car is more sure-footed but still have a smidgeon of roll/dive but this is due to a comfort compromise in the damper bump setup and can't be altered without coilovers.

According to Prodrive, springs are designed to work with std dampers so shouldn't be any problems... (I got hold of a spare set cheap just in case )

Apple

Apple

or try this "after" one from a slightly different angle...

Parf7

Thanks for the help & advice gents, looks like you have made my mind up for me, springs it is!!

Apple: A question on your headlights, the top picture shows them with no covers but the bottom pictures show with covers. Have you simply but covers on the lights or are they completely different units? - Thanks

Apple

Parf7,

there's more to the before & after than springs

the lights are different units - the before ones are WRSport / UK300 lights and the after ones are JDM STi ones

also changed (from what you can see) is the grille - standard supply from TSL etc but with my own 16swg stainless mesh in and it's also in the lower vent behind the no. plate - if that doesn't stop the little flying ***** and stones getting in...

Apple

Parf7

Apple,

How difficult was it to swap the lights? I like the JPN STI style. Are they a straight swap? Would I need to change anything else? Grill?
Also if you dont mind me asking how much did they cost you?

Thanks

Apple

Parf7,

The lights fit mechanically very easily as the car they come off has effectively the same lights as the bugeyes. The alignment adjustment mechanism has been well thought about too

I'll give you a brief overview of the wiring changes as I haven't finished it yet on mine...

From bugeyes which are H4 Hylow you'd have to wire the main and dipped beams separately. This is just working out which pair on the main connector goes live when you turn on whichever lights - AFAIR, it's a constant live feed and switched earths.

The standard indicator / sidelight three-way connector fits the STi lights so is just a plugging in job.

The levelling is where the fun starts...

The WRX has a three wire system (0V, +12V and signal voltage), the STi has a six wire system (0V, +12V and four +12V signal feeds). Early work involved electronics to create a +12V signal from varying voltage inputs (see threads by jah in Lighting). If you can get hold of an STi leveling switch (p/no. 83011FE010 AFAIR, approx £40 from a dealer) then you should be able to get round needing the electronics. Search through www.nasioc.com for info. Basically, the STi switch puts +12V down whichever position you select on the dash and the motor responds...

Unless you can get hold of a 6-way connector off an STi (rocking horse doodah at scrapper etc), you're looking at fixing another design on in place of the original or hard-wiring the motor (not a good idea for if/when you want to take off the lights )

You need to be aware that the JDM lights are an HID setup as original equipment and unless you have the full OE setup (ballast, D2S bulb etc), more work is required to get an aftermarket version to fit (to do with fitting the bulb wiring and sorting out the HID electronics wrt the OE system). I upgraded from UK300 lights with HID so had an idea what was involved...

Have a look at my piccies on this thread for what you can see when you've got the HID working

As for changing the grille, you don't need to if you don't want as the lights fit exactly as the bugeyes do. I changed mine for a bit more protection as it's now got 16swg stainless mesh which should stop most road stones / crap within reason


Price - I originally was going to pay a couple of hundred for the lights believing they were UK spec but managed to get a bit of a discount due to them being slightly marked / damaged (you can't tell from the piccies ). Dealers would probably want in the order of 4/500 quid for new / nearly new UK spec lights (that wouldn't be HID).

People (including me) took part in a group buy for the HID setup last year and like the outcome of the STi bulb upgrade but the STi UK spec lights are not officially designed for HID so are a compromise that works OK - I tend to think mine would be better as the lights were designed for HID - the lenses are different (flame suit at the ready )

Sorry it's a bit of a long post but you did ask... and if the spelling gets worse towards the end, the wine's taking effect

Apple

[Edited by Apple - 9/22/2003 7:04:14 PM]

Apple

edited so I get at least one thread right

Apple

[Edited by Apple - 9/22/2003 8:39:44 PM]

Parf7

Apple,

I appreciate the post and the help. There was a set for sale on e-bay for £65 off a UK STI. I ended up losing the auction as I left my PC. They eventually went for a measly £147 complete with headlight adjusters!! - Doh!!

JIM THEO

Apple did you have premature dumper failure due to lowered springs and stiffer rear anti roll bar if my memory serves me right?
Please post your comments about, I am thinking also the same setup.
JIM

Apple

Hello Jim,

It's not me who's had any dampers fail (hopefully ) and I haven't quite got that setup - are you thinking of Edcase who's now gone onto the Eibach coilovers AFAIK after his dampers "potentially" failed with the Eibach springs...?

I've got Prodrive springs and Powerflex rear droplinks but still with the standard ARB

I like the setup generally as it's taken a lot of the "wobble" and dive out of the system (not completely as there's got to be some compromise for our sh*te roads ). I'm now finding that the pressure in my Eagle F1 GSD3s can be critical with the softish sidewalls - if they drop too much (only a psi or two) it becomes bouncy on the tyres and these take all the loading rather than the suspension

I'd had the geometry done at Powerstation when the springs were changed and thought they would sort out taking the edges of the tyres but it hasn't seemed to do I wonder whether the tyres are deforming too much laterally and scrubbing off rather than the suspension absorbing it?

You've still got to watch out for potholes etc due to the springs being stiffer but after a few days/weeks you get used to them and the ride quality is good. You feel you can press on more with the setup... I've got a set of the rally mudflaps and these can ground on corners at times. People with the Eibachs have said that they've never had their flaps ground with them on the same drop settings as mine - does this look like the Eibachs are stiffer with a different deflection profile which "could" contribute to some people's dampers going? (flame suit at the ready )

Does this mean you're not going for the Ohlins wonder system? It got up to 2.5K UK pounds at last year's Autosport show and I wasn't going to even try to justify that amount

Apple

JIM THEO

If you don't know it I changed recently my MY00 for a new WRX03 and I am very pleased with the comfort and ride quality of my new car thus I'll prefer something more civilized and bear in mind I am going to change also my 17" wheels with new (225/40/18).
Actually AFAIK the Prodrive springs are about 20% stiffers than the originals while the Eibachs are more than 30%, IMO both reduce slightly damper's life.
Cheers
JIM

Apple

Jim,

I had gathered that you taken the plunge for a new one

I understand the potential for shortening the life of the dampers due to stiffening the springs and for that reason I jumped on a set of as new (100 miles only) springs and dampers being sold on the board - if mine do fail, I've got a replacement set waiting without paying dealer prices

Apple

MadMark

How much were the Prodrive Springs?

Apple

about 170 quid plus fitting (can't remember price ) and geometry £70 at Powerstation

Apple

Apple

just to clarify, you officially can't get the Prodrive springs at Powerstation - they have to come from a dealer (part no. SACC2544 for WRX springs)

AFAIR I got SIDC discount on them as well (I paid £175.50 for mine all in ) so the proper price is £192-ish

Apple