JTaylor

Hello

This is my first post on this forum having recently got a my99 UK car. Absolutely in love with it but i'm already thinking about some chassis mods
P1 Shocks and springs is what I want (Bilsteins and eibachs with Prodrive rates), but I'm having difficulties sourcing them. Trawled through the searched posts with out success.

Hope you can help,

best wishes

JT

Tidgy

Try scoobyclinic at chesterfield, if they havn't got them or can't source them they'll sugest some good alternatives.

www.scoobyclinic.co.uk

DaveW

Its your money, and I'm assuming the UK99 is standard. There are cheaper ways to improve the suspension before you start swapping struts and springs.

Whiteline drop links front and rear and a rear anti roll bar with a geometry set up would be my first steps (about £250 for the lot). This will improve turn in and make the car feel more planted on the road.

Having said that the P1 stuff is very good, try Grade A Subaru breakers.

Dave.

JTaylor

Thanks for the replies fellas. I'll certainly consider your advice.

Incidently the Car has a full decat, Forge BOV, K&N Panel filter and TEC 2 remap. I actually quite like the standard suspension, good compremise between ride quality and handling. However, I'm concious that this may be found wanting at the imminent track days.

I've driven a P1 who's chassis (as no doubt you'll know) simply had revised springs and STI standard shocks. The roll bars where actually smaller then standard and I absolutely loved the feel of the car. However, having spoken to Prodrive, they advised me that actually they would have preferred different damper rates and left the roll bar standard.

For this reason I'm going to source the bilstein and eibach setup (prodrive professional) with appropriate geometry. Part no. SACC2139.

I'll let you know how it goes

mmmiddy

http://stefanostadal.homedns.org/car...suspension.htm

ozzy

The P1 kit is a very good upgrade to the MY99/00 cars. I've yet to actually fit mine (sat in my loft for 12mths ).

I would recommend going with the ARB's and heavy duty drop links too. Also consider some top mounts for the front struts and get the geometry setup - I'd recommend the Whiteline settings rather than Prodrives. I must admit I didn't like the Prodrive settings on my RB5.

Stefan

Daz34

That used to set you back £2000

V5-APS

iTrader: (1)

The P1 suspension is just the std STi Version5 struts with Prodrive springs fitted.
If i remember correctly, the springs were VERY cheap when i ordered through the dealer a few years back. May be worth just looking for STi V struts and order the springs seperately.

tath

STI struts regularly go on ebay for less than a hundred quid and IMO, it's about the best you can have without spending silly money...

JTaylor

Wow, so many helpful reponses. Thank you.

For what it's worth, Shocks for the P1 are standard STi V5. However, the professional kit has further revised damper rates according to the fella at prodrive. Been quoted £900 by Subaru. Will stick with Prodrive Geometry and 205/45/17 (SO3s) and will consider the ARB and Droplinks at a later stage. If I do get the ARB it'll be the Prodrive version. I just feel that the P1 chassis set-up rocks, has had all the R&D done already and.... why change a successful package? Of course I'll remain open minded and take any further advice.

Thanks once again for all your help. Lovin' the Scooby Experience!

P.S Took the Scoob to my favourite Car Park this evening which has lovely fine Gravel. Absolutely stunned at how composed the car is being thrown in to a corner on the handbrake. It pitches in on the power, hunkers down and throws you forward. Deliciously controllable oversteer......totally besoted.

JTaylor

Uh, oh. Becoming obsessed!

Done a bit more hunting on the site and given the unanimous positive feed back, I'm considering the whiteline ARB on the middle setting and the Drop links to start with.

Ozzy (or anyone) - why do you prefer the whiteline settings over the Prodrive?

tath

prodrive themselves have admitted that they were under pressure and didn't actually get it *exactly* how they wanted

JTaylor

Ok, I can see that. The chappy I spoke with admited pretty much the same regards the damping rates, which is why the "Professional" kit was made available retrospectively.

I think the advice regards the STI shocks and Prodrive springs is very sensible, but I'm a perfectionist unfortunately. Most shocks are past their best after 15k-20k. Granted, the diminishing effects would be so slow and gradual that it'd be barely noticeable, but i'm sure we've all driven two identical cars, say a 10k and 40k and noticed how much fresher the low mileage car feels.

I guess my point is that I'd be anxious about the quality of second hand STI shocks but would happily look at some low milers. So, tentatively i'm thinking......

205/45/17 SO3s Road 215/40/17 R888s Track (both ordered)
Whiteline ARB - middle setting
Whiteline Droplinks
Prodrive Professional shocks and springs
Whiteline Geometary (subject to further advice, incidentally what are the settings and improvement over Prodrive?)

What about bushes, any reccommends? Oh, and banks, do you know any that give away free cash?

ozzy

There's various Whiteline settings on here. Do a search for posts from 911 (Graham). Basically the Prodrive gives a little front toe and max neg fron camber, but you need camber bolts and/or top mounts to dial-in any of the extreme Whiteline settings.

Stefan

ozzy

Good reading here:-

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthrea...eline+geometry

Extreme Whiteline settings on Page 2

I didn't like the toe-in from the Prodrive settings and now run 0 toe front. Once I get the top mounts on and my P1 suspension (brand new) I'll get the geo changed.

JTaylor

Perfect.....

now I can spend the vast majority of my life deliberating performance V practicality, turn in V steering feel, excessive camber and the benefits it brings V replacing the fast wearing and rather pricey SO3s.

Should never have swallowed the red pill!!!

911

IMHO:

Lots of good advice here, but i would ask you to really think what you want of the car.
A strong supple confident chassis is worth a skip load of bhp, and if you want it a nice daily driver i would suggest:

Whiteline rear bar and drop links
Camber bolts all round (so the technician can get the alignment spot-on)
Maybe some 20mm lower (no more) Eibach springs (assuming the dampers you have are ok)
A 'Whiteline based' alignment by someone who KNOWS about the cars (ie PowerStation)
Good tyres (not SO3's imho) ie Toyo @ 33psi all round.

Simple changes that will change the car beyond your expectations.

Then, when you are used to that you can get serious....

Forget the coil-overs/bushes and a lot of other stuff for now, you will get there soon enough(!)

Trick is to go to someone who really is into the Impreza, not a local garage. Power Station advertise AND participate here and give good advice and in public too, a rare thing, an expert Company in the open!

Good luck. Just do it and you will NOT regret it.

Mega chassis and 407 bhp....



Graham.

tath

911 - i don't suppose you've got any vids of your car have you? i'd really love to see a well set-up scooby in action (especially with someone who knows what they're doing!).

i've still not found how much speed i can carry into corners yet in mine - that said i've ended up pointing the wrong way a couple of times

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

I'm probably the only one here who has stuck a Whiteline a/r (middle) with drop links on std OE suspension and found the back end to go really light

Beware!

F

911

Firstly, I would like to see my car driven hard by someone who knows what they are doing! Going sideways in a hill climb run is NOT the fastest time to the finish line. Getting to that edge just before break-away is a scarey place to go (for me).
On Kumho soft V70A's the more you lean hard on the car in a bend, long or tight is really remakable, it seems to grip even tighter!
Feels very hairy in the car but everyone after the runs tell me it looks very stable...

No video's just stills. Might get a digital video for Xmas (and a 6 speeder, and a 2.5 and a ....set of slicks....and a .....)

When I changed the Sti's suspension 3 years ago, the car felt very very different to drive 'hard' and bloody hard. I hired a sprint track (curborough) for the morning in the wet to get it all sorted out in the end in peace, quiet and safety. Cost just £40 I think.

These mods are a significant change from stock and it takes time (or a morning) to adjust and find the confidence in the car again.

(then you are ready for the next round of mods..)

Graham.

JTaylor

[QUOTE=911]IMHO:

A strong supple confident chassis is worth a skip load of bhp, and if you want it a nice daily driver i would suggest:

Whiteline rear bar and drop links - Being done

Camber bolts all round (so the technician can get the alignment spot-on) - the rear bolts are already in place as fitted by the previous owner, although I'm not sure about the front. Presuming they're not done (i'm thinking they're not) would it be worth going straight for top mounts? Also, I've read that the top mounts can have a negative effect on ride quality?

Maybe some 20mm lower (no more) Eibach springs (assuming the dampers you have are ok). - If I'm going to change the springs I'll do the dampers as well which is why considering the Prodrive kit. 47k of hard driving can't have left the shocks in top order surely?? Having said that the ride as it stands is good.

A 'Whiteline based' alignment by someone who KNOWS about the cars (ie PowerStation). - Current geometry is Prodrive. Will ask Powerstation to fettle when they fit the drop links and rear ARB

Good tyres (not SO3's imho) ie Toyo @ 33psi all round. - I also own a JDM Honda Prelude VTEC and as such knock around on the Honda Revolutions site from time to time. A lot of the Teg / Civic Type R boys swear by them. I've had T1s before on a Fiesta Zetec-S and was impressed with them although I understand the T1-rs are much better. The other consideration was that I wanted 205/45/17 for my road set up and the Toyos weren't available in this size. When I was offered the SO3s at £75 inc vat I considered this a sensible choice.

Simple changes that will change the car beyond your expectations.

Then, when you are used to that you can get serious....

Forget the coil-overs/bushes and a lot of other stuff for now, you will get there soon enough - I've never actually considered coilovers. Bushes wise, this is really popular (and successful) mod amongst the Honda lads. Guess it's not a priority amongst Scoob owners.

Hope you don't mind me responding like I have, just wanted to clarify a few things and qualify/ justify my reasoning. Thanks for all the quality advice

911

Sounds good to me!

The top mounts can add a little harshness, but if you fit the MRT type then you get the benefit of camber and caster adjustment, and loads of it.
Increasing the caster will significantly remove the understeer off the car.
There is a 'street' and a 'race' version ( www.mrtrally.com.au)

As to the bushes:

They will definitely add to the harshness of the car!
There are NO rubber bushes anywhere on my Sti at all, and the only drawback is they creek/crack/groan when moving off, but when first fitted new with the right grease all is well. Mine need stripping and re greasing after 2 1/2 years of road/competition use (7000 miles) in summer months only.

Finally the tyres!
There will be a massive base of opinion on this topic, but I have beed through Toyo/Bridgestone SO2's/SO3's and now the very special Kumho V70's. The Kumho's are road legal track tyres that are 120 each and last about 5000 miles tops when they will be bald.
The SO2's were the very best road tyre imo, and the TS1 was a copy from Toyo.

The toyo has a very stiff side wall and large block area of rubber on the outer edge of the profile, not lots of small blocks as some do. (removes 'block suffle')

Hope it all goes well, and let us know how it turns out after it is all done and you have got used to it.



Graham.

JTaylor

Cheers Graham, Nice one

tuckerj

JTaylor good thread you started here...

If you get the work done where would you go?

I am after the same setup how much are looking to spend on all of this?

john banks

I'm taking my 20000 mile P1 suspension off on 20th. If the coilovers are to my liking I will be selling the P1 stuff. I know it is higher mileage than you want. It has had one trackday and mostly dual carriageway otherwise, but it has been used with engines making over 400 BHP and has been enthusiastically used on back roads. It still feels good but I've been sucked in to trying coilovers as with the right setup they corner so flat.

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

I may be interested too John.

F

T-gro

A word about the SO-3's.

I have a V-5 type-r, with AST's, Whiteline ARB's, MRT top mounts, bumpsteer mod, geometry by Powerstation etc, and I can say, without reservation, the SO-3's are without a doubt the worst tyres I have ever owned.

I don't know the physical specifics, but they feel (in construction) way too hard. It's almost impossible to get any kind of wheel control or bite with them, because they just pitty-pat over the road surface. They tramline like crazy too(although every set of Bridgestone's I've owned has done that)

If i set the car up for a beautifully neutral attitude, with crisp turn in but a stable rear end, the tyres ruin it by introducing instability should you encounter a rough surface.

Interestingly, if you bias the car to understeer, they work much better once they heat up (on the front at least), but they seem remarkably inconsistent even then.

I am running 225/35/18's though, so there is a chance the size plays a part here.

I can't wait to change them, only the miser in me prevents me from dusting off my credit card right now, with half their life left :-D

JTaylor

Took the advice and ended up with RE040s.

I'll give some feedback when they've scrubbed in a bit. Why REO40s? Well, I sell ROTA wheels and deal with a specific local tyre company. In 205/45/17 the only tyre they had in besides the SO3s were the REO40s.

Tyres are a funny eh? By default I ended up with Vredestein Sportrac 2s once and thought they were awesome. Really keyed into the tarmac in the wet and good in the dry.

Probably decided against piddling money away on the car. Going to get the drop links, ARB and possibly revised geometry and then that'll be it (except maybe some braided hoses, I always find they give more "feel" or this may just be perceived). I actually really like the standard ride. I'd love to know how it felt fresh out of the factory.

Got my heart set on a Type-R. We'll see

finnie

I would be very interested in the P1 suspension if you are selling them

T-gro

You never can tell!

I've tried loads of tyres, and still my favourites have been P-zero's. Everyone seems to hate them here, but I had three sets and all of them were brilliant.

I'm tempted to try some Michelin's next though....