hi guys.i just bought an import and i think the jap owner lived in a muddy field or maybe on a snow capped mountain because the tyres look like they belong on a tractor.they are really thick blocked and have tread pattern cut into each block.needless to say the handling is ****e.it has understeer worthy of the worst front wheel drive car.The back end does not slide out much though because the car is battling understeer.i went round a 90 corner today at 15 mph and the tyres started screaching.ha ha.
so i am getting rid of the 16's anyway and i am going to buy 17's.
obviously this will make a huge difference but i am posting to find out what suspension change to make just to rid the car of this shocking understeer.
i have read posts on whiteline arb.
i am on a budget because of buying new wheels and tyres.
i dont need track suspension just lower/stiffer springs and something to battle understeer.
i have seen plenty of drift videos of imprezas and that seems impossible with my car unless i pull the handbrake to make the back end go.i dont want masses of oversteer just less understeer.i'd like to be able to go round corners comfortably without losing the back end at a moments notice but also without going straight on into a hedge.
any ideas?

 

TBH mate, I think it's just the tyres that are the problem. Unless I've misread your post (quite possible..) you have similar tyres that mine had when I bought it. I had to drive mine back from the dealers in December and was getting wheelspin in a straight line - in third!!! Some of those Japanese tyres are truly lethal!!!
Get some sticky rubber on the 16s and you'll transform the amount of grip possible. The reason that I say this instead of going for a cheap 17inch wheel/tyre combo is that; cheap alloys are heavy and reduce the performance and handling and also that if you don't have to buy wheels, you can get better tyres. That's my ethos anyway, I'm still on 16s and very happy. :-)

 

Byu the sounds of it they are winter tyres (i've seen loads of cars come over with them).
Rear droplinks are a good ,cheap start but change to some good quality tyres before you mess around with the suspension.

 

never scrimp on cheap tyres, this will ruin any hard work you put into the suspension.

get some good tyres, and change the rear anti roll bar to an adjustable 22mm whiteline item and solid alloy droplinks front and rear.

 

Agreed.

 

You just need to stiffen the back end, easiest and cheapest way is with the Whiteline adjustable ARB, mine was a bit understeery so stiffened the back end up and now it's completely nuetral, might stiffen it a little bit more for a bit of oversteer next!

 

I would agree with the rear drop links and good tyres, if you've got the money then also do the arb at the back but the drop links help. You could maybe consider a front top mount strut brace too, ar around £60 off ebay it's a cheap and visually pleasing mod.

 

IMHO:
Last 3 words of James' sums up the benefit of the front brace.

I race my Sti V3 hard on track and went faster without the front top brace.
I feel it makes little difference except it adds weight.

 

Of course a stiffer front structure can actually increase understeer....

Foresters come as stock on Yokohama Geolanders (Geosquealers more like) just changing to some Michelins and my car has so much more grip...

If your on a budget get an Sti take off rear bar (late classics are 20mm) much cheaper than whiteline and nearly as good!

Simon

 

As most have said, forget the idea of these 17's. Keep your 16s on, put some decent tyres on (I'm running 205/50/16 Michelin Pilot Exaltos), Whiteline 22mm adjustable ARB at the rear plus alloy droplinks both ends, anti-lift kit up front, and the jobs a good'un. That's my spec plus KYB dampers and Eibach springs all round and two independent tuner/garages (one a genuine motorsport specialist and one a very well-known Subaru specialist) have both gone out of their way to comment about how good the handling of it is, and how mine keeps biting where other Subarus are understeering all over the shop. Draw your own conclusions.

 

Just wondering' isn't the job of the anti lift kit is to add a bit of neg camber to the front wheels?

I'm only asking as i have a camber/caster adjustable top mount and getting the alk would be pointless for me if this was the case

 

The ALK adds a small ammount of posative castor to the front.
Good front top mounts will make an ALK redundant as they should be adjusted to max castor. The camber bolts will dial-in the static negative.
Graham.

 

Good thread! I have a 1999 sti and it understeers terribly, will the whiteline adjustable ARB help me aswell or is my rear bar already stiffer?

 

To erradicate the understeer in the dry you need to add a few key items that will work together on the road in a safe, vice-free manner.

This is easier said than done, and eventually you might find understeer again but just when you are going very much faster.

Even the Impreza modified will reach the limit of grip in the end.

The condition returns in the wet, so finding a compromise is the key.

You will need the right roll bars/drop links and rear setting
The right fully adjustable top mounts
Camber bolts all round
Correct spring rates (depends on your application)

Finally an Alignment Shop that actually know what they are doing to bring the above into line.

Decent tyres too of course, and all the suspension in tip top condition.

I've spent 3 years getting there.
But I am now there at last.

Graham.

 

Totally agree, right tyres, time spent on alignment, and combining products that work for you.

I went with the whiteline drop links, and anti-lift kit, but finally settled on eibach antiroll bars front and rear. The rear is chunkier than the front, so in the dry it stays nice and neutral, and in the wet it'll push the nose ever so slightly to let you know you are on the limit. No sudden break aways, no surprises.

I got enough of those with my old focus (really good handling, until all of a sudden, you run out of talent lol)