hi all, i looking to improve my old stock suspension(95 wagon). due to my local roads/dirt tracks i do not want to lower my car so i am looking for some coilovers that keep at least stock height but still give a good ride quality. i am thinking about the bc range as these have separate height adjustment. does anyone with these know how high i can safely have them set? or any other suggestions? cheers

 

Unless you look at a custom valved and sprung coilover setup, most of the off the shelf solutions will be absolutely horrid on rough roads and dirt track. The lower cost coilovers like BC, etc. have too little bump travel and very little droop not to mention extremely stiff spring rates. They're designed for tarmac. You would be crawling on anything but smooth surfaces. Not to mention that most coilovers are meant to lowered so at raised ride heights, you'll usually be outside the the optimal operating stroke of the damper.

I would look into a quality adjustable fixed perch damper and use your stock springs. Mildy uprated swaybars and endlinks will provide you with roll control in the twisties but still be compliant enough on the rough to let you float over things. If you want/need to go for a stiffer spring rate, look into take-off STi V5/6 springs. They'll be a bit stiffer than the standard GT spring while still having a decent ride height. IIRC, the V5/6's lowered about 1/2" over standard WRX/GT height.

 

I'm running BCs (4/3) on my V5 wagon. They're more or less a match for the knackered stock STi setup that they replaced. I am running slightly lower, but there was certainly sufficient scope to match stock ride heights.

The 4/3 setup has greater travel and appropriate valving compared to the 5/4 +. Originally planned on swapping the dampers only to KYB AGXs, but the BCs came up cheaper. Only downside in slightly increased NVH levels, but its an easy trade off given the other adjustments I've been able to make. Also with BCs height adjustment is done from the bottom end so doesn't effect the stroke.

 

How much travel do the 4/3 BCs have? The BC'BRs I've installed (8/6k)were very short stroke. Rear droop was pretty much nil. Seriously, you jacked up the rear and the rear dropped just a few cm's! I've read a bit here and there on this forum that they have a revalved and restroked version. Would love to see what the looked like.

 

I've got to admit to not measuring stroke before and after, its deceptive too with ride height adjustments. Travel is less than standard, but not massively so. It has to be respectable to accomodate the near standard springs - I'm yet to hit the bump stop!

I haven't got any details of the differences to the harder setup, Bren/Apex might be able to give more info?

 

Interesting. yeah, if indeed your setup has more stroke, that would great. The biggest issue with the inexpensive coilovers that use the adjustable ride height at the lower clevis is that the manufacturer uses the same damper cartridge for dozens of models as well as front and rear sometimes. So you get a very generic, lowest common denominator solution to save money. And one of the things that gets tossed out the window first is travel. Part is certainly marketing (race cars don't use much travel!) and some is cost savings.

Anyway, if there is a long travel version for these, it might be a tolerable solution for a cheap/basic coilover upgrade. The BC materials are decent, though some details are a bit iffy, like the rubber bump stop and inexpensively plated upperseals. Damping consistency, from what I've seen can be all over the place, though.

 

The 4/3's do have more travel, phone apex and speak to them.

dipster