hatchsub Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 (edited) I finally got around to installing everything I got to finish off the suspension on the subaru. The list of mods is -KYB GR2s at all four corners -XT6 Rear sway bar -EA81T front sway bar (NOTE!!! This is the same exact diameter as a normal EA81 sway bar. I used an adjustable wrench and checked with both lying next to eachother. The big difference is the EA81T is SOLID. Sucker weighs a ton!!) -EA81T front springs..good deal stiffer than stock First impressions: The springs and strut combo didnt lower my car any, at least not that i can tell. Maybe i need to drive it farther than around the block for the suspension to fully seat but something tells me at some point in the future ill be back in there cutting out a half a coil or a full coil to bring it down some. As far as being stiffer its noticable but not over the top. All in all i think it was a wise upgrade. Pictures to come.... Edited December 23, 2008 by hatchsub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Cool. Glad that at least one other person on here dumps their EA81 rather than lifting it. Might want to use a more precise tool for measuring thicknesses. The difference between bars was tiny in any case, just enough to make it noticable while driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 I used an adjustable wrench on them. Exactly the same diameter. Took the same bushings too so... I used the turbo bar though since its solid. I figure that counts for something. As far as lowering goes im not sure how u got your front end so low cause mine is a tad higher than it was before (stiffer springs = higher). Maybe your tranny/engine weighs more than mine or something. I only have a carbed EA81 with a 5 speed 2wd tranny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 I have no idea if it would work but have you considered using 2wd XT front struts with EA81 tops? I think that would get your nose down about an inch or so? -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstaru Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 they aare not the same.......but it is only like 2 or 3mm difference.like 19 and 21 or close anyway.your adjustable wrench i am sure is not accurate down to the mm......cheers, brain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaingoatgruff Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 (edited) i measured using a digital caliper and got no overall difference. both turbo and n/a bars measured between 22.2mm and 22.6mm depending on where i took the measurements. i cleaned the crud off and took multiple measurements on each of 2 n/a bars and the turbo bar i got from monstaru (that was a turbo bar, right? i'm just kidding, brian!). Edited December 25, 2008 by mountaingoatgruff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjw Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 I measured both turbo and non-turbo bars with a micrometer and consistantly got ten hundreths of an inch larger dia. on the turbo bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 Hmmm idk. All i know is the turbo bar is def heavy compared to the hollow EA81 bar. I gotta return the poly mounts i bought though. I could not get them to fit so i still have rubber mounts on the sway bars which is holding back some handling potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstaru Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 (edited) we went through that......it may be here and not there.i have one in the hatch,but the one i sent you was in the basement.and i stripped the turbo car,before i got the hatch...... someone has to have two that are marked!!:grin:i may have to send the other one! cheers, brian i measured using a digital caliper and got no overall difference. both turbo and n/a bars measured between 22.2mm and 22.6mm depending on where i took the measurements. i cleaned the crud off and took multiple measurements on each of 2 n/a bars and the turbo bar i got from monstaru (that was a turbo bar, right? i'm just kidding, brian!). Edited December 25, 2008 by monstaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 First impressions: The springs and strut combo didnt lower my car any, at least not that i can tell. Maybe i need to drive it farther than around the block for the suspension to fully seat but something tells me at some point in the future ill be back in there cutting out a half a coil or a full coil to bring it down some. As far as being stiffer its noticable but not over the top. All in all i think it was a wise upgrade. Pictures to come.... Another reason for that could be that your car is 2WD, and low to begin with. I would agree that driving around will help settle the struts and springs. What have you done about stiffening up the rear? Also, cutting those front springs by .5 or 1 coil is my next project, albeit, starting with RX springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaingoatgruff Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 measuring to thousandths of an inch is much more accurate than to thenths of a mm, i'll have to go back and do it that way myself with my nicer dial caliper (the digital one is harbor freight chinese crap). i seem to remember doing that when i first got brian's swaybar and noticing about .010 difference, but its hazy. i'll check back with my measurements in thousandths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 Rear of the car has an XT6 sway bar and KYB GR2s as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backinbrat Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 yeah man, good to see that someone else has done the opposite to the jacking up, i am in the slamming group myself, dropped it around 40mm, the front is stiff and the back is in theory on the bumpstops, you get a nice little bit of negative camber on the back, but still got the positive camber on the front, which will be sorted! i was wanting to do somin with XT spring/shock setups, but the avalibility of them is very small where i am, would you say that the KYB shocks are a good little upgrade, or just the same really, just a bit newer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 28, 2008 Author Share Posted December 28, 2008 KYB i would say is just newer really. They are very good quality shocks and struts and make my car handle like day one..but nothing to write home about as far as a super upgrade. For that i would need to cut my springs or get some lower, stiffer springs to make it handle a bit tighter. Still leans a good amount in the corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 KYB i would say is just newer really. They are very good quality shocks and struts and make my car handle like day one..but nothing to write home about as far as a super upgrade. For that i would need to cut my springs or get some lower, stiffer springs to make it handle a bit tighter. Still leans a good amount in the corners. I would say find some stiffer springs. If you cut yours it will sit lower but it's still going to lean in the corners. I noticed that when I used adjustable struts that when I cranked them up I had a much stiffer ride in the front, but that wouldn't work for you because you want it lower:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 28, 2008 Author Share Posted December 28, 2008 Then he commented while I had the hood up that his motorcycle had a bigger engine. So I asked him, "So how many people stop to talk to you about your f'n motorcycle?" He just walked away. LMAO....awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Then he commented while I had the hood up that his motorcycle had a bigger engine. So I asked him, "So how many people stop to talk to you about your f'n motorcycle?" He just walked away. Gotta love the haterz. Wasnt there something around here about using Ford Tempo springs in the front for better handling? maybe look into that? And Have you considered the 2wd XT struts? i thought they were supposed to be like 1-2 inches lower? -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Want better handling? Lengthen your radius rods by about 1 & 1/4 inches. It makes a world of difference. But you'll have problems with your tyres not lining up in the fenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backinbrat Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 So I was washing my hatch back at the local do it your self place. A guy walks up and asks me how well it corners with a lift kit and tall tires. I told him that it handled like crap when it was lowered to stock height, I have an impreza for when I wanna drive a car that handles. Then he commented while I had the hood up that his motorcycle had a bigger engine. So I asked him, "So how many people stop to talk to you about your f'n motorcycle?" He just walked away. HAHAHAHA! brilliant! ive had the OMG that engine is small! thing to me as well, best thing to say back is somin like that or, well gets yours out then and we'll see whos the biggest! Want better handling? Lengthen your radius rods by about 1 & 1/4 inches. It makes a world of difference. But you'll have problems with your tyres not lining up in the fenders. whats it look like in the arches? is fender flaring then required? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 whats it look like in the arches? is fender flaring then required? Thats with 26mm longer radius rods (I have DIY custom adjustable ones ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 How did you do these rods? Did you add EA82 control arms like on your brumby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Nope, this time I just got new rods, the rest is std. I might be "making" more of these to sell so I'm not keen on saying how/where I get them. http://offroadingsubarus.com/forum/index.php?topic=512.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxy Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Yeah plenty of people have cut down Falcon or early Mustang tension rods to fit many things being straight and wide they fit many things,But the metal Ford use is junk compared to Japanese steel and they have been known to break when used offroad.They are probably OK for road use. Be aware when looking to make sure the threaded section is not worn out, they are easy to drill the appropriate holes for the lower control arm mainly because they are not high tensile items,you have been warned. Increasing castor will result in more camber change on lock this is what gives the improved handling,but remember compression struts need to be stronger than tension struts so they don't bend under braking force. To illustrate what I mean pull on a piece of nylon rope very strong under tension weak as piss under compression as it bends,Subaru use compression struts so I would think they use far better steel because of this than any tension strut setup you may find in a wreckers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) Nope, this time I just got new rods, the rest is std.I might be "making" more of these to sell so I'm not keen on saying how/where I get them. http://offroadingsubarus.com/forum/index.php?topic=512.0 Details? Pics? Also, in that thread you linked to, you mention that using EA82 control arms gives you too much negative camber. How much are we talking here? The reason I ask is because I need to use EA82T axles for my transmission, and getting more negative camber in the mean time, so long as it isn't outrageous, would be a great side effect. Edited January 6, 2009 by carfreak85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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