Improving...feel?

MikeD

MikeD

N/A All The Way!!
I'm not too sure where I should put this thread, so this place seemed to make the most sense. Anyway, I have had my car for about four years now and have made some modest but noticable upgrades in suspension and general handling (sti springs and a wrx rear sway bar). Over the years, the car has become soft (yes, even more soft than a stock 2.5!). I guess what I am looking for is to make my car feel more....solid. Initially, I am thinking bushings...and purhaps suspension. While upgrading my suspension isn't really in the budget at the moment (first Disney trip with the kiddos coming up in a few weeks!), I think that I might be able to replace some of the bushings. I guess my question is where to start...I know that there are many applications for what I am looking for. In the end, I am just looking for more of a connection between myself, the car, and the road. Please, let me know what you guys and gals think.....

 
I'm assuming you don't want a stiff(at least too stiff) or a low ride since you have kids, so coilovers are out. So maybe agx struts and mach V springs? Or just mach v springs...

http://www.fastwrx.com/mavsp0wr.html

Get a bigger wheel and a lower profile tire for even more road feel
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Oh and a short shifter if you haven't already. Get a bigger rear sway, metal endlinks, maybe some group n tranny and engine mounts too.

 
Bushings.

My RS had noticeable drivetrain slop. Press the gas, wait a second, CLUNK, the body catches up to the drivetrain. Same thing with braking.

I've done Group N motor and trans mounts, trans cross-member bushings, outrigger bushings, rear diff bushings. Tomorrow the bushings for the ENTIRE rear suspension (trailing arms, lat links) are supposed to arrive. Still need to put in the steering rack bushings and to order an anti-lift kit.

Spend some time looking at the stuff on Turn in Concepts website, reading the descriptions gives you a good idea of what is lacking stock and what each part does. You can order TiC stuff through Evergreen.

The clunk killer set would be a great start for you. Outrigger and rear diff, probably in Comfort instead of Race compound. The outriggers are silly easy, rear diff is more work but still doable.

One thing you have to consider is whether or not you're willing to sacrifice less NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) for a stiffer ride. The RS has slowly gained more and more NVH as I've put parts on, and it's noticeably fatiguing if you're driving more than an hour. Some sound deadening might combat it, but that's just extra weight.... You're welcome to give the RS a spin once I get it straightened out.

If you want suspension, GR2s or AGX's, or 04 sti struts. Maybe some RCE black springs.

 
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Yeah, Mike you would be ammazed at just how much effect the struts have on stiffness in steering and overall road feel. I have been through a set about every 2 1/2 years on my last car due to a 1.25" drop.

 
bushings. do the rear trailing arms first, poly bushings there (esp the big round front ones) work wonders for how car responds on/off throttle. did em on my 05 Rex wag, what a difference! then trans and diff set as Dan mentioned above. NVH is increased no doubt, but not as bad as some contend.

+1 on struts probly being tired due to spring upgrade...do they pass the bounce test?

 
Thanks for the info guys...

Garrett, you're right about the coilovers. I think that the ride would be a little too harsh for the kids and as a daily driver for myself! The car right now has about 116,000 miles on it...about 50,000 with the STi spring which I bought from Garrett. The springs are great, and to me only improve the ride quality to something more solid and level compared to the previous set. Naturally bumps in the road are felt more compared to the stock set up, but the overall feel of Maine roads isn't anything that I didn't suspect with the STi set up.

I'll take a look at the website you linked in your post Dan...it was kinda the route I was planning on in the first place. I guess what I am really looking for is to make the car feel like it did when I first drove it...and then some. A harsh ride is not my goal at all. New struts (the 2004 STi will probably be my first area of research) might be placed on my want list for a little later on down the road...but my car isn't getting any newer so the up-keep list is getting long to keep the DRTYWGN running like a champ

Thanks again guys.

 
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Well, it looks like I'm going to take the advice from Dan and Dave and get some new bushings in the car...starting with the clunk killer kit from TIC and then some rear trailing arm bushings from either kartboy or whiteline...all on the same website as the clunk killer set. First I'll need to buy some summer tires, but this is my next project...struts will be on the agenda by the end of summer I imagine. Thanks again boys.

 
MikeD said:
Well, it looks like I'm going to take the advice from Dan and Dave and get some new bushings in the car...starting with the clunk killer kit from TIC and then some rear trailing arm bushings from either kartboy or whiteline...all on the same website as the clunk killer set. First I'll need to buy some summer tires, but this is my next project...struts will be on the agenda by the end of summer I imagine. Thanks again boys.
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Get the TiC ones, they're easier to install, split type with self lubing graphite. The whiteline ones I think you have to press in. If you need a hand with any installs, I'm game, since I've done every TiC bushing under the sun. Once I finish the whole suspension bushing upgrade I plan to do a writeup documenting the part differences.

 
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