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Old 05-28-2006, 06:59 PM   #1
Arnie
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Default Lowered Forester Suspension questions

Hey Guys, I was discussing suspension geometry a bit with a Forester owner the other day in regards to lowering and potentially overlowering his car.

I took a quick look under his car and the front control arms and rear laeral links looked fairly standard Impreza-ish (though the rear lateral link endlink bracket looking particularly weak). It seems like the ride height is generated primarily through the strut length and spring height.

So, for folks who have lowered their Foresters using STi takeoffs, coilovers, etc. where has that put the angle of your control arms and lateral links? Are you above parallel? Below parallel? respectively, how badly have you screwed your suspension geometry in search of a lower C of G?

Pics of lowered Forester's lateral links from the rear and front control arms would be awesome!

Thanks!
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Old 05-29-2006, 05:38 PM   #2
04furesterXT
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I'm on Impreza coilovers which have a stated 1" drop from stock. My lateral links are just slightly above parallel at the highest adjustment. Well, I could go higher but I don't want to over preload the springs and chance topping the struts out all the time. I've seen pics of Foresters with Impreza takeoffs and their lateral links are parallel to the ground.

I understand the theory of altering the camber curve by overlowering but I'm willing to compensate with bigger swaybars. As it is with stock swaybars the car is neutral and while I'm not a professional racer, I surely wouldn't say it handles poorly. If I had the choice of staying at or near stock height to maintain my camber curve but lean like a boat, I'll take my "technically" incorrect set-up anyday.

There's a few guys on subaruforester.org that are running STi front control arms as well as Forester specific STi lateral links. There are a lot of people running STi rear swaybars and aftermarket STi front swaybars so most of the suspension appears to be identical.

Yes the stock rear swaybar endlink mounting tab is weak. A few have torn through them or broke them off. Most of these are at stock height with the STi mounts too which are shorter and I think creates a misalignment of the bar. Also at stock height I think there's too much travel for a beefy rear swaybar. The attachment points are made to articulate through a large arc and the Sti swaybar is fighting it the whole way. Some have thought that bar flipped upon install causing the failure of the attachment point which may be true.

Last edited by 04furesterXT; 05-30-2006 at 02:54 AM.
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Old 05-29-2006, 11:59 PM   #3
wadejg
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I just went out and took some pics of my front USDM aluminum STI control arms and rear poltec titanium lateral links all with Prodrive 2005 STI springs on JDM v8 Spec C struts. The car is on flat concrete. Shoot me a PM and I'll e-mail them to you.

In both the front and rear the arms are still pointed slightly down, as they should be. Probably 1/4-1/2".

Here is my thread on my car:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...ht=justin+wade

Regards,
Justin Wade
2004 FXTi
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Old 05-30-2006, 12:04 AM   #4
04furesterXT
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This is one of the guys I was refering to. It's easier to ask what he doesn't have.
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Old 06-02-2006, 08:13 PM   #5
wadejg
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I posted pictures of the suspension on the ground at post #29 in this thread:

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...ead.php?t=3230

Regards,
Justin Wade
2004 FXTi
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Old 06-02-2006, 09:25 PM   #6
Arnie
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Thanks you guys! I'll take a look. I haven't looked into Forester suspension much and I'm interested to see what going on in this community too!
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Old 06-02-2006, 11:00 PM   #7
AndyRoo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wadejg
I posted pictures of the suspension on the ground at post #29 in this thread:

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...ead.php?t=3230

Regards,
Justin Wade
2004 FXTi
Yup, that was me asking over there for the pictures (planning to link to that thread). Thanks a bunch!


- andrew
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Old 06-03-2006, 06:52 AM   #8
ricardo
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There's a pic of the rear suspension on mine in the first post in this thread:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...ead.php?t=5181

Note that the AST suspension is height-adjustable. This is the Forester-specific version, not the one designed for the Impreza. Note also that my comment 'an inch lower than stock' refers to the normal Forester STi, which is itself about an inch lower than the XT.
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Old 06-03-2006, 12:05 PM   #9
dobie0791
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Forester guys,
Could someone please measure their lateral links from end to end (center of bushing to center of bushing) and the measurement between the bushing and the center of the end link mounting tab?
I think i might have ended up with forester lateral links for my 05 STi.
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Old 06-03-2006, 05:08 PM   #10
wadejg
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The 2004-2006 forester aluminum lateral links are EXACTLY the same as the 2004 STI aluminum lateral links. The part numbers for the aluminum lat links are the same. Here is a link to the measurements for 2004 vs. 2005 STI. Should let you know which year you have.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...+link+sti+2005

Regards,
Justin Wade
2004 FXTi
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Old 06-03-2006, 06:46 PM   #11
dobie0791
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Thanks Justin- that was very helpful.
I will revive that thead to keep this thead on topic.
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Old 06-03-2006, 08:48 PM   #12
04furesterXT
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Not to contradict any of the information given here, but for my own edification, (I just ordered the Forester specific STi links) what is the difference between these two part nos. from the SPT site?

B0250SA000 (2004 Forester SPT STi lateral links)

B0250FE010 (2004 Impreza SPT STi lateral links)

http://www.spt.subaru.com:80/microsi...ER&trim=2.5+XT

http://www.spt.subaru.com:80/microsi...=WRX+STI+SEDAN
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Old 06-04-2006, 02:23 AM   #13
wadejg
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The B0250FE010 part are the pink steel arms. I'm not sure why, but the site isn't listing the aluminum arms for the 2004 STI. Last time I visited the site, about 4 months ago, they were there, and all the part numbers matched up perfectly. Eh, go figure.

Regards,
Justin Wade
2004 FXTi
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Old 06-04-2006, 04:14 PM   #14
maestro
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I only have this tidbit to add: I replaced my rear lateral links with stock '04 STi lateral links, and my stock ones were definitely a few mm longer. They looked identical otherwise except that the endlink attachment tab is significantly beefier on the STi links (hence my purchase). I should have measured the difference at the time, but sadly, I did not...

FYI - I'm currently running '04 STi takeoffs with STi-application GF210s and Hotchkis Competition (STi-application) swaybars and endlinks.
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Old 06-04-2006, 04:31 PM   #15
04furesterXT
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wadejg
The B0250FE010 part are the pink steel arms. I'm not sure why, but the site isn't listing the aluminum arms for the 2004 STI. Last time I visited the site, about 4 months ago, they were there, and all the part numbers matched up perfectly. Eh, go figure.

Regards,
Justin Wade
2004 FXTi

Yeah, I remember comparing in the past and seeing identical nos. Probably don't sell many to STi owners as they appear identical save the Group N bushings.
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Old 06-04-2006, 08:03 PM   #16
dobie0791
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Quote:
I only have this tidbit to add: I replaced my rear lateral links with stock '04 STi lateral links, and my stock ones were definitely a few mm longer. They looked identical otherwise except that the endlink attachment tab is significantly beefier on the STi links (hence my purchase). I should have measured the difference at the time, but sadly, I did not...
Can any Forester owners confirm the measurement of their lateral links, center of bushing to center of bushing?
Also, Maestro, do you know the outside to outside measurement of your old Forester swaybars (at the endlink mounting point)?
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