Current options for 04 suspension?

[john_sti_2004]

Hi,
I tried searching, and reading, but it all seems to be from long ago.
I have a 2004 STi, 125k miles.

Struts are clunking and front top mounts have some cracking showing.

What are the thoughts on replacements?
I see Subaru dealers offering oem struts for $350 a corner and new mounts are around $65.
Should I just buy oem, or am I much better going for aftermarket struts, or coilovers?
Car is street only, not tracked, not driven too hard these days.
I recall the oems were very expensive and so coilovers were the choice for many, more so if being tracked, but what is the current thinking?
What's a middle of the range coilover set these days?
Thanks for any advice.

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[Craig4g63]

I have no personal experience with these but have heard good things about KYB Excel G as a good factory replacement. Even the KYB AGX are decent adjustable strut. The Feal Fixed Perch Strut is also supposed to be good but might be more than you are looking for performance wise. Pedders makes a strut for that car as does Tein. I"ve not read much on reviews for either though. I think all but the Excel G are designed to handle lowering springs.

If you plan to do top hats i'd look at the group n or oem.

If you are also replacing springs then yes you are getting into coilover territory price wise. You can looks at Feal 441, Racecomp SuperStreet, Fortune Auto 500, or Cygnus X-1. A couple of them offer a "long stroke" option if you don't want to lower the car any.

If you live in the rust belt you will need to take care of most coilovers as they can have problems with rust and dirt causing them to leak or need rebuilt. Struts will be basically maintenance free, as your current ones were.

I'm sure there is stuff out there that is good that i'm forgetting but this hopefully helps a little.

[2pot]

KYB now do non-widetrack, inverted, rear struts in the US.

rear 5510031
rear 5510032
$130 each at rock auto

Non-widetrack fronts from the UK to US
KYB 321002 (gold in colour)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292279154...kAAOSwq89hCVmk
KYB 321003 (gold in colour)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292271625...QAAOSwYVRhCVgk

You could use non-inverted kyb agx with rear spacers, but your front sti springs would be too short - oem non-inverted springs are longer and softer, than oem springs made for an inverted strut.
KYB agx 734034 / 734035 / 734036 / 734037 $410, if bought individually, on ebay.
Rear spacers - for use with agx with blob/hawk rear top mounts:
https://www.fastwrx.com/products/tic...-strut-spacers
With the agx, you'd also need different front dust boots (20322AA000) and external bump stops (which bump stops would depend on ride heights).

[john_sti_2004]

Thanks guys, for the very detailed replies. It looks like I have some reading and research to do.

For clarity, I am in northern California now, bought the car new in 2003 in upstate New York, stayed there 6 years, relocated to Ca in Jan 2010, so the car has some rust evident on the underside (undertray bolts snapped off!) but corrosion slowed a lot in 2010.

Expect I should be able to get the struts out without too much hassle, hopefully.

Thinking I might splurge here and get coilovers, hoping to keep the car for a while yet, and it has not had much spent on it as yet.

Opinions on the Bilstein PSS9 kit? I had Bilsteins long ago on a fast car and they were terrific, so warm feelings for the brand.

Off to read some more.

[john_sti_2004]

deleted duplicate text, amateur!

[2pot]

The KYB inverted strut part numbers I gave are the OEM struts, but with poorer quality paint.

Why coilovers if a road car? Do you want to lower your car and use much stiffer springs, than you currently have?

[2pot]

Snap

[john_sti_2004]

Originally Posted by 2pot

The KYB inverted strut part numbers I gave are the OEM struts, but with poorer quality paint.

Why coilovers if a road car? Do you want to lower your car and use much stiffer springs, than you currently have?

Well, when you put it like that, no.

How do we know the KYBs are the OEM struts?
Would it have been useful to include that information in the first post?

Why is one eBay page in german and one in italian?

[2pot]

KYB made the inverted struts for Subaru.

Odd, the links work my end.

Try searching these item numbers on your ebay.
292279154047
292271625117

[john_sti_2004]

Originally Posted by 2pot

KYB made the inverted struts for Subaru.

Odd, the links work my end.

Try searching these item numbers on your ebay.
292279154047
292271625117

That works better, thanks.

[benflynn]

I regret my group n top hats, with inverted bills and rsr lowering springs they are too much

[2pot]

Originally Posted by benflynn

I regret my group n top hats, with inverted bills and rsr lowering springs they are too much

Group N at the rear is overkill on the road.
If they are the RB320 inverted Bilstein struts? They are very stiff in compression with linear pistons.
RS*R down springs are low. You likely need shorter bump stops. What are your wheel centre to arch measurements?