Differences between bc/gc/gd front springs/struts

dscoobydoo · Post by **dscoobydoo** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:59 am

I recently got my hands on a set of H&R springs for the wrx. The rears are a direct fit for the legacy/ impreza, but the fronts won't fit.

Why not you ask?
Well, the springs front and rear of the gc/bc chassis are symmetrical in that they are non tapered. ( yes, AFTER 1991 for the leg)

The wrx front springs taper in 3/4" . Thus, you would have to use different top spring perches. But the rears are a direct fit.

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 5:49 pm

so my 90 leg would need new tops in the rear. and in the front to use WRX springs?

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:08 pm

Greg - Yes.

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:19 pm

BAC5.2 wrote:Greg - Yes.

thanks

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:24 pm

actually, you would need different top mounts in the rear too, you have the 90-91 tapered rear springs.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:40 pm

That's what he said

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:50 pm

scottzg wrote:actually, you would need different top mounts in the rear too, you have the 90-91 tapered rear springs.

read the whole incoherent sentence and you will notice i said rear and front.

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:54 pm

oh. yea. Sorry, i wont try to be helpful again.

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:59 pm

scottzg wrote:oh. yea. Sorry, i wont try to be helpful again.

you just keep your helpfullness to yourself, OK?

seriously, thats ok had my moments too.

JasonGrahn · Post by **JasonGrahn** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:43 pm

Tapered springs have SO been covered already. Clickun der serchen button.

dscoobydoo · Post by **dscoobydoo** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:58 am

My point in this thread was to inform people that REAR WRX springs will bolt in the 92 and newer BC/BF, but the fronts will not due to the WRX tapered front springs. THUS, if you swap out the whole front assembly from the WRX, then you can run the WHOLE WRX spring/strut combo front and rear.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 6:26 am

and that's good information!

douglas vincent · Post by **douglas vincent** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 6:43 am

I have 02 WRX springs (got for free) should I spend the money and time to find the right tops, or should I find better springs (are they out there) for my 1990 wagon?

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 7:16 am

Are they from a WRX wagon? If not, then it's not worth it.

If so, then just get some hats from a wrecked WRX (or stock hats from those that go to Grp N hats). Or get Grp N hats yourself.

dscoobydoo · Post by **dscoobydoo** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:56 am

IF you want to fit the springs to your car, you will need to get the FRONT top spring perch from a WRX, and the rear perch from a newer WRX or Legacy or Impreza to make them work. Try a junkyard. IF they are free, why not put them on and see. The spring perchs should not be too expensive.

Can't beat free. I would get the parts and put them in and see how it feels.

THEN I would save up for springs just for your car.
( I myself prefer parts made JUST for my car)

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:31 am

so wait wait wait, lemme make sure I've got this right

for the sake of arguement were going to call bc/bf/gc/gf/gm 1st gen suspension, and bd/bg/gd/gg 2nd gen suspension.

To mount 2nd gen suspension components in a 1st gen car, you would need

in the front: 1st or 2nd gen struts, 2nd gen springs, 2nd gen perches, 1st or 2nd gen tophats

and the rear: 1st or 2nd gen struts, 1st or 2nd gen springs, 1st or 2nd gen perches, 1st gen tophats

Is all this info correct?

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 5:48 am

thawa you are making my brain hurt! stop it.

dscoobydoo · Post by **dscoobydoo** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:15 am

OK, in reply to THAWA, BASED on what I have attempted/seen/ and now know:

WRX 02-04 rear springs fit in a gc/bc,
Front wrx 02-04 springs do not directly swap without the spring top perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
so wait wait wait, lemme make sure I've got this right

for the sake of arguement were going to call bc/bf/gc/gf/gm 1st gen suspension, and bd/bg/gd/gg 2nd gen suspension.

To mount 2nd gen suspension components in a 1st gen car, you would need

in the front: 2nd gen struts, 2nd gen springs, 2nd gen perches, 1st or 2nd gen tophats

More or less yes. You could use 1st gen struts, but you would need all the 2nd gen spring/perch stuff.

and the rear: 1st or 2nd gen struts, 1st or 2nd gen springs, 1st or 2nd gen perches, 1st gen tophats

Again, it seems that they are all uniform based on my trying the install.

I did run the car with the WRX rear springs for a day. Since the weight is about the same, I would guess the damping would be correct, but without the front hardware to match, I could not tell you how the whole thing would feel. Since I did not have the whole hardware, I can only tell you that the rear dropped around 1.25 inches. It gave the car about an inch in the fenderwells ( just looking directly at them, estimated)

THUS, if you do the whole front swap, you could go to all 2nd gen equipment. ( if the tophats will fit in the rear, and I am out of funds to try that one)

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:27 pm

cool cool, the rear tophats are different, different bolt offset from what I was told. I'll update my post.

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Differences between bc/gc/gd front springs/struts

Differences between bc/gc/gd front springs/struts