Currently available struts, springs, and coilovers
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:40 am
I've been making some updates to my website and going through a bunch of catalogs lately, and figured I'd post about some of the parts you can get for these cars right now in 2018. Since the BC/BF suspension is basically identical to what is on a GC Impreza, there's actually quite a bit.
The only things you probably need to use any of this stuff are the 92-94 rear top mounts, and AWD. These are all BC or GC specific parts, and that is a better option to using newer WRX parts even though you can make them work. The 02-07 impreza has a wider track which causes alignment and binding issues, and the rear top mounts are different. Much easier to stick with GC parts, and I've used wrx parts on a 1st gen.
First are struts. KYB makes the gr-2, now known as the excel-g, and that is the best oem-like replacement. The part numbers from kyb are the same between 92-94 legacy and 93-01 impreza, and they even list FWD, and 90-91 struts, but actually buying those might be harder.
KYB also makes the AGX for the GC, which is adjustable and can work in a good variety of situations. Keep them on the softer side with stock height springs and go rally crossing. Put on stiffer lowering springs or coilover sleeves and you have a good tarmac setup.
Koni also makes inserts, but I can only ensure they fit GC OEM struts made by KYB
90-91 awd part numbers: 235063, 235064, 235067, 235068
90-91 fwd rear struts: 235071 235072
92-94/GC part numbers: 334111, 334112, 334109, 334110
92-94 fwd rear struts: 235073, 235074
AGX: 734006, 734007, 733010, 733011
Koni inserts: 8610-1351, 8610-1352
Springs are a little more complicated. Firstly, you need the 92-94 or GC struts, perches, and rear tops to get the right ride height. Secondly, on a wagon they're going to sit a little low in the back unless you add a strut spacer. Additionally, I'm not sure on whether some of them are still made but here's what I came up with:
Eibach pro-kit - 7705.140 - lowers 1.2/1.0 on impreza
H&R sport springs - 29472-1 - lowers 1.8/1.4" on impreza. too low especially on a legacy
Tanabe GF210 - TGF031 - lowers 1.3/1.0"
King springs -KSFx-22, KSRx-23 where x= L for lowring, S, for standard, R for raised.
That's all the struts and springs aside from what you might find at a parts store, now we move onto coilovers. There is a pretty good selection, and that's even ignoring the crap like raceland and whatever is on ebay/amazon. I used to mostly say "buy struts and springs!" but now a coilover setup is becoming more appealing if you have a completely worn out suspension.
First, and cheapest decent coilover is the Tein Street Advance Z. Tein has never been a brand I particularly liked, but when your options and budget are limited you can't be quite as picky. The street advance z is a new product meant to be more friendly on us roads. Previously, tein stuff was kind of stiff and limited on shock travel. These use softer rates and have more travel than previous products like the Flex. You get an adjustable spring perch for ride height, a damper adjustment knob, and they fit on the stock top mounts. Cost is under $700.
Next, the ST-X coilover. ST suspension is the budget brand of KW. They make two versions- the X, and the XTA. Both are a less expensive version of the KW Variant series, and the main difference is with the strut housing itself. KW uses stainless steel, ST uses galvanized steel. ST X has no damping adjustment, threaded spring perches, and works with the stock top mounts. Cost is a little over 900.
KW and ST make a lot more products with more features and higher cost:
KW Variant 1 - ST X with a stainless steel housing - 1500-1600
ST XTA - 1-way damper adjustment, front camber plates - 1400-1500
KW Variant 3 - 2-way damper adjustment, stainless housing - 2300
KW Clubsport: V3 with stiffer springs and changes to valving - 2500 (discontinued, but a few sets floating around)
I think that Racecomp Engineering can also still get their version of the V1 and V3 in this fitment. Called the Tarmac 0 and Tarmac 2, they swap the springs for more race-track appropriate rates and firm up the valving. If you have the budget for KW V3s or Clubsports the T2s are a better option.
Ok, one more fancy suspension to list, the Bilstein PSS9. You've heard of it probably. Inverted struts all around, single adjustable dampers. Works with stock top mounts. Not cheap, but less than the variant 3 at around 2100. Right now a lot of Bilstein stuff is backordered, including the pss9 for the gc, and they won't be available until the fall.
There are a few other things out there. H&R lists a coilover, and they are generally ok parts. I don't know who makes the damper, or what kind of spring rates they have, but it seems to cost around 1500. I would assume you can get something from JRZ if you're looking for race car parts, and the same goes for other brands that make good stuff like MCS, MCA, and AST, for example.
BC racing.ISC, probably megan, etc have GC coilovers, but I don't particularly like them. They do come with camber plates and top mounts and cost $1000 or less. A better option would be Feal Suspension or Fortune Auto. They're similar, but put together better, and they assemble the dampers in house using actually good internal parts. However, to meet those price points, the housings, lower mounts, springs, tops and stuff are not as nice. Travel tends to be a little on the short side as well compared to bilstein and kw. But the dampers themselves are nice and work pretty well.
The only things you probably need to use any of this stuff are the 92-94 rear top mounts, and AWD. These are all BC or GC specific parts, and that is a better option to using newer WRX parts even though you can make them work. The 02-07 impreza has a wider track which causes alignment and binding issues, and the rear top mounts are different. Much easier to stick with GC parts, and I've used wrx parts on a 1st gen.
First are struts. KYB makes the gr-2, now known as the excel-g, and that is the best oem-like replacement. The part numbers from kyb are the same between 92-94 legacy and 93-01 impreza, and they even list FWD, and 90-91 struts, but actually buying those might be harder.
KYB also makes the AGX for the GC, which is adjustable and can work in a good variety of situations. Keep them on the softer side with stock height springs and go rally crossing. Put on stiffer lowering springs or coilover sleeves and you have a good tarmac setup.
Koni also makes inserts, but I can only ensure they fit GC OEM struts made by KYB
90-91 awd part numbers: 235063, 235064, 235067, 235068
90-91 fwd rear struts: 235071 235072
92-94/GC part numbers: 334111, 334112, 334109, 334110
92-94 fwd rear struts: 235073, 235074
AGX: 734006, 734007, 733010, 733011
Koni inserts: 8610-1351, 8610-1352
Springs are a little more complicated. Firstly, you need the 92-94 or GC struts, perches, and rear tops to get the right ride height. Secondly, on a wagon they're going to sit a little low in the back unless you add a strut spacer. Additionally, I'm not sure on whether some of them are still made but here's what I came up with:
Eibach pro-kit - 7705.140 - lowers 1.2/1.0 on impreza
H&R sport springs - 29472-1 - lowers 1.8/1.4" on impreza. too low especially on a legacy
Tanabe GF210 - TGF031 - lowers 1.3/1.0"
King springs -KSFx-22, KSRx-23 where x= L for lowring, S, for standard, R for raised.
That's all the struts and springs aside from what you might find at a parts store, now we move onto coilovers. There is a pretty good selection, and that's even ignoring the crap like raceland and whatever is on ebay/amazon. I used to mostly say "buy struts and springs!" but now a coilover setup is becoming more appealing if you have a completely worn out suspension.
First, and cheapest decent coilover is the Tein Street Advance Z. Tein has never been a brand I particularly liked, but when your options and budget are limited you can't be quite as picky. The street advance z is a new product meant to be more friendly on us roads. Previously, tein stuff was kind of stiff and limited on shock travel. These use softer rates and have more travel than previous products like the Flex. You get an adjustable spring perch for ride height, a damper adjustment knob, and they fit on the stock top mounts. Cost is under $700.
Next, the ST-X coilover. ST suspension is the budget brand of KW. They make two versions- the X, and the XTA. Both are a less expensive version of the KW Variant series, and the main difference is with the strut housing itself. KW uses stainless steel, ST uses galvanized steel. ST X has no damping adjustment, threaded spring perches, and works with the stock top mounts. Cost is a little over 900.
KW and ST make a lot more products with more features and higher cost:
KW Variant 1 - ST X with a stainless steel housing - 1500-1600
ST XTA - 1-way damper adjustment, front camber plates - 1400-1500
KW Variant 3 - 2-way damper adjustment, stainless housing - 2300
KW Clubsport: V3 with stiffer springs and changes to valving - 2500 (discontinued, but a few sets floating around)
I think that Racecomp Engineering can also still get their version of the V1 and V3 in this fitment. Called the Tarmac 0 and Tarmac 2, they swap the springs for more race-track appropriate rates and firm up the valving. If you have the budget for KW V3s or Clubsports the T2s are a better option.
Ok, one more fancy suspension to list, the Bilstein PSS9. You've heard of it probably. Inverted struts all around, single adjustable dampers. Works with stock top mounts. Not cheap, but less than the variant 3 at around 2100. Right now a lot of Bilstein stuff is backordered, including the pss9 for the gc, and they won't be available until the fall.
There are a few other things out there. H&R lists a coilover, and they are generally ok parts. I don't know who makes the damper, or what kind of spring rates they have, but it seems to cost around 1500. I would assume you can get something from JRZ if you're looking for race car parts, and the same goes for other brands that make good stuff like MCS, MCA, and AST, for example.
BC racing.ISC, probably megan, etc have GC coilovers, but I don't particularly like them. They do come with camber plates and top mounts and cost $1000 or less. A better option would be Feal Suspension or Fortune Auto. They're similar, but put together better, and they assemble the dampers in house using actually good internal parts. However, to meet those price points, the housings, lower mounts, springs, tops and stuff are not as nice. Travel tends to be a little on the short side as well compared to bilstein and kw. But the dampers themselves are nice and work pretty well.
