Lowering an MY08 Sti

[Famma]

Hi Guys, I have an 08 tuned by Sti (The Last of the Mohicans #250) I absolutly love it apart from the height of the suspension!!! It would look SO MUCH better if it was lower. Is it just my eyes or is the back slightly higher than the front???
I want to lower it about 40-50 mm and level it out and maybe have a slightly stiffer spring. I have read a lot of the posts but I am really confused now! Can anyone give me some good info about the right springs to use? or can I do somthing with the Sti springs?

Any info would be much appreciated. Thank You!

[Breeze91]

Hey Famma,

I put some tein S-techs in mine. At the same time I put in offset front bushes to give the car way more castor. Absolutely transformed the handling. This is the before and after pics. It settled down a little lower after a while. Drop is about 35mm. The wagon and sedan springs are the same so the wagon probably always sits a little lower at the back. This was over the Bilstein shocks.




After a couple of weeks you can see the front rear bias is no longer so pronounced.

[Famma]

Thanks Breeze, looks much better!

[Q]

Coilovers imo are the only way to go. Ideally a set of Bilstein BSS coilovers but they are hard to get.

[vaccine]

too much lowering in the rear will leave you with no shock travel.
Base adjustable shocks are the way to go. I have tein flex.
but they are illegal in some states.

[smythie]

Hi Guys, I have an 08 tuned by Sti (The Last of the Mohicans #250) I absolutly love it apart from the height of the suspension!!! It would look SO MUCH better if it was lower. Is it just my eyes or is the back slightly higher than the front???

No, the rear is not lower than the front. You will have less tyre to guard gap at the rear but if you look at the sill of the car, it will be level front-rear (provided you don't have 200kg or something in the boot). That is one of the issues many have when lowering their liberty, even with height adjustable coil overs - the trade off between having even fender gaps and a level ride height.

[GTSPECB STI]

Coilovers if you can afford them or these springs for $600 plus a good wheel alignment is the go I think. I got a much better stance, lower than the sti pinks, much firmer springs no bobblehead now with swift sports lowering springs from Nick at Entra. 1.5 fingers in fronts and 1 finger in rears is the gap after they settled a bit.

[teK--]

^^ What he said. I'm running the same springs also in Bilsteins and they are very very very good. Very smooth and firm but not harsh, they soak up even the biggest bumps without complaint. They wont dump your car super low if that is what you want, but when you do that it doesn't really matter what you're running as it will handle like crap anyway.

[senator]

Hey Famma,

I put some tein S-techs in mine.]

+1


Have the same car (181/250) and had the same issue, the STI pinks are too soft and ride was uncontrollable.

If you have the extra coin then the coilovers are the best. If not, Tein s techs springs will do the job perfectly, a vendor on this forum Phat GT has are specially made s tech which provides are nice low ride, which is not too firm, he can get you a price and also offer fitting if your Sydney based……..

I track my car and also do alot of country driving, these springs are a lot smoother and linear then the sti pinks…. You will not be disappointed

[Famma]

too much lowering in the rear will leave you with no shock travel.
Base adjustable shocks are the way to go. I have tein flex.
but they are illegal in some states.

Hi Dave, how do you find the ride and hanling with the Tein flex? is it too harsh? and as far as height adjustment is it ok does it allow for a fair bit of travel?
Thanks.

Fab

[tangcla]

40-50mm is not "a little"

[AndrewCowley]

The STi springs are already 15-20mm lower than stock, so if you go another 40-50mm its hard to see how you'd have an outcome that isn't insanely low.

[XT_for_me]

Coilovers have the advantage of adjustable ride height and damping but they will be quite a bit firmer than stock or even lowering springs. If you want to track the car or even just drive a few twisty roads think about the coilovers, but if you are just after the lower look find some springs.

There are also lots of other handling upgrades like sway bars, bushes, etc.

[olliej]

Sorry OP to hijack - but i tow a boat with my sti wagon,the arse squats quite low. Would coilovers be stiff enough to make a difference?