This is a must do mod. Just got mine done today at Trutrak and the difference is night and day. What the heck are Subaru thinking ??? The car hanfles like a dream now. Oh yeah, and the stockies were fragged (55K kms) !
According to Ralph, it produced +7 degrees of positive caster.
Now for how it has transformed the car.
When I first drove off things seemed a touch different, Nothing too obvious or dramatic. Unfortunately it was peak hour so the roads were choked and I couldn't really evaluate the handling. Then as I forgot about the mod and got closer to home, I took one of the corners in the usual fashion (read, at a slightly brisker pace). Ohh, that felt different !! Hmm, will investigate after dinner.
So I hoovered dinner down and got back into the car. Down the driveway, onto the main road and up around a long sweeper. Holy mother, this thing felt sure footed. I pressed on, more power, more power. Yikes I'm taking this corner at incredible speed now, all the while with confidence rising. The road hits a roundabout with another sweeper to the left. Shite, more steering required than usual, adjust and round she goes. U-turn up the top then hammer down the sweeper (massive grin on face), through the roundabout then down the second sweeper. Oh my, this is too fast. I have to re-learn this car. Stupid Subaru I think to myself, but with a smile that extends down to my arsehole !!
This is what I have discovered thus far:-
- Postive caster is good
- More steering is required than before to make a turn (really only noticable in tight turns. Will get used to it though)
- Front end feels less jittery, more planted
- Less bump steer
- No noticable NVH iincreases
- Much better handling
- Front wheels closer to front guard
- Smile on my face
This is the last suspension mod in a list that includes the following (in order):-
- strut brace -> small but noticable difference
- 18inch STi wheels -> more road feel, turn in improved
- TEIN flex coilovers -> lowered look and improved handling. Front end less nervous but not perfect
- Whiteling coilovers -> less roll but otherwise not a huge difference. Perhaps somewhat negated by the TEINS
- Fulcrum LCA bushes -> Big improvement. Front end feels planted with less bump steer, less sensitve, less jittery.
Sorry about the long winded post but I am truly amazed at the difference such a cheap modification has made. Anyone that hasn't done this mod should really consider it.
//Norbs
