Subaru Crew - Modifications II

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Comments

  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    It's the vendor who threw the red flag.
  • volkovvolkov Member Posts: 1,306
    She's all broken in and I'm still in love, but I would like to see the bottom end a little more responsive. It is my daily driver which is all city street driving. Lots of stop lights and stop signs at the bottom of hills etc. I knew the limitation when I bought the car. I'd like to see better acceleration off the line without driving it like a crazed teenager. Question here is what's my best conservative mod to increase my driving enjoyment?

    I'm thinking the best choice is putting in a catless up-pipe. I don't care about improving the upper end perfomance, and although installation will be $$$, it's cheaper than a turbo/cat-back.

    I'm sure I'd die for the 6spd STi tranny looking at it's ratios, but that's cost prohibitive.
    A second baby turbo is a little too ambitious for me. Okay, it's just plain silly.
    Some people have described better day to day driving performance from re-flashes, but if you look at the perfomance graphs, none of them show any real improvement under 3-3.5k. So I doubt they would help me, unless there is an issue that all graphic data is at WOT and partial throttle response may be better down low. Any real life experience there?

    There is the old low-end torque trick which is to go to smaller wheels/tires - the same effect as altering the final diff., but given that gravel road blasting is practically the reason I bought this car, I would be hesitent to lower it.

    Comments? I know for sure Mike will have some opinions.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    "I'm thinking the best choice is putting in a catless up-pipe."
    Yep, me too!

    -Dennis
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Ok, I put it on and didn't snap any bolts this time. :-) Nothing really to be said about the mod that everyone doesn't already already know. Peaty's site is a great resource!

    I really have to upgrade the tires and I wish that Loosh would help me make up my mind. :-D

    Stopped by AZP Installs on Saturday and saw the infamous Legacy turbo. What a cool car! Jim must've have spent countless hours OCD'ing it (is that a verb? :-) ).

    -Dennis
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    yea you're a big help, too! :lol:
  • maverick1017maverick1017 Member Posts: 212
    anyone know if there is a company that make ss brakelines for 1st gen Foresters? I tried searching for it with google but came up blank. only thing I found was ss lines for imprezas, will those fit?

    Thanks much for any info!

    Mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Goodridge Lines for the 'RS will fit the Forester as well. Heck All the subies from ~'90->'01 are the same lines. If you have drum brakes, order the ones for the Impreza L with drums. Shoot me an e-mail and I can probably get the part #s.

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Well lots of changes in plans on the legacy...

    Brakes:
    WRX Rotors, Racing Brake.com slotted racing grade materials.
    Subaru 4-pot Calipers
    Hawk HP+ Pads
    Goodridge SS Lines

    Rims:
    '99 RS 16x7 w/ Faulken Azenis in 215-45-16 (Summer)
    '00 RS 16x7 w/Dunlop SP5000s in 205-55-16 (Winter)

    Motor:
    Manual Boost Controller
    STi V4 JDM Intercooler
    Yet to be determined BOV for it
    VDO Boost Gauge
    VDO EGT Gauge
    VDO Oil Pressure
    VDO Oil Temp
  • volkovvolkov Member Posts: 1,306
    So why 16" wheels. Is it because you've lowered the car, or a weight issue? Love to know.
    Nicholas
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    a set of 17x7.5s but i think they'll be too larger to fit in the rear with the 225 tires. If they fit I'll probably run them, but I doubt they'll fit.

    -mike
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    no plans to change the turbo? that tiny stock one can't give much more than stock boost with anything resembling efficiency.

    ~c
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The stock turbo is good up to 13-14psi boost efficiently. Stock is 4-5psi. Currently the plan is to keep the stocker, but I do have a WRX turbo in the shop if the need should arise.

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Ok well after working on customer cars from 8:30am til 9:30pm, around 11pm I finally got down to swapping over to the '99 wheels for the Legacy and put on the Subaru 4-pot brakes with Hawk HP+ Pads. Didn't bother with the lines yet cause there is a ton of undercoating on the lines and didn't want to get caught short late last night with the lines apart.

    Brake feel is amazingly better now with the Nickle-plated Alloy Slotted rotors and 4-pots :) Can't wait to swap over the Faulken Azenis tires to the '99 rims which are running near-bald RE92s right now.

    -mike
  • volkovvolkov Member Posts: 1,306
    Do you actually sleep? See you logging on quite late Pacific time, and you're EST. I have pulled back a lot due to family and job commitments, but it used to be a running joke with my wife about me starting a job on the bike a 10pm. Oh it'll only be about 30 mins I'd say and then I'd get to bed after 2 am. "But once I re installed the brakes, I noticed play in the fork and I had to pull it apart and check the bushings....."
    You are a smarter man to remain targeted on the job at hand.

    Nicholas
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    But I work nights so i have a messed up schedule to begin with... :(

    -mike
  • jimmyp1atworkjimmyp1atwork Member Posts: 42
    I love hearing about all the changes, but a picture is worth a thousand words.... :).

    Stock boost is 8.7 psi, btw. And yes, I've seen people say that 12-14 psi is as far as you should go before considering an intercooler and bigger turbo/bigger injectors, etc.

    Jim
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wow I thought I read only 4.5, interesting.

    I have been so busy with work/working on the cars I haven't had time to take pics. I will get up a bunch soon though. Hopefully this weekend.

    -mike
  • jimmyp1atworkjimmyp1atwork Member Posts: 42
    http://www.legacycentral.org/library/turbo_info.htm

    This is from the original BC-BF website that has since turned into bbs.legacycentral.org. Dave did amazing things with his wagon. This linked article shows how strong the 2.2t was made.

    Jim
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Here are some pics of your baby. A little dirty but I'll wash her tomorrow and snap a few more.

    image
    image
    image
    image
    image

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Now don't forget these tires are 5.5% smaller than the WRX wheels/tires. They are 2% smaller than stock.

    The tint is 20%.
    4-pot Subaru Calipers with HP+ Pads :)
    Racingbrake.com Slotted Nickle Rotors.
    99 RS Rims :)
    215-45-16 Faulken Azenis Tires

    I wound up putting a ding in the hood because I nailed a hard bump and killed the left side strut top mount about 2 weeks ago. So tomorrow I will put in the Group N top mounts for it and get it aligned.

    -mike
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    you didn't bend the control arm?

    ~c
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The rubber just gave way when I tagged a massive pothole on the VanWyke Expressway a few weeks ago. I guess the 10 year old rubber combined with the new struts and springs led to the failure and the tip of the Koni dinged the hood from the inside.

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I know this is shallow, but I love the tread pattern on the Falken Azenis tire. It's a decidedly asymmetrical summer tire.

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yup the Azenis are great summer tires, and inexpensive as well. Suprisingly good in the rain too.

    -mike
  • eb12eb12 Member Posts: 16
    My 3 year old daughter was looking at the pictures with me, when she saw the last one she said "I see McDonalds". -Eric
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    A fellow FXT owner is selling me a near-perfect set of SSR Comps, 16x7 +50mm, for $700. Anthracite with polished lip- not my 1st choice looks-wise, but hey, $700 for a set of semi forged 11 pound rims..... Just ordered a set of 225/60/16 Firestone SZ50EPs from Luke to go on 'em. Everything should be here Monday, then off to the tire shop for mounting and balancing.

    Cobb rear bar is on and SCHWEET, waiting for replacement front bar. Then I'm done pretty much.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    You're lucky you saw those SSR's before I did. ;-)

    -Dennis
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Sorry Dennis! Yea I got lucky. REAL lucky.

    I was driving around yesterday after a week on VA and even NYC roads, and was just shocked at how poor my area's streets are. I am quite comfortable with my size choice, and it will even help the mileage.
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Loosh: Very good deal. Glad to read that there's one fewer Forester XT owner gnashing his teeth over wheel/tire choices. ;-P

    Dennis: If you're gonna stick with 16"s why not just get a set of SZ50EPs of your own?

    Ed (making another rare appearance)
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    I have to contact Arne Haines about getting the UK OEM 17 (aka Speedline Chrono).
    I've been looking at the Michelin 4x4 Diamaris in 225/55/17. I love the SZ50EP, but not sure I would want to be limited to a tarmac only tire. I think the Diamaris might be a little more soft-roader friendly.

    -Dennis
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    I got your PM over @ nabisco re same. I know very little about the Diamaris. I haven't been following the exchange rate but that aside, once you source the Chronos don't hesitate.

    Ed (working on making room on the fence)
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    is a summer SUV tire that's OEM on the X5 and Cayenne S. I'm mostly curious about the size though (225/55/17).

    -Dennis
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    FWIW I see Tire Rack dropped the price of the BBS RKs to $199 each.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Although they might be a little too blingy for me the more that I look at them. That's why I'm thinking about the UK 17.

    I contacted Prodrive USA and asked if they carry a P7 in +48mm offset like the UK does. Their reply was they have a P7 that fits the Forester, but didn't mention the offset. I asked for a confirmation.

    edit: The bright flitter P7 is +48. Hmmm. :-) Now I have to look for a pic of a flight britter, er bright flitter.

    -Dennis
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    That would have saved me a lot of headaches and a little money a couple of years ago. Oh well...

    Ed [making little guinea pig noises at his desk]
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    The bright flitter looks nice. It's in between anthracite and silver.

    I've gotta get rid of my P1's to make room in the garage.

    -Dennis
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    That's a hell of a deal on genuine SSR comps, enjoy.

      Cheers Pat.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    They'll be here Monday. Tires are here already. Suffice to say, I'm a little excited.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Loosh,

    Sweet. Sounds like you scored a great deal. Pics and driving impressions when you get them on!

    Ken
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I have to say, even with just the rear Cobb bar on its mildest setting and riding on Geos, this car is...um.....kinda scary. The SG is so rigid, and the new engine so fast, I imagine that an FXT with the STi suspension bolted up would be an absolute monster. 2 Track weekends and 2 seasons of autocross in a BD/BG Legacy leave me only redimentally prepared to handle this thing.

    I know there's grumblings about the FXT in the Forester community, kinda like when the WRX crashed the 2.5RS party. Please just remember that the SG generally is a fairly big step forward for the model.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Put the group N top mounts in the front and did an oil change and put redline in the tranny to try to quiet down the 2nd gear grinding.

    On the L we put on some angel-eye fake morret headlights and STi steering wheel.

    Tomorrow if it's quiet at the shop we'll put on the chassis stiffening bar on the Legacy and tear the carpet out of the L in preparation for the cage going in in 2 weeks.

    -mike
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    SG?

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    SF- 1st gen forester
    SG- current gen.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    11 lbs, wow, hey, weight those with tires mounted, would ya? I think mine were in the 43 lb range with tires. Same for the 15" steelies.

    Course I paid like nothing so I didn't exactly expect mine to be light.

    mike - you need lights? ;-)

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I will be getting some Hella HID Driving lights for the Legacy shortly, just a matter of saving up some $ for it.

    For the L when we run night enduros we'll lift the Hella 4000s off the Trooper and mount them to the hood of the L :)

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That'll be like driving in daylight.

    Those are some Hella good lights!

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Just picked up a load of Racingbrake.com rotors for team members. Sweet replacement rotors :)

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    There is a 50/50 chance that the legacy will be getting a nifty little upgrade....

    6MT with DCCD and LSD F/R. How do you like them apples?

    -mike
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I know that an STi owner wouldn't just give you that stuff ;-), you find a donor car? Why not take the engine too?

    -Brian
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    it would be geared pretty tall for a car lacking at least 100HP from what it was intended to be in, but there's no question that it would be a good upgrade.

    I love the front LSD in particular.

    ~c
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