i would like to know what i need for the 6 speed sti swap. where can i get all of the parts, and who has the best deals. thanks

pm Alex "Imprezer" he's looking into getting one or go look in the vendors forum since some of them can get the 6mt STi...
or go look here www.rallyperformance.com or www.rallispec.com or check with Nino vendor "Nino's Autoaccessories"

Andy.

There are a handful of guys that have done the swap now. Bare minimum you need the 6MT, shifter linkage, shorter rear propshaft, and a 3.90 rear diff. You can get a 3.9 rear diff and the propshaft off of older cars. BADWRX just recently did the swap. Rally shops are your best bet in finding one, unless you have some good Japanese junkyard sources. I'd budget $5k for everything. I'm still trying to decide whether it's worth it or not... There is a "coolness" factor in having the 6-spd, but $5k is alot of money... I'm not sure once the STi is the US with the 6MT they are going to be much cheaper either, since there won't be many of them.

I mainly want one for the Suretrac front diff and the close gear ratios. Those Suretrac diffs are $$$, like $1250 for a brand new one...

If you want a brand new one, AV Sports is probably the cheapest and sells the basic conversion kit for $7300.

Phil

thanks for the info guys.

You don't need a 3.9 rear diff, all you need is a 3.9 ring and pinion.

~ prices:

Tranny + shifter linkage = ~ 3000-4000
Prop shaft = ~ 500
Ring and pinion = ~ 300.

So ~ $5000 for a bare minimum setup.

- Alex

I think its JUN that also sells a 6spd conversion gear set for the stock WRX casing.

Thats kaaz, and you loose reverse.

Zero Sports makes 6MT for 5MT casing, too.
It has reverse and some gears are straight cut with synchro I believe. This is a good alternative too because this sets of gears are tough ones.

Around $5000

I knew there was some company here in Japan that made a 6spd conversion. One that lets you keep the stock casing as well as reverse.

Yeah that ZeroSports kit is the only 5->6spd conversion I'm aware of. You lose reverse with that kit. Kaaz makes a much stronger 5spd gearset for the 5MT with very close ratios. STi makes a stronger 6MT gearset as well. What I wanted for my car was 1) Front LSD 2) Shorter gear ratios. It's an autox/rallyx car for the most part that will be running around 320hp. So my choices were:

1) Spare 5MT w/Kaaz gearset and front LSD.

Looking at $900 for donor trans, ~$2k for Kaaz gearset, and another $750 for front LSD. So right there you have $3650 plus the labor to install the LSD and gearset which could be around $400-500. Pros are you have a short ratio box which is very strong (500+ hp rated). Cons are the ratios 2-5 are really short.

2) Above with Chalak custom ratio setup. Same thing, not rated for as much horsepower, but can get custom ratios easier. A little more expensive.

3) 00 STi RA gearset/4.444 final drive swap plus front LSD. Involves swapping around the final drive ring/pinion gears in the front and rear and the transfer gear in the center. $1500 for gearset, $750 for other parts, $750 for front LSD plus labor. Probalby $4k altogether. And that would be installing it in your own transmission, not a donor trans. You can skip the RA gearset but then you have the stock 5MT gears...

4) STi RA 6-spd. ~$3500-4k for gearbox with shift linkage/clutch/flywheel, another $300 or so for propshaft, and maybe $500 for a spare R160 rear diff plus ring/pinion. So $5k complete. Pros are a stronger box, 6 speeds to choose from, very close ratios 1-4 but still drivable in 5th/6th. Already has Suretrac (ATB type) front diff. No assembly required, just bolt it into the car. Cons are cost and if you break it you have no warranty (unless you bought a brand new one which is like $2k more). Still have old gearbox, unless you broke it. Coolness factor of having the 6-spd. :)


I'm still trying to decide but the 6-spd is winning out more and more every day for my needs.

who in southern california can do an sti 6 speed swap for me. also who in the area can get me the parts.

If I believe right(ALEX?) the 6spd cases resist the flexing that the current transmissons have. Resulting in stripped gears and such. Anyone with info on this? 6spd might me the what for anyone not looking to go over 300~350hp.

-scu

I'd wait for the STi's to become available, then wait for a wreck :D

In the drivetrain manual for the '02 Impreza's it lists that the TS wagon has a 3.9 rear diff. It has the same ring gear as the WRX rear but just a different pinion. I'll look at it again tonight and give the exact numbers. so you may be able to get away with just the pinion gear in the rear diff.

Originally posted by stealth-wrx
i would like to know what i need for the 6 speed sti swap. where can i get all of the parts, and who has the best deals. thanks

You'll need a lot of $$, that's for sure.

Ain't that the truth. Too bad Subaru won't just offer the 6spd as a OEM upgrade option. That way you could tack it onto the car loan and not have to worry about doing the swap later.

Originally posted by N/A
Ain't that the truth. Too bad Subaru won't just offer the 6spd as a OEM upgrade option. That way you could tack it onto the car loan and not have to worry about doing the swap later.

Forget as an option, it should come with one from the factory. Even Ford and Nissan offer it in their sub 20K cars.

True but we're talking about Subaru and the last couple of years they've been getting to be a bunch of cheap bastards on us. Thats why I figured they'd at least offer it as an option. They can make even more money off of it that way, we'd get a warranty although it would likely not be worth ****, it would be easier to pay for if it was rolled into the car loan and all the hassles of tracking one down and installing it would be taken care of.

Originally posted by N/A
True but we're talking about Subaru and the last couple of years they've been getting to be a bunch of cheap bastards on us. Thats why I figured they'd at least offer it as an option. They can make even more money off of it that way, we'd get a warranty although it would likely not be worth ****, it would be easier to pay for if it was rolled into the car loan and all the hassles of tracking one down and installing it would be taken care of.

I agree. :)

hmm, i might just have to shell out the money

I'll be doing this conversion after the new year. I'm still investigating the options. So far, the best solution seems to be BADWRX's out in CA. Curry's Auto in Northern VA will be doing the work and they are researching the options.

Hey dwx, couldn't you keep your 5th gear so it's not as short as the others?

OK from the other info this is what I have seen, mostly BADWRX's posts:

1. Clutch and flywheel from WRX can be used with 6 speed. but if you are going to the trouble you might as well go with the STi.

2. shift linkage & knob

3. 6 speed Tranny :p

4. Shorter prop shaft (either the STi one or I have heard some of the auto trans work...Forester maybe?)

5. Rear diff, now the Impreza 2002 Chasis manual lists the WRX with manual tranny as having a 3.54 rear diff with a 39 tooth ring and a 11 tooth pinion. It also lists the manual transmission TS Wagon as having a 3.9 rear diff, with a 39 tooth ring and a 10 tooth pinion. so seeing as both of the ring gears are 39 tooth all you need is the pinion of off a 2002 TS wagon with MT. I asume the rings on both are the same size since they are both R-160 diffs.

and thats about it I think..unless you are going to go with the R-180 diff. in wich case you will need the rear drive axles and the STi rear hubs...and you will need to think about getting rid of your ABS, as the sensors reside in the hubs.

any one, please add or correct what I have listed.

What if i want to put it into my GC8 Coupe? will i need more stuff? I am planning on doing this int he future....will i need a new clutch and flywheel? What about the propshaft? will that fit? and what about the actual Tranny tunnel? Will i need to hit it with a sledge hammer???
adamsrs

BADWRX has said in a post on the old i-club that in some markets the sti comes with a 3.54 rear diff from the factory. Considering that our WRX already has a rear 3.54 diff, and our gearing is taller than in most other markets, it will not be suprising to see the STI coming here with a 3.54 rear diff. Getting it used domesticly should bring down the price to around $3K, hopefully.

Then all you need is the shift linkage and prop shaft, and it's a 6 hour job you can do in your driveway with jackstands and hand tools.

Kevin

In the newest Impreza mag they have a side by side comparison of the old 5spd M/T and the new 6spd STI unit. Internally they are very different. Looks like a great improvement over the old M/T. I'll get the pics scanned in today and loaded up for you guys to look at. The tiny gears and shaft for 1st and 2nd gears have been totally replaced.

so who do i call in california.

Stealth The work is not hard suby specialties can do the work for you, I know of several people that can get you the 6MT for a decent price, Marshall at loveland motors 970-667-5385, Ron (he was supposed to have a couple) 314 443 7414. There is no onw in SO Cal that you can just go and pick one up from thought there are people that can import one for you, I can get you a decent deal on one (Located in LA), Areg (LOcated in Tujunga) can get you one. IF you are interested email me off the board I can get you a quote I can get you a new or used unit. tifosi77@hotmail.com

thanks so much for your help. i will email you. thanks again

Heres the info on the new STI 6spd.
http://64.191.37.27/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1566

Originally posted by stratos

a 3.54 rear diff with a 39 tooth ring and a 11 tooth pinion. It also lists the manual transmission TS Wagon as having a 3.9 rear diff, with a 39 tooth ring and a 10 tooth pinion. so seeing as both of the ring gears are 39 tooth all you need is the pinion of off a 2002 TS wagon with MT. I asume the rings on both are the same size since they are both R-160 diffs.

any one, please add or correct what I have listed.
I don't think that you are suposed to mix and match ring and pinion's
arn't they matched sets I have never seen just an pinion or ring gear for sale

as far as loosing Reverse, these cars arent going to be daily drivers I presume? still, how can you push your car even slightly uphill?

Originally posted by Tifosi77
Stealth The work is not hard suby specialties can do the work for you, I know of several people that can get you the 6MT for a decent price, Marshall at loveland motors 970-667-5385, Ron (he was supposed to have a couple) 314 443 7414. There is no onw in SO Cal that you can just go and pick one up from thought there are people that can import one for you, I can get you a decent deal on one (Located in LA), Areg (LOcated in Tujunga) can get you one. IF you are interested email me off the board I can get you a quote I can get you a new or used unit. tifosi77@hotmail.com

You have mail.