the Best Motoring video of Feb '03 had a portion showing the rally car in action with an STI.

For those who haven't seen it, i was surprised to see how agile the rally car was, compared to the STI. Its body does not stay on a track, instead it repositions its own direction at the start of corners. The steering response of the rally car is much much sharper than the STI.

This makes me wonder how does the rally car make response so quick? Is it just because of a lower steering rack ratio? How about the wider front track? Any others?

 

I doubt an average impreza owner will come to that level of response... But with some minor bolt-on's you could accomplish a lot.


Starting with a rear sway bar, perhaps an anti-lift kit, a performance alignement, playing with tire pressures, and spring and damper rates.

 

Solid rear links w/ stiffer bushings helped too. So did installing the P1 suspension but the links were a lot easier

 

Whiteline anti-lift kit............The best suspension mod I'v done yet as far as steering feel. Turn in is sharper and theres less bump steer. makes the car feel more expensive.

 

Front lower arm bar and steering rack bushings as well as toe in in the rear and coilovers.

 

The rally car's response is most definitely attributable to a very quick steering rack...plain and simple. The cheapest way to emulate this is to get a steering wheel with a small diameter, like 330-350mm versus the stock one, which I think is 385mm. Otherwise regardless of all the sway bars, endlinks, anti-lift kits, springs, and shocks you buy you will still be short of ACTUALLY having a decidedly quick steering rack.

Check out this link:

http://www.toronto-subaru-club.com/revlab/

This is what you really need if you want that razor-sharp handling...

Regards, B

 

Whiteline Steering Rack bushings helped my car's steering response a lot. Already saved me from one accident.

And the fact that they are 25$ doesn't hurt either.

 

i have a 93L with sti springs and shocks. what does everyone recommend i get first? and second? (list of things would be nice)
as of now i was thinking about new rims/tires and a performace alignment.

 

steering ratios:

• 16.5 to 1 WRX
• 15.0 to 1 STi
• 14.0 to 1 Chevy Silverado SS
• 13.0 to 1 EVO VIII
• 12.5 to 1 Rev-Lab Q-Rack (aftermarket)

Sure is disappointing when a pickup truck has a quicker ratio steering than the WRX and STi. Time to get a Q-Rack...

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0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush