Has anyone done the subframe delete mod? I've been reading that some people remove their subframe. What does this do to the suspension?

 

i dont see how you could do this because your suspension links to the subframe to hold your wheels to the car

 

I think wrexr did it...you can find it mentioned in this thread https://www.i-club.com/forums/ongoing-projects-31/my-track-built-sti-project-56k-death-87396/

 

About 59% of the car's weight is in the front...i'm trying to find ways to make the weight balance closer to 52% in the front and 48% rear.

 

i took mine off, your talking about the U-frame piece right? i weighed it also. it weighed about 25 lbs (exact same as my spare tire). so i took 25 lb off from front and rear.

Just dont get into any hard front end accidents

 

Do you simply take it off? Are there any precautions that I should take? How likely is that the front end will warp after several years of hard cornering?

 

well stis have then but no other suby does in north america which is why i though you where talking about the front or rear subframe of course now that i think of it you could run tubular subframes and save alot of weight and get more strength at the same time

 

i think all imprezas have the u-shaped subframe, not only the sti.

 

if its what im thinking it is only the sti has it unless your thinking of the jack plate but that is not 25 lbs
when i was looking up direction on the alk install on the instructions in the kit it has a pic of a aussy spec sti and it says to remove a subframe that i have never seen on the usdm car(never looked under a sti) but looks u shaped if it goes around the front of the car to the other side

 

no it is not the jack plate, yes the U-frame should be on non-sti models as well. i have a wrx

 

yes you simply take off plastic under the front-end, then unbolt the u-frame. just watch out for it falling on your head cause it is pretty heavy. i had mine off for at least 8k mi, no problems at all. your turn in might feel a bit better since you loose that front-end weight says my friend dan (danavon7) but honestly i didnt feel a much difference at all. im glad i lost that front-end weight though. once you take it off and just look at it and lift it, you will be glad you did hah.

as i said just becareful about smashing your front-end really hard. i believe this piece should help hold your engine together in an accident.

 

I think you got your facts a little messed up. The subframe is the u-frame that goes in front the car that wraps around the left side to under the radiator to the right side.

 

Is that the only reason why its there? to protect the engine compartment in a front-end colllision? If it is...I think i'll be removing it also.

And btw, thanks for the info.

 

Actually, the U-shaped subframe is there for support in a frontal crash. I took mine off and ran that way on the street for 3 months with no ill effects and with very little change in driving "feel". So, from a butt dyno standpoint, I felt that the subframe didn't do much for handling, etc.

However, I recently installed a Do-Luck 8pt. subrame...I could actually feel a difference. Better on center feel and response on turn in and in the turn was improved. Definitiely worth the price (around $500). I have coilovers, 23mm sway bars, rack bushing and 45 series, 17" tires. If you look at the where the Do-Luck bolts in, it is tying the whole front end together into one solid piece! Without it, it looks pretty weak and sloppy.

-SRX

 

yea i was definately looking into buying this if i had the money~