Wagon Owners take a look
 

Okay, for those of us who have wagons, the options are tough on suspensions. Getting straight information is even tougher. As a result, I thought I would share my recent experience. I opted to just try a reasonable costing Tein SS Coilover. They cost about $1375 shipped, there may be better deals. Anywho, those of you who are interested in the installation process of these, take a look at [url]http://www.heeltoeauto.com/tech/tein_install/[/url]

Marcus documentation was a great help. His install is for the flex, though I used his information for the Tein SS.

I have a 2002 WRX wagon, Tein SS, Helix endlinks (my whitelines broke) and a 20-24mm whiteline sway bar. The teins are 16 one way adjust dampers. Springs are 280lbs at the four corners. I have 225 Sumoto on 17" BBS rims. Install was a breeze. but a work out. I still have to get the car aligned. Right now the drop seems to have caused some toe out. At least this is how it feels while getting into turns. I sets on a straight line quickly, but feels to be a bit of work getting into the turns. I will get -1 degree camber and 1mm toe in as per [url]http://irregardless.us/Projects/Suspension/,[/url] their assessment made sense.

The Drop:
** Front: I followed the recommendation of the installation and set the base of the bottom spring perch 1.2in (see marcus site).
** Rear: I had to keep this higher than the recommened .6 inches from the base of the coils spring's perch. It is about .9 to avoid rubbing. I like the .6 set and will get around to rolling the rear fenders eventually.

Dampening:
I went with the recommended 6 clicks from full hard in the front and 8 click from full hard in the back. I have no complaints with the dampening.

The Drive: The first thing I can say about the $1375 investment is that the car feels safer. While this may not excite you, the handling is so improved over the scary loose crap arse stock suspension that you will confidently whip the car around where you would have had to opt out previously. I have twisty two mile run that has dramatically different characteristics when run in both directions. You get to test off camber turns, odd geometry turns, unique hills and drops. Roll is significanlty reduced and the handling is much closer to point and shoot. Handling is far more predicatable than stock, but you still are "out of phase driving." I have driven a friend's BMW M3. Where you point it, it goes. With the WRX, you still have to start your turns earlier and do more math as you enter and exit the turns.

I will play with the adjustable swaybar shortly. Since the rear coil springs are equal to the fronts the sway bar should be more of a factor. While the stock springs are higher in the front that the rear. This makes difference in your turn in into turns. This may account for the Toe out feel that I have presently. You bounce around in the seat on rough terrain, but this is all in seat. The car is planted on the road. I have recently ridden in cars with Jic Flt A2, and this is more prominent in the Jic Flt A2. And while the Jics seem a bit more skitish, I would not rule them out either, they just cost more than necessary.

For some general spring rates check out:
[url]http://www.ravensblade-impreza.com/techdocs/spring/spring.html[/url]

Okay, so you won't see a bunch of technical data here. However, I find these to be a great economic combo for performace in the Wagon. I have had great frustration in trying to get information on the Wagon and finding the best bang for the buck and yield performance handling. I really am a hard arse when it comes to wanting a firm liveable ride leaning to a firmer ride and will live with a little josseling. I thought the Jic's were a bit to expensive. I found the Eibach spring and strut combinations too soft. Though I hear Eibach is working on a coil over for us one day, that day is not yet here.

Last note, I don't abuse cars, but I make them work. I love to drive, and even in stock form have given my pal in his M3 a run for his money in the twisties. While I do not claim to be an expert at all, I am counter terrorism driver trained. I did my time and used these skill sets in the real world scenarios. This is only to say that I do not feel that I am talking out of my arse when I render an opinion to vehicular handling. For those inclined, don't wast your time flaming this post, I wanted to share my experience with you and give the neglected wagon owners another suspension to look at.

I can provide pics if you like. Feel free to ask any questions. Having posted a few times trying to get some feed back without out luck, I know how you feel. I can only speak to my experience with stock set up, Eibach springs and Sti struts set up, this Tein SS installation, and my few rides in a the same car with Jics.

airborneopswrx, thanks for the impressions on the Tein SS. Sounds like a very good option for us wagon owners wanting a good "performance" coilover kit.

We also have another option with Tein coilovers and that's the Tein wagon's. These coilovers are more "look and comfort" then performance though. Gruppe-S has them for $895 shipped. I'll be getting these once I save up enough money for them. I like these coilovers because they are wagon specfic and they are a matching spring/shock set.

Here are some reviews for the Tein Wagon's:
[url]http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=159298&highlight=tein+and+wagon[/url]


[url]http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=152910&highlight=tein+and+wagon[/url]

Tein Wagon
 

I appreciate the reply. I had looked into the tein wagon specific coil overs. The spring rates were too soft. I find the Tein SS spring rates to be acceptable. However, the next move is to see if there isn't a way to get a wide body kit that will allow for wider tires on the rear and some suspensing adjustibility. I don't have an issue with cutting up the body if I could find a kit. Since there are none about, I might be the first one to make one. I caught a bug recently and am going to turn my 2002 wrx wagon into a project car. Still streetable and all year service able. While I see a bunch of wagons on the road, there seem to be limited options. If I have to, I will learn Japanese and find some product that can be imported or smuggled over ;-)


Thanks again.

wide body wagon
 

a a car show a few months ago I saw a wagon with wrx front fenders and wrx rear fenders, he had to cut up the body from the sedan but it looks like it paid off, best bet would hit up a junkyard and find a sedan and do some cutting of the rear fender area and take off the front end

do any wagon owners have experience with the Tein Wagons or the Tein SS at the track and auto-x?

airborn... fantastic post. that is exactly what i was looking for. here is a question you might be able to answer:

I have limited money to spend on a full suspension upgrade and was looking into simply getting some new springs. am i safe with this route or will i run into problems? i also have a wrx wgon (04) and i would like it to be a little lower for handling / aesthetics.

advice greatly appreciated!

dub - you are fortunately blessed with the 04 struts and they are pretty good out of the box. Much more firm in initial damping travel compared to the 02-03's. You would be set with a good set of springs. I'm a fan of the Prodrives though I'm not sure if they have an 04 application yet. If not, then you could go with the 02/3's with the use of an older rear hat. These are very good springs. Linear wound and a good performance and aesthetic drop, i.e. not too low. Spring rates also seem quite good.

If you guys want very detailed info on how the wagon coilovers are doing in autocrosses...do a search under "makofoto" in the suspenion and motorsports forums on N ASIOC. He's currently using them and finding their limitations right now. The spring rates are too soft for the cones, esp. the rear rates. The 280 F/R would be a better setup, especially with adjustable damping.

just out of curiosity, why not shell out the two hundred more for the two height adj. flexs?? any issues with wagon?

arnie... thanks dude. i will look that up

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by xleratedwrx[/i]
[B] a a car show a few months ago I saw a wagon with wrx front fenders and wrx rear fenders, he had to cut up the body from the sedan but it looks like it paid off, best bet would hit up a junkyard and find a sedan and do some cutting of the rear fender area and take off the front end [/B][/QUOTE]

That guy is [color=red]gqzboy[/color]. He used to live in Hawaii, and used to post a lot here on i-club but I haven't seen him in awhile.

Re: Wagon owners. This link is now saved. Thanks for the taking the time to write a good backbrief on the SS. The links you provided will help me if I ever stop nickel and diming my WRX and drop the $$$$ on coilovers.

Would some one please add the spt suspension kit for the wagon to this post? also, does anyone know which energy suspension parts fit the wagon and how they feel
Thanks, Kevin

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by nathanellis [/i]
[B]just out of curiosity, why not shell out the two hundred more for the two height adj. flexs?? any issues with wagon? [/B][/QUOTE]


I had Flexs w/ EDFC on my WRX sedan and sold them to my very good pal that has a 02 WRX wagon.

The swap when just fine...no issues. Do a search of gpatmac and look for his wagon.