Wheels & Tires 1st or Springs 1st?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 28
From: Southern Cal OC
Car Info: MY 03 WRX
Originally posted by BAN SUVS
My first handling mod was a 20mm FHI sway bar. BIG improvement. Then I got S03s. HUUUUGE improvement. Then I got Prodrive/Bilstein matched struts and springs. Another huge improvement, but not as big as the tires. Based on that, I'd say tires+ sway bar (it's only a $100 mod brand new, less than that used since a stock WRX 20mm bar fits anything) and then springs, preferably with struts too.
My first handling mod was a 20mm FHI sway bar. BIG improvement. Then I got S03s. HUUUUGE improvement. Then I got Prodrive/Bilstein matched struts and springs. Another huge improvement, but not as big as the tires. Based on that, I'd say tires+ sway bar (it's only a $100 mod brand new, less than that used since a stock WRX 20mm bar fits anything) and then springs, preferably with struts too.
Where do they sell matched Prodrive/Bilstein sets of springs and struts? I heard that Bilstein are pretty good. Are they geared more toward rally or street? How are they in comparison to the Sti springs and struts? Or are there so many variations of the STi stuff that its difficult to evaluate?
Thanks
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iTrader: (12)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
Unfortunately I have an '01 RS. You WRX owners are pretty much stuck with coilovers, or Eibach Prokit with either Koni Yellow inserts or KYB AGX (when/if they release ready-made WRX sets). Personally I would either just do the Eibachs or jump straight to coilovers if you are concerned about handling.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 164
From: a van down by the river
Car Info: 03 Rex: HKS, Injen, Apexi, Perrin, Rota
my 2cents
hey fellas, here's the route I am in the middle of...
some mild engine mods to bring out the beast; intake/cat-back/AVC-r:
i like all the mods, and it definitely gives better whiplash, but made the understeer and incompetency of the RE92's even worse
perrin 22mm rearsway w/adjustable ends (set on softest setting):
very noticable increase in stabilization of the car, much quicker turn-in; more predictable highspeed turning and dare i say... a little less scary to drift... using the throttle to steer around long quick corners is now awesome; but quick lane changes are still a little unerving at times
17" rotas/outsu tires:
probably the biggest single improvement, but not by much over the perrin bar. I could feel the difference the very first time I backed down my driveway and turned, even at like 5 mph. the increased contact patch and stiffer sidewall are monster improvements. quick dicing is now in my grasp, it is easy to scare people, and it will be easy to get into trouble i think
set the rear bar to the middle setting:
the car now likes to kick the **** out with very little effort; so much so that on the maiden voyage I spun a 360 on a little windy country road goin 65... i'm pretty sure i sucked up some of the cloth when i puckered up. it was not fun being that out of control; luckily i didn't hit anything, just kinda slid through some gravel and weeds. after a couple weeks of daily driving in the city/ freeway/ and country; i am now feeling more confident in my control of the car. its very stabil at higher speeds in the corners and i can feel when i'm right on the edge of breaking loose, and then if it does, just give it a little gas and it hooks up for the rest of the corner. the other thing it does now is if i'm goin fairly slow as i pull out onto a street, just crank the wheel and push down on the gopeddle and it powerslides the rear out, very cool. reading this it sounds like i thrash my car, but for some reason, i dont think i'm the only one...
next mod will be perrin endlinks and then their springs (sposed to arrive anytime at ALTA here in Oregon, he said they're in Cali held up in customs) made by H&R but with different drop levels. and a guy at KYB just emailed me back saying that the AGX should be out for the 02-03 WRX (GDA???) by the end of July. so, I'm gonna put the perrin springs w/the agx's when they come out. hopefully they won't be super spendy as they are brand new on the market.
so, from my experience; the tyres and a larger rear antiswaybar together make a huge difference. my decision was kind of made for me in that the local les schwab had some trouble getting the bronze subzeros (it took a couple months, but well worth the wait) and I don't even mind the wheel gap. but I'm pretty sure it'll look better dropped. take it easy all. Bennie O.
some mild engine mods to bring out the beast; intake/cat-back/AVC-r:
i like all the mods, and it definitely gives better whiplash, but made the understeer and incompetency of the RE92's even worse
perrin 22mm rearsway w/adjustable ends (set on softest setting):
very noticable increase in stabilization of the car, much quicker turn-in; more predictable highspeed turning and dare i say... a little less scary to drift... using the throttle to steer around long quick corners is now awesome; but quick lane changes are still a little unerving at times
17" rotas/outsu tires:
probably the biggest single improvement, but not by much over the perrin bar. I could feel the difference the very first time I backed down my driveway and turned, even at like 5 mph. the increased contact patch and stiffer sidewall are monster improvements. quick dicing is now in my grasp, it is easy to scare people, and it will be easy to get into trouble i think
set the rear bar to the middle setting:
the car now likes to kick the **** out with very little effort; so much so that on the maiden voyage I spun a 360 on a little windy country road goin 65... i'm pretty sure i sucked up some of the cloth when i puckered up. it was not fun being that out of control; luckily i didn't hit anything, just kinda slid through some gravel and weeds. after a couple weeks of daily driving in the city/ freeway/ and country; i am now feeling more confident in my control of the car. its very stabil at higher speeds in the corners and i can feel when i'm right on the edge of breaking loose, and then if it does, just give it a little gas and it hooks up for the rest of the corner. the other thing it does now is if i'm goin fairly slow as i pull out onto a street, just crank the wheel and push down on the gopeddle and it powerslides the rear out, very cool. reading this it sounds like i thrash my car, but for some reason, i dont think i'm the only one...
next mod will be perrin endlinks and then their springs (sposed to arrive anytime at ALTA here in Oregon, he said they're in Cali held up in customs) made by H&R but with different drop levels. and a guy at KYB just emailed me back saying that the AGX should be out for the 02-03 WRX (GDA???) by the end of July. so, I'm gonna put the perrin springs w/the agx's when they come out. hopefully they won't be super spendy as they are brand new on the market.
so, from my experience; the tyres and a larger rear antiswaybar together make a huge difference. my decision was kind of made for me in that the local les schwab had some trouble getting the bronze subzeros (it took a couple months, but well worth the wait) and I don't even mind the wheel gap. but I'm pretty sure it'll look better dropped. take it easy all. Bennie O.
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