The Suspension Thread

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:43 pm

2 even!!! and maybe ill throw in my special brew too

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:59 am

got em out...

see how bent the 2nd one is? lol

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:01 am

theres a backing plate that stops the tie rod from spinning when trying to get it out...i mangled it pretty bad is it ok to put it back in mangled?

Post by **Bennoz** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:12 pm

Adding this here for future reference

Here are the 2 different types of front FTO arms & the comparisons:

- The arm on the left is a GPvR arm (from 94 onwards.) From 97 onwards ALL FTO's were then given this arm as well (ie all facelifted models.)

- The arm on the right is all FTO's pre 97 (except GPvR)

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Note: ALL the front bushes on the front arm are the same amongst ALL models, its only the rear bushes on the front arm that differ.

This is the front bush, common to all models - Part number SPF1160

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This is the rear bush for the facelifted & GPvR arm - part number SPF1714K

Another option for the facelifted arm is the Anti-Lift version of the above bush - Part number SPF2026K

The anti-lift version will give you more negative camber & positive castor. This particular variety is adjustable depending on how they are seated into the housing. With the bush spun so that the hole is closest to the ground, it will give maximum positive castor, with the hole turned towards the outside of the car, it will give maximum negative camber - spinning it somewhere in between will give you a mixture of positive castor & negative camber.

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This is the bush is the eqivalent of the above bushes but for the other type of arm (ie pre 97 FTO's & all non GPvRs of that period) This is Superflex part SPF1500.

Again, there are 2 anti lift versions of this type of bush as well. SPF1502AK is the part number for increased negative camber (2 degrees)

Here is the other version of the anti-lift variety. SPK1502XK is the part number (2 degree negative camber, 2 degrees positive castor) Its the bush on the right btw

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:19 pm

tis quite hard to remove the oem rubber bushes so beware!

Post by **Bennoz** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:20 pm

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:21 pm

im gonna edit that post lol

Post by **Bennoz** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:23 pm

Good call

Post by **Bennoz** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:45 am

Just found this

Parts are in UK prices, but the part numbers are correct. Replacement bushes are now available for all the rear linking arms as well - formely they were Mitsi oem replacements only. They will obviously be press fit bushes so beware of that.

Stay tuned for some other suspension upgrade news, am trying some previously untested bits next week

Post by **Bennoz** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:23 pm

As promised, here this weeks suspension tweak

Am going to try what has been previously unavailable for the FTO - Upgraded front droplinks. The rears are available as a standard Whiteline upgrade, but the fronts have not been previously. You need 2 sets of parts to make it work (pictured), so I'll be testing them tomorrow.

Like a few of you, I run the 18mm adjustable Whiteline swaybar up front & compared to the standard sway, it tends to wear out the front droplinks at a much quicker rate than the norm. The ball joints on the stock units turn to jelly after a few months. Hopefully this will alleviate the issue

As opposed to the standard units:

With a standard set of droplinks costing around $120 (landed in Aus from Camskill - the cheapest available) I reckon this $197 pack is well worthwhile. If this works, Whiteline will add it to their FTO parts listing.

Oh and if you wanna see them tested, I'll be at Wakefield on Thursday

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:21 pm

Well, jobs done & they certainly do the trick

Easy job, just like changing normal droplinks. I needed to use the spacer kit though. Biggest spacer sleeve on the top (6mm) second biggest on the bottom (4mm)

You may notice, Im moving to the rear hole in the swaybar. The front hole is the stiffest setting & its been giving me the sh*ts. Everytime I pull out of a driveway on an angle the inside wheel lifts & spins, so i've moved to the softer setting (the rear hole)

Coupla pics:

Matching up the length to the old droplinks - put the new units in a vice to tighten the locknuts on either end of them once you have the length right.

Top end with 6mm spacer sleeve

Had to buy these seperate. 4 x M10 by 50mm high tensile bolts & nyloc nuts to suit

On car

Bottom (swaybar) link with 4mm spacer sleeve

Other random shots... (repainted my brakes while the wheels were off

)

JOeJOe · Post by **JOeJOe** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:24 pm

Are these the same thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STI-Fore ... enameZWDVW

I saw this a while back but it didn't click until now, FTO and the subbie forester use the same part.

mr-charisma · Post by **mr-charisma** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:28 pm

hold up! whiteline have front droplinks for FTO now?? or are these a compatible part?
time to go drop some dosh on some Front & Rear sway & front & rear Droppies

Pretty straight forward to install? Just follow the standard droppy replacement guide?

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:23 am

JOeJOe wrote:Are these the same thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STI-Fore ... enameZWDVW

I saw this a while back but it didn't click until now, FTO and the subbie forester use the same part.

those look like the rears

Post by **Bennoz** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 6:56 am

jonowong wrote:
JOeJOe wrote:Are these the same thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STI-Fore ... enameZWDVW

I saw this a while back but it didn't click until now, FTO and the subbie forester use the same part.
those look like the rears

Yup, thats the rears (GPX only)

I just did the fronts

Mr-charisma wrote:hold up! whiteline have front droplinks for FTO now?? or are these a compatible part?
time to go drop some dosh on some Front & Rear sway & front & rear Droppies

Pretty straight forward to install? Just follow the standard droppy replacement guide?

Glad somene is reading! Yes, these were previously thought not to exist, but couple Whiteline parts KLC40-195 & KLC40-02 together & you have a front droplink kit. Now that its been proven to work, I'll get Whiteline to add it to their FTO parts listing

mr-charisma · Post by **mr-charisma** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:47 am

Glad somene is reading! Yes, these were previously thought not to exist, but couple Whiteline parts KLC40-195 & KLC40-02 together & you have a front droplink kit. Now that its been proven to work, I'll get Whiteline to add it to their FTO parts listing Smile

Thats awesome, how did you find out about it? Just checked the measurements for the universal links & hoped that it would work?
Hopefully they don't bump up the prices when they find out that they can be used for an FTO ...

Post by **Bennoz** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:03 am

mr-charisma wrote:
Glad somene is reading! Yes, these were previously thought not to exist, but couple Whiteline parts KLC40-195 & KLC40-02 together & you have a front droplink kit. Now that its been proven to work, I'll get Whiteline to add it to their FTO parts listing Smile
Thats awesome, how did you find out about it? Just checked the measurements for the universal links & hoped that it would work?
Hopefully they don't bump up the prices when they find out that they can be used for an FTO ...

Exactly

http://www.ftoaustralia.com/modules.php ... ic&t=12341

The 195 in the part number KLC40-195 indicates the length. They are actually useable from 195mm to 220mm as the ends are threaded & can be adjusted in or out.

They shouldn't put the price up, I've been speaking to them & they're happy to add it to the FTO list

Post by **Bennoz** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:13 pm

I finally got round to installing my rear strut brace yesterday. A job I've been putting off as most people have said it makes little to no difference (plus it really fucked up my boot space with the sub) - but Im here to tell you, thats crap.

It made a massive difference to my car. Having said that, I've got a lot of other suspension tweaks in there that make it more sensitive than most. On the rear, I've already got the 22mm Whiteline swaybar, adjustable polyurethane droplinks & Teins - so keep that in mind when comparing your car if you fit one.

Driving it now, I've found that before I'd installed it, I'd developed a little driving habit, of flicking the steering slightly when entering a corner going from a left hander to right hander or vice versa. The flick was to transfer the weight of the rear & load up the outside wheel so I could then get on with punching it thru the corner. As the front has always been more sensitive than the ass (as is the case on most fwd cars) I just used the front to correctly weight & position the rear. Now I dont have too... simply change course & whole thing just sits flat! front & rear. A definite recommend for the rear strut brace.

$80 from Ebay, 10 minutes to install... And yes you can laugh at my lack of boot space.

Post by **aza013** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:41 pm

great job Ben I was looking at them as well and thinking about getting it so I will now.
also try to hold your sub down another way as that strap can damage the sub maybe a bracket or somthing

but now I really want to see that beast on the track

AJ · Post by AJ » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:42 am

Bennoz wrote: little driving habit, of flicking the steering slightly when entering a corner going from a left hander to right hander or vice versa

I do that too, just to set it up nicley. Usually accompanied with a gear change too.