Hello Forum! I am looking for input for a good coilover for the '15 STI when I am able to purchase it and I need a set that can be used for off road rally events and track use at a HPDE and autocrossing. I would also use it for daily driving if possible so I wanted to know who here uses their STI not just for the common street/track use but also attends off road rally's as well? I have always dreamed of taking my previous STI's up to Gainesville here in FL to attend the FIRM rally school they put on there(http://gorally.com/) but I never made it as I wanted to acquire a good suspension first that could handle that and track events at Sebring that I love to go a few times a year. I checked a few rally sites like Rally Sport Direct and found just street coilovers and then Vermont Sports Car site and they show the EXE-TC coilover kit but not sure how much it is? Does anyone know? Thanks and any input on this type of coilover is greatly appreciated!
Coilover Input Requested for rally AND tarmac events?
- Thread starter Robb
- Start date
How serious are you taking it? are you shooting for a more inverted monotube design or one with a gas resevoir?
Thats a good question as I have always wanted the option of mounting a remote reservoir in an engine bay for that classic "because race car" look but if not then a monotube would be fine. I do not know too much about them except they can handle some serious abuse from what we see them perform in rally stages so I can only imagine the cost that will go along with it! But to be honest if I could have 1 set that could do both I'd be happy and could truly attend dirt one weekend and a track the next if I could line it up right. That would really make me appreciate what Subaru made these cars for and I would love to learn how to drive in the dirt/gravel as it has always been a bucket list of mine.
I have yet to see anything from tuners yet so I do not think so, but you know how that will go as it will not take long to get it sorted out! I'll keep an eye out on the Japanese tuners like HKS, Cusco and of course STI and see what they release so we can know what will come to our shores too. I am trying to remember how long it took for the '04 items to come out when the STI was released and I cannot recall to be honest. I had an '06 in 2005 but all the suspension and tuner items from the '05 was a direct swap so it was easy but this is a whole new chassis so we will see?
I am guessing a good rally suspension will run an easy $5k+ for what I am looking for but we will see?
Ok good thought so I bet you are right probably right a year down the line, items will come out other than shift knobs and drop in air filters
Either way I and fine as I never will forget how damn good the STI is out of the box and I waited many months before I ordered any kind of modification so I could appreciate what it was and how each item I added would make a noticeable difference(all I added were Cobb accessport/protune, Cobb catless TBE, and Cobb springs each within a autocross or trackday at Sebring to understand what each items changed and how). The biggest change was obviously the protune at TopSpeed in GA as I had a AP v1 and it came with off the shelf maps that didnt work correctly from that batch for some reason for the '06 STI's. I remember the next event at Sebring with that protune I was able to catch up to and pass every car in my run group except a Carrera GT that was simply so unreal to be behind and hear that V10 rev out I was all kinds of content lap after lap since I couldnt pass him!!
But anyways I will appreciate the '15 STI in stock trim for a while until a rally suspension comes available as I have a feeling it will feel like a whole different car right out of the box just like my 06 did and I will come to appreciate Subaru's finest as the ownership time goes on
Who knows it may be so good on and off road no aftermarket it needed???????(yeah right but I can dream though dammit! haha)Hmm ok so after a review on the EXE-TC site it looks like they sell tarmac and gravel specific coilovers so perhaps they switch out coilovers for each type of stage? Crap that is not what I wanted to see but I will email them in the UK and let you guys know what they say. A few UK Subaru sites have owners that bought the EXE-tc sets but they use them on the street and talk about lowering heights but not both from what I could tell on their posts. Maybe there is 2 different sets required and not 1 set to do both like I assumed? I will post their reply here when I get an answer directly from the EXE-TC manifacturer. Thanks and I'll keep the forum posted!
--Robb
--Robb
Grinder34
Track Monkey
This part is speculation by me:
Even if you could get a damper thats fully adjustable from tarmac damping rates to rally settings, it would be very difficult to get it set right. Think about most notched adjustments, where they have maybe 15 settings...that would be a super large change between each notch. If it werent notched, youd be able to get exact settings, but even a few degrees of turn would have a large impact, making tweaking kind of difficult.
Why not re-valve OEM struts for rally, and get a set of tarmac coils?
Even if you could get a damper thats fully adjustable from tarmac damping rates to rally settings, it would be very difficult to get it set right. Think about most notched adjustments, where they have maybe 15 settings...that would be a super large change between each notch. If it werent notched, youd be able to get exact settings, but even a few degrees of turn would have a large impact, making tweaking kind of difficult.
Why not re-valve OEM struts for rally, and get a set of tarmac coils?
Grinder34
Track Monkey
oh, one more things. I know with the GD, people swapped to a forrester suspension for a lift and "better" rally setup (i dont know much about all the benefits, just that they did it). I know the GR is a different suspension design, but for all i know its the same as the new forrester as well.
Spamby
Meat Product Toy
Maybe the crosstrek will swap?
I agree with the speculation though as I know how much a difference makes on the street and we can FEEL that for sure but I am not educated enough about off road shock attributes so I do not know how much attention or MORE is needed for settings on the dampers let alone spring rates I agree with you 100%. I am starting to feel like the more this is discussed there are 2 different sets used of coilovers for rally teams- 1 for tarmac and 1 for gravel and that is making me very sad
But I will wait for the email reply from the USA contact for EXE-TC suspension and will post their reply here when I get it back.That may be a good alternative though I never thought of that- use the OEM and aftermarket valve it for gravel/offroad and choose a set of springs to match accordingly then buy the set of coilvers for tarmac use? Thats a great idea but I want to know what the people with WRX/STI's do that attend these rally's from a weekend or serious competiton standoint? Are there any members here that attend the offroad rally events that could give input? I have yet to come across any avatars or signatures that show they participate in off road events? If not I will try it out on new OEM struts and we can run our own tests with a GoPro attached the the A Arm for true live action test results!!!! Hahaha! But seriously I would try it out....
i think you are trying to do two different things that really require two different setups and that is why i ask about how serious you are. I would just stick with buying a car first and go from there. Since the 2015 look like a different platform altogether you may have to wait on availability of parts. if it uses GR sti parts then you are good to go but if i was you and your dead set on getting the 2015 STI then focus on getting the car first
Grinder34
Track Monkey
I dont know if there are many guys on here that do offroad. And to be honest, it seems like most of the rally-ers i see are in GD. I can think of a few reasons: GR was only in wrc for one season (i think), GDs are a lot cheaper at this point than a new GR, etc.... But it may be that there arent many good options for the GR since it doesnt really have the same level of WRC roots?
I could be WAY off, i dont follow rally.
I could be WAY off, i dont follow rally.
Yes I agree that is goal number one! And this is an option later on too as I just want to know when the time comes what may be out there that can do both if its possible for 1 set of coilovers.
Could be and thats true maybe the offroad is such a small/specific market here there is no options available that can do both? I just would love to be able to push the STI when I learn how in the dirt so maybe more time on the course will help to learn what is needed. Man I can't wait to own an STI again they are so awesome!!
Spamby
Meat Product Toy
I'm going to gave to say no in this. Each setup is going to require specifics or desirables that the other setup would not be desirable for.
There probably is a middle ground but yet you're going to have to trade some things off to get to that middle ground.
Feal suspension deals in custom setups for Tarmac and dirt. They may be the best option for a dual purpose setup. You should give them a call. Also, Turn in Concepts and Racecomp are two others with a lot of suspension.
Inquire with those three and I'll bet you get some good information.
There probably is a middle ground but yet you're going to have to trade some things off to get to that middle ground.
Feal suspension deals in custom setups for Tarmac and dirt. They may be the best option for a dual purpose setup. You should give them a call. Also, Turn in Concepts and Racecomp are two others with a lot of suspension.
Inquire with those three and I'll bet you get some good information.
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