GD suspension on '96 Brighton question

[ricetiva]

i just picked up a set of 02-03 struts and springs for my 96 brighton. and im wondering how much, if any this will lift the car.

[subydrift]

Probably won't be much if any at all. Brighton already sit taller than most Impreza models.

[nkx]

i have a friend who had a gc rs with wrx springs/struts on it. it lifted the back end up. i dont see that my brighton sits any higher than any non obs impreza.

[ricetiva]

well i will see how it looks. i have the fronts in, but im having alil bit of trouble getting the rears to fit with the WRX top hats. i will have to do a lil looking and or just make them work. if anyone has any insight to help me out and make them work, let me know! :)

[lminette]

Shoul be about .75-1" difference from stock.

[meridius]

I know this thread is a little old but did you ever get the set up to work. Im looking for confirmation befre I buy a set of WRX struts. I want the car to be even and no raked stance.

[Jard]

My '95 sits a little higher in the rear with v7 GD STi suspension.

[ricetiva]

I know this thread is a little old but did you ever get the set up to work. Im looking for confirmation befre I buy a set of WRX struts. I want the car to be even and no raked stance.


yea i got it to work, and i did raise the rear, but i had to do some work to make the rears fit! i dont have any pics of the rears installed, i could take some, but then id have to take the back seat out and all that jazz to get pics.

[meridius]

did you use the WRX tophats? Ill be using my stock L tophats for mine so long as they fit the WRX springs. Is it noticable the rear sits higher than the front or is it kinda even? I really dont want my car to have a serious rake to it, its my daily driver. If someone could post pics with this set up maybe of the whole car that would be great.

[Jard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqT8lSWan3A

[meridius]

lol yeah I saw that on nasioc, even subscribed to that thread. doesnt look that high. I kinda like it especially for a daily driver.

[Jard]

It definitely sits higher in the back though. I used some group-n GC tops in the rear.

You can use the GC tops and spring perches in the rear with 02-03 GD springs but they won't work with 04-07 springs.

The car might actually sit a tiny bit lower all around with regular GD WRX springs since the rates on those are lower than what I'm using. But not much lower, if any...

[meridius]

what about struts? can I use any year?

[Jard]

what about struts? can I use any year?
Yeah, anything from 02-07. If you are going to use 02-03 rear struts with GC rear tops, you will need to pick up the Scooby921 rear strut spacer from Turn in Concepts.

[Jard]

04-07 rear struts you don't need the spacer but you still have to use the 02-03 rear springs.

[meridius]

cool Ill just look for 04-07 struts then. one last thing the 04-07s are the same on the front too right? that way I can pick up a matching set from someone.

[Jard]

Yeah all WRX from 02-07 are the same in the front.

STi stuff is different. 04 are the only year that will fit your car.

[meridius]

yeah Im going to stick with WRX stuff, I dont want to stiffen the car up too much.

Thanks for the help

[ricetiva]

did you use the WRX tophats? Ill be using my stock L tophats for mine so long as they fit the WRX springs. Is it noticable the rear sits higher than the front or is it kinda even? I really dont want my car to have a serious rake to it, its my daily driver. If someone could post pics with this set up maybe of the whole car that would be great.

i used the wrx top hats on mine. and to me, it looks like it evened it out.

[meridius]

any pics of it like that, are you saying you used wrx tophats all around?

I just want my car to come up about an inch all around and be even like it is factory.

[ricetiva]

yea i used wrx top hats all around, i had to mod the rear strut holes in the rear tho.

[meridius]

Im back with my stupid questions again...

I have the chance to buy a set of 04 STI struts, they will fit with my 02 springs and L tophats right?

[Jard]

Yes, that would fit.

04 STi struts + 02-03 WRX springs + GC rear spring perches and top hats is a go.

[PawnOne]

I have the same setup but I need the spacers. I have heard of people just going to the hardware store for some washers. I just want to know what size washers I need so I can just go pick them up. somone has to have just done this I figure its pretty commin among GC models. I just dont want to wait for shipping when I can get it here fo cheap and from what I can tell those plastic spacers look like they would just snap or ware out way to fast for me. I already did this work once, will be doing it twice and three times is two to many for me.

[Jard]

I have the same setup but I need the spacers. I have heard of people just going to the hardware store for some washers. I just want to know what size washers I need so I can just go pick them up. somone has to have just done this I figure its pretty commin among GC models. I just dont want to wait for shipping when I can get it here fo cheap and from what I can tell those plastic spacers look like they would just snap or ware out way to fast for me. I already did this work once, will be doing it twice and three times is two to many for me.
The spacers are not plastic.

If you get washers, you need to make sure you get "hardened" washers or they will fatigue and you'll eventually get clunking. Take the strut to the hardware store with you.

Or just wait for the spacers (a better option).

[PawnOne]

I still have the spacers from my old front dampers will these work or do they need to be thicker?

[Jard]

I still have the spacers from my old front dampers will these work or do they need to be thicker?
I have no idea what you are talking about. Where are they supposed to go on the front dampers?

You need these:
http://www.turninconcepts.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_9_7_479_43_55&products_id=234

Only on the rear struts.

[2000 impreza]

http://rs-scooby.com/gallery2/d/785-2/DSC01043.JPG