forester suspension for rallyx?

[scsi]

I have an 03 TS that will be used pretty much as a dedicated RallyX car. i am a complete n00b to RallyX and don't need anything hardcore so have so far been looking to protect the car and will hopefully become competitive eventually (sooner is better hehe) i am looking into suspension for now simply to give myself more ground clearance and minimize the risk of breaking something, and possibly for the future that might be reasonably competitive and have heard a lot of mention of OEM suspension off the foresters as a good lift kit, but will it be good for RallyX? I found a guy w/ 05 FXT suspension locally and am waiting to hear price from him.

if i were to get forester suspension, what year(s) would be best to look for as far as performance? i have also read that i may need extra parts such as trailing arms and brackets but data seems to be different for different people. what would i need?

thanks in advance!

[Draco-REX]

For RallyX, you don't really need a tall suspension. Really, just invest in a good set of skidplates. (Primitive Racing FTW) At stock ride height, you'll only bottom out once in a rare while so it's not worth the time, money, and headaches of lifting the car.

[scsi]

thanks for ur input! unfortunately i bought the stuff before i read it x___x. i kind of want a lift anyway just for fun, will it hurt me in the long run? picked up the 05 FXT springs/shocks/tophats with only 600mi on em :) also have a primitive 1/8 front and rear on the way.

i have read a lot and am seeing mixed messages but it seems like i may or may not need tophats, trailing arms, trailing arm brackets, axles, camber bolts? the guy also offered me STI top hats and trailing arms, would those work?

[scsi]

spoke with a fellow member today who says the tophats are a direct fit, trailing arms are identical and not needed, don't need axles either. i will need trailing arm brackets though, and camber bolts are highly recommended but not required. please feel free to add to this! thanks!

[Draco-REX]

You're on the right track for the lift. If you find you want to start putting a serious effort into being competitive in RallyX, you'll want to lower the car back down. But to go out and have fun, a lift isn't going to hurt you.

The trailing arm brackets and camber bolts are a must. Ideally, you'd want adjustable lateral links that can push the tires back out to where they need to be and longer control arms in the front. But that's a big investment for a fun car, so the camber bolts should be enough. Once you correct the alignment, you can invest in some lower offset rims, but you'll shorten the life of your bearings.

[scsi]

thanks so much for all of your input!

so without the camber bolts, I won't even be able to get within OEM spec on my alignment? honestly, i wanted to take the car to firestone for the lifetime alignment, idk if i can trust them w/ so many camber adjustments?

man, the lift is getting more and more expensive everyday lol.. will the lateral links and control arms affect my alignment?

im beginning to think that perhaps I should just stay w/ my stock suspension and if anything get some 1/4" paranoid fab saggy butt spacers all around.. would i need any extras to run that setup?

[Draco-REX]

No, you should be fine. I have a set of the 3/8" spacers on my rear tophats and I even had enough threads left over for a strut bar. (The price was right :P )

Starting with a stock car is definitely a good idea. My WRX is pretty modified, but I still wish I had spent some time in a N/A GC. Power and a trick suspension lets you cover up bad habits. Take your time and learn to drive smooth and conserve your momentum. In our local region's SA class there are two cars usually at the top of the standings duking it out for first. One is an Evo VIII, the other is a stock '97 2.2L Subaru Impreza Outback. The Evo is crazy fast and the Outback is crazy smooth.

[scsi]

im not concerned w/ good suspension, just want to reduce the chances of damaging the car =P honestly i expect any lift to hurt performance but all i really care about is seat time so i wanna save the car hehe