Pray for my STi... :( *UPDATED*

[409industries]

So i dropped off my car at the STEALERSHIP today after work. I finally had enough of "trial and error" fixes to the way that is been handling. For many of you, you are already familiar with the weird unstable feeling i have described on several forums in many different threads. Nothing has seemed to help really so i bit the bullet (im out of warranty) and took it to Irvine Subaru.

Previous Threads:
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89139
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93213

Im hoping that they can find something that broke loose, or whatever it is, and help me get this car solid back on its feet!
(oooh man praying its not a damaged center diff or something serious like that. BAH!)

my money is on a damaged axle or boot or something...

Anyway, any positive mojo you can send over this way would be awesome. I should hear back from them by Friday as to what they did (or didn't) find. That alone is gonna cost me like $200.

Bumming.

[lorenkb]

Best of luck on getting your suby fixed Aaron.

Only thing I can say is try and get someone from the dealership in the car with you to demonstrate the problem. Don't just drop it off and rely on them to find/duplicate the problem; their ability to deny that problems exist is amazing.

[UP2MTNS]

Hey Aaron,

so I just read those threads, I should have driven your car when you were at my place.

oh wait...no, its a good think I didn't....LOL.


anyway, after reading both of them quickly and seeing what you've done and you still have the problem, here's what I think: I think you're possibly over sprung with the STI Pink springs matched with the OEM shocks.


Stock STI: front rear (lbs/in)
Subaru WRX STi USDM stock 224 195


STI Pinks:
Subaru STi Pink '04+ 257 217


IMO, the stock suspension on a WRX is too loose....little better on an STI, but not by much. So while these might not be big jumps in spring rates, if the shocks are already valved a little on the 'loose' side, I don't think it will take much to get a 'no so tight' feeling at 80mph.

on top of that, if you had a 'blown' rear strut, that will definitely cause the drifting you felt while accelerating.

I dunno, that's my .02. The problem is that you won't know until you replace your springs or both springs and struts.

[BlackParis]

My car is defintely worse ;)

cause my automatic 165 hp shouldnt get sideways when cornering under power, as easily as it does ;) and my WHOLE rear end is contantly clunking with every direction change, and shift...

[UP2MTNS]

My car is defintely worse ;)

cause my automatic 165 hp shouldnt get sideways when cornering under power, as easily as it does ;) and my WHOLE rear end is contantly clunking with every direction change, and shift...

dude, I've seen your thread....your car is just abused. the problem is, you've got on of those cars that like abusive relationships and it just keeps coming back for more, yelling louder each time, "spank me harder, spank me harder!"

:mrgreen: :machinegunleft:

[BlackParis]

My car is defintely worse ;)

cause my automatic 165 hp shouldnt get sideways when cornering under power, as easily as it does ;) and my WHOLE rear end is contantly clunking with every direction change, and shift...

dude, I've seen your thread....your car is just abused. the problem is, you've got on of those cars that like abusive relationships and it just keeps coming back for more, yelling louder each time, "spank me harder, spank me harder!"

:mrgreen: :machinegunleft:

:twisted:

I'm compiling a new video... Just wait till you see what crazy **** Paris does next! :tongue:

[409industries]

hmmm good input, but i did in fact replace the pinks and struts i had with another set (with about 20K miles on em) and i still had the same problem.

Well see what they find. If they dont find anything, well... whatever, ill pay the money and just deal with it for now. I guess i need to save up for those nice tarmac coilovers i really want.

paris... cant wait to see the video man.

[bergdh]

sounds like suspension to me

[UP2MTNS]

hmmm good input, but i did in fact replace the pinks and struts i had with another set (with about 20K miles on em) and i still had the same problem.

Well see what they find. If they dont find anything, well... whatever, ill pay the money and just deal with it for now. I guess i need to save up for those nice tarmac coilovers i really want.

paris... cant wait to see the video man.
just buy those pss9's that i posted for sale on that CL ad....

[409industries]

STOKED.

Just got off the phone with Subaru, they said that one of my lateral links was loose (how the F did i not see / notice that), and that the rear sway bar had bent something, which was replaced. They performed an alignment and the car is ready to pickup.

I can't wait to drive it... the true test! Getting out of there for about $200 was not even close to what I was expecting to happen. I am fricken elated right now.

:) :) :)

[sebhockey]

Nice dude, it's good the problem was found, that could've ended badly. Definately test drive it and make sure it's fixed. If it's not take a mechanic for a test drive and show him.

[409industries]

yeah, im anxious to drive it myself. I was shocked that they said the car was ready the next day.

well see....

[I Like It Sideways]

Next day service...thats awesome!! I hope that worked out all the bugs

[UP2MTNS]

whoever had the car before you really abused it....takes a lot to do all that....

[409industries]

whoever had the car before you really abused it....takes a lot to do all that....

Actually it was me. It didnt do all that weird **** when i bought it. ;)

[UP2MTNS]

WOW......you really abused it....takes a lot to do all that....

Actually it was me. It didnt do all that weird s**t when i bought it. ;)

fixed :shock:

[409industries]

LOL

[Not All There]

haha, glad its nothing serious, you were pretty worried huh :shock:

[409industries]

totally stressed out by it. In fact i still think its too good to be true, since i haven't felt it for myself.

Even other people in the car were like... uhh i dont think theres anything wrong.

I was like no way, theres something weird goin on.

[RoadRunner]

How the hell does a lateral link come loose??? Usually people can't get those bolts to crack when they try.

[sebhockey]

How the hell does a lateral link come loose??? Usually people can't get those bolts to crack when they try.

Alot of vibration etc can cause the bolts to loosen. You should see some of the torque specs on military weapons which are a pain to break and they will back out unless you lockwire them.

[409industries]

So i picked up the car tonight. Its driving like her old beautiful self again. Fantastic.

Heres the final vertict:

"During inspection found right rear forward lateral link bolt loose, Also vehicle needs alignment Tightend bolt and performed 4 wheel alignment"

(the car was aligned at a shop that i have been going to for several years now, they should have caught that the rear alignment bolt was loose. This is the one that has the tick marks on the inside mounting point on the lateral link). The service guy also pointed out that the bolt on the lateral link nearest the wheel was loose too.. WTF? i never touched those.

"During inspection found both rear swaybar endlinks are caught under lateral links. Links are bent. Removed and repaired mounting and straightened links"

This part kinda confuses me. "Links" meaning endlinks??? Im thinking that the endlinks were bent (because i drive like an a-hole) and they bent them back and put them back on??? The car drives fine, but if these were damaged then i want to get some beefy replacements ASAP.

how would you interpret this? the lateral links did not look noticably bent.

Overall im pretty stoked. I was expecting to pay $1K or more to fix this problem that no one on any forum identified, and i got out of there for $200. They tightened up my e-brake... something ive been meaning to do, and lubed my rear struts so theyre not clunking anymore. Im a happy camper.

[Azewaldo]

That's awesome. A great outcome to a nail-biting situation. Can you take it back to the shop & ask about them to show you what they mean? Butter 'em up & say you want to buy pricey upgrades to beef up the car. :lol:

[UndercoverObbie]

That's awesome, man! :mrgreen: Nothing like getting out cheap and getting your car back in great shape to boot. I'm glad it all worked out for you!

Even other people in the car were like... uhh i dont think theres anything wrong.

I was like no way, theres something weird goin on.

Everyone knows their own car best. If you're used to it, you can feel the tiniest things wrong- things even habitual passengers miss. It's fun to be able to do that :D

[WRXCMM]

that's cool man glad everything worked out for you...there is nothing like the feeling of playing russian rullet and getting a second turn.... :shootsself: :mrgreen: and then doing this :machinegunleft:

[UP2MTNS]

yeah, if you bent a lateral link, it'd be a lot worse and would have to replace it. I'm suprised they didn't just put in new endlinks.

I'd upgrade your endlinks for sure. Or buy cheapo ebay ones so you can just replace them. One of my endlinks is bent (from installing it wrong initially), but doesn't seem to be affecting anything, and hasn't broken yet in all my rally crosses. They're cheapo ebay ones. only draw back so far is they squeek if you don't grease them every 5k miles.

The 'loose bolt' closest to the wheels....is that the big 19mm LONG bolt that goes through the wheel hub assembly? I can't believe that big thing wasn't rattling like crazy even if a little bit loose.

and yeah....$200 for all that? and they're a dealer? I think they misplaced a decimal.

[409industries]

Yeah it was fortunate that things worked out well (shoot i really needed a break when it came to cars lately) so im stoked. I will be replacing the rear endlinks with something beffier. I have nothing against the ebay endlinks... (Jon, i think you had a link to some decent steel and aluminum ones) but i sure as hell dont want to bend them again. I might just get some Cusco, cobb or Perrin endlinks and just be done with it.

[lorenkb]

Glad to hear everything worked out.

I've heard some good things about the Kartboy endlinks as far as durability goes. $180 for a set of front and rear endlinks.

[sebhockey]

I second the Kartboys. I've been running front and rear kartboys for months now and love em. No problems what so ever with them and they are beefy as hell. Hell if you're ever in San Diego go by his shop and pick em up, bring cash, for a suprise. He's a nice guy and normally shows you around the shop and what all he's making. Damnit, I want one of his pitch stoppers, why couldn't he finish them before I left SD.

[Blix666]

+1 for the Kartboys