Forester Struts in Impreza

cruzingbrumby · Post by **cruzingbrumby** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:23 pm

Hi Guys, been away for a fair while, but back now, with a bit of time on my hands, going to finish of the imprezza.

I will put a 2 inch lift kit in a run 215/70/16 tires (bridgestone D694), and forester trailing arm brackets.

So a few questions :

What year model Forester struts do you use to fit 215/70/16 tires on, I am assuming the SF5 97 ones should be the correct ones?

These just use with the Impreza springs and top hats, at the moment the car has the V2 sti damper adjustable struts in it with some height adjustable top hats, I am wondering if the springs in these are lower than normal? will they cause damage to the struts if the totally bottom out? or will i need to get a new set of springs?

Cheers

daza · Post by **daza** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:08 am

cruzingbrumby wrote: What year model Forester struts do you use to fit 215/70/16 tires on, I am assuming the SF5 97 ones should be the correct ones?

These just use with the Impreza springs and top hats, at the moment the car has the V2 sti damper adjustable struts in it with some height adjustable top hats, I am wondering if the springs in these are lower than normal? will they cause damage to the struts if the totally bottom out? or will i need to get a new set of springs?
Cheers

To fit 27.9" tyres you'll need SG Forester struts for clearance to the spring seat, you'll need Forester/Outback offset wheels, you'll need to remove all the mud flaps, you'll need to fold in the front edge of the rear wheel arch, you'll need to fold in the back edge of the front wheel arch, and then the rear tyres will be wearing away the front edge of your back bumper on compression and the front tyres will be wearing away the back of the guard liner and scrubbing badly on the lift blocks on full lock.

I strongly recommend 215/60R16 tyres, maybe 215/65/16 if your ok with running no mud flaps.

I'm running 27.7" tyres and they're too big, unless your prepared to use a sledge hammer to fit them.

The Pic below is with 26.7" tyres, and i'll go back to that size for my next tyres.
Daza.

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:22 pm

I'm pretty sure I used SF5's in mine but had the rears out 3 times trying to get them to stop banging on the Impreza top hats as the SF5 's are a different bolt pattern and have a bearing top, ended up using a thick washer and a thin shim before I got them right, I used the standard WRX trailing arms but put a 1" block under them ( I had to put it over the pits & get it engineered as it had been off the road for 5yrs) I doubt I could go over 27" without major bashing, only running 205/60/16's (25") & GD front alloy arms but it has reasonable clearance for what I want and no scrubbing issues.

81GGR · Post by **81GGR** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:48 pm

The SG struts are definitely longer than the SF struts and will give you more ground clearance. the bolt spacing at the hub and the top hat bolt spacing are the same for both.

I'm not sure about fitment to imprezzas or tyre sizes but definitely know the above is true as i fitted my sg struts to an sf and it was higher with lots of negative camber.

cruzingbrumby · Post by **cruzingbrumby** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:33 am

Bashing the inner guards is not so much of a worry.

bending of the front rear guard, and the rear of the front guard, might be ok, would it be better to cut them, i was looking at a car they have in indonesia that has about 5 mm flairs o it, i was thinking to bring a et of them back and hack them up to the right size to fit, and cover up and cuts required

, i think they are about the same size as forester, but will look when im up there next week.

With the offset of the wheels, forester, is less then the outback so is it better to run a set of outback wheels? to get more clearance from scrubbing on the lift blocks????

daza · Post by **daza** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:55 am

All the info i have says Foerster and Outback are 48, while Impreza and Liberty are 55.
If you could find some 40ish offset wheels it should help.
Daza.