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Hi all , I have located a pair of little used Noltec adjustable strut tops for the 90's era Impreza (Pn N44003) and these appear to fit L series struts/towers as well .
My suspension people tell me that the Noltec tops are a little better than the Nolathane ones in design and urethane composition so I lucked out there .

I am hoping that they will have enough adjustment range (together with the packed forward radius rods) to get up around 6-7 degrees of positive caster and a small amount of negative camber like about 1/2 deg .
Ellie still has more front body roll than I like because it still has the std front RX springs and life expired dampers . If I can screw in the above mentioned amount of static positive caster at least the dynamic camber will change to the point of the front tyres at least gripping rather than ploughing down the road like they do now in low traction conditions ie wet roads .
The small amount of static negative camber will just be there for poorly cambered straight roads .
Depending on how much slop the std worn rack and ball joints have I think I'll get it aligned with zero (neutral) toe . The AWD transmission has easily halved the drive loads on the front suspension and therefore the front wheel drive effect (front wheels trying to pull themselves forward - to toe in) is a lot less . Also I'm using urethane radius rod bushes so there is less compliance than std rubber ones have and therefore less toe change .

The rear Koni dampers were supposed to go in last week but the bodies were longer than specified so they are going back to Toperformance to be shortened . As they were there was not going to be enough adjustment range to get it even a tad below std height and the springs were completely unloaded (not trapped) even then .
At the moment Ellie has its butt up in the air because it has wagon springs (196 in/lb instead of normal RX 180 in/lb early or 160 in/lb late rate rear sedan springs) and sedans are a fair bit lighter at the back than an L wagon .

To look at it rear camber is either neutral or close to even at that height so it should go more negative when the ride height is less . I really don't mind that so much ATM as the MY00 16 x 7's in the wings I believe pretty much fill an L's rear arches with 205 50's and that lip really needs to be folded in .
Depending on what the rear toe/camber works out to be we should be able to fiddle mounts to get it close enough .

Have a good feeling about this , cheers A .

The Noltec tops are crap.
You WILL have a bearing failure.
I have a box here of failed Noltec tops...... The bearing plate uses a cheap standard bearing.

Well you go and tell that to Superior Suspension whom are virtually controlling supply of most of the aftermarket suspension bits in Australia . They've delt with both so I think they are in the position to know .

The spherical bearing is fitted in and retained by a circlip so easily and reasonably inexpensively changed , like tyres and fan belts bearings are a consumable part but unlike the spanky Japanses strut top bearings these are replacable . It's not impossible that an avaition std bearing can be fitted though obviously more expensive than a garden variety one .

I'm buying them near new (not from SS) for less than suppliers can get them for so no biggie .

Cheers , Adrian .

I know more about these struts tops than most 'wholesalers' do.

There is more to the story than they will tell you.......

I do not have the time or patience to tell the story.

There is a huge difference between Noltec & Nolathane Strut tops.

The best quality units go like this for spherical bearing tops.

1. Nolathane
2. Pedders
3. Fulcrum
4. White Line
5. Noltec

But if you bough the tops at a good price - well done.

From your line up none of those mobs make bearings - obviously .

What they supply new bearing wise I don't know but I was making sure that I wasn't paying top dollar to find out .

A box of failed Noltec strut tops - bearings , wouldn't you think replacing the bearing might be a little less expensive for everyone concerned that buying new alternative tops ?
Aside from the polyurethane failing what else is there to lemon out in a slide plate strut top ?

A .

BTW , if you want to sell any of your failed Noltec Impreza urethane tops I'm sure I could replace the bearings and offer them to people here at a reasonable price .

BTW 2 , the people I deal with are not just wholesalers and have a fair bit of hands on motorsport involvement mainly tarmac . They make anti roll bars on site and next time you get them regardless of colour (red yellow silver black) or sticker I reckon I know where they came from .

BTW 3 , they are not selling me these tops so it's no no skin off their nose what I buy .