Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Recommended Posts

Been several years, but my '94 SVX is finally up and running.  So some questions...

 

Has anybody ever found a wat to fit Bilsterin shocks to an SVX?

 

A local Subaru guy told me that Impreza STI brakes will bolt on, and improve stopping power a lot.  Anybody ever done this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You might get more technical help at a dedicated SVX forum where there are more diehards doing performance upgrades. I think you might need to swap knuckles, etc. to get the brakes to swap, but do not quote me.

 

Try calling Billstein or someone that's an authorized dealer. There are other strut/shock companies out there that might have a comparable variant if not.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rear rotor offset is different than other Subarus, so it won't be a bolt-on affair there.

 

Decent chance stuff is different in the front. It's easy to get in the habit that Subaru brake parts are interchangeable, and the SVX is 5x114.3, so STi stuff will work. But it's a pretty different animal.

 

 

 

Also, I bet there's a bunch of information on www.subaru-svx.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rear rotor offset is different than other Subarus, so it won't be a bolt-on affair there.

 

Decent chance stuff is different in the front. It's easy to get in the habit that Subaru brake parts are interchangeable, and the SVX is 5x114.3, so STi stuff will work. But it's a pretty different animal.

 

 

 

Also, I bet there's a bunch of information on www.subaru-svx.net

Posed over there a couple of days ago, got 20 or so reads, no replys.on the shock question.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live really close to Summit Racing, and have had some luck talking to their sales guys in the past. At one point, I upgraded a Ford alternator from a 135 amp to a 290 amp (IIRC) via a local generator shop, which failed to tell me the $350 alt upgrade would no longer charge at idle.... rendering it useless for a daily driver. I called Summit, and while they had nothing on the shelf that could help, they gave me the number for one of their performance under drive pulley suppliers (i.e. company that makes the serpentine set up to spin alt, water pump, etc. slower to free up HP) and they were able to offer a one-off custom-cut pulley to get my upgraded alt. spinning roughly 200 rpm faster at idle, which allowed it to work correctly in a daily driver. So calling Summit and doing some leg work got the part that literally no one sold as a mass produced item.

 

If you are dead-set on Bilstein and they don't offer a performance strut regularly, they might be able to offer something from another model that might fit with a little work. Or Summit might be able to put you in touch with another higher-end strut manufacturer that can do the same thing.

 

FWIW, lowering the car with great springs and adding stiffer bars, plus a strut tower brace (front/back) and cheap stock struts can make most any carve hard, especially if you can get the car on a diet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go to SVX nation on Facebook.

 

They actually offer coilover setups on their home page.

 

Lots of fanatics on there to give you advice as well.

 

What Subaru Scott said!!! Facebook SVX Nation has 10 times the traffic and response. Owner of a black 97 SVX here! I do not think Bilstein has anything that will fit. Don't remember the exact years but i believe 04-06 STI coilovers can be easily made to fit. They will lower the car which is already low. unless you find a aftermarket coilover that allows raising above stock STI height. Also a company from Taiwan makes Gecko coilovers, street version start at $850.  I have read about 2 or 3 different people running these coilovers and are happy with them. I have the MotoGP lowering coils which lower the car 1.25" front and .75" rear. I have scrapped bottom a couple of times. The Moto GP coils are heavier duty but you are stuck with your stock struts, should they ever fail. If one of my oem struts pukes itself out i am most likely going with the Gecko coilovers unless I hear something bad in between that time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What Subaru Scott said!!! Facebook SVX Nation has 10 times the traffic and response. Owner of a black 97 SVX here! I do not think Bilstein has anything that will fit. Don't remember the exact years but i believe 04-06 STI coilovers can be easily made to fit. They will lower the car which is already low. unless you find a aftermarket coilover that allows raising above stock STI height. Also a company from Taiwan makes Gecko coilovers, street version start at $850.  I have read about 2 or 3 different people running these coilovers and are happy with them. I have the MotoGP lowering coils which lower the car 1.25" front and .75" rear. I have scrapped bottom a couple of times. The Moto GP coils are heavier duty but you are stuck with your stock struts, should they ever fail. If one of my oem struts pukes itself out i am most likely going with the Gecko coilovers unless I hear something bad in between that time.

 

I'd prefer not to have anything to do with Facebook.

The problem I'm having with my SVX is that it handels like a pickup truck.  A lot of this is due to PO' fitting it with Douglas brand Walmart tires, but I think that the whole thing iss too stiff, is why I looking for Bilsteins.. 

Not inclined to put $700 worth of tires on it 'till I have an idea the transmission will live to see the end of 'em..

I dont think he car needs lowering, but really does want softening up.   But I will got to local junkyard and look at STI stuff.  Wonder if STI seats would fit..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is the issue that there are no SVX struts available to buy new and no other struts are a direct swap?

 

I don't know enough about this suspension to answer intellegently.  I'm getting my iformation/impressions from driving the car

imagining what I would do to change it from what it is, to what I wish it were.

 

Aside from tire/shock wishes, I also wish it were about 1500 lbs lighter.:-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know enough about this suspension to answer intellegently.  I'm getting my iformation/impressions from driving the car

imagining what I would do to change it from what it is, to what I wish it were.

 

Aside from tire/shock wishes, I also wish it were about 1500 lbs lighter.:-)

 

The struts are a quarter century old and probably roasted garbage, why not get new struts and springs and call it a day?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...