Kampfzentrum

OK, I'm swapping a number of parts into my '05 Impreza RS (tophats, struts, springs, control arms, etc.). I picked up a pair of STi control arms cheap and one ball joint was missing off of the control arm. I didn't think it would be an issue as I could just use the old ones - not true. The clearance hole on the control arm is a reamed/tapered hole which requires a conical tapered sleeve that fits over the threaded shaft of the ball joint. I cannot find this part anywhere. NAPA, AutoZone, Advance, all don't have it. I won't be able to get to a Subaru OEM dealer until Tuesday, and my car is out of commission until then. What the heck is this part? Can anyone tell me something about it? Here is a pic: In this photo you can see the STi control arm ball joint with the sleeve on it (left), the one on the right is the stamped steel ball joint that goes on the RS. Can anyone tell me something about this? Is the sleeve an individual part? Or is this a different ball joint? Something? I need answers please!

Yeah, I found a guy in the US that has 1 set available - but I'm not telling a soul who it is till I get them! Man, I fought so hard to get some decent answers about the Foz struts/springs. I hate to do it, but I'm going to drop a little $$$ and get something that I like. I worked too hard trying to find the appropriate Outback or Forester spring/strut combo and nobody could tell me anything. I've been racking my head on this issue for months now and still have a pair of STi springs that I bought prematurely. I'm going to have to lay this issue to rest and just drop $1,000 and get my Tokico D-specs and King Springs. This is the only way I can jump bridges in my Soob like the Blues Brothers did - which I'll be trying out immediately after. Buckle up Tom, we got some serious garage work coming up this springs. I'm dropping about $2,000 total on the suspension.

Well all, I've received some news that breaks it all... I contacted King Springs and they had this to say: I am liking this a whole lot. It is a little bit more than I wanted to pay, but what the hell. But the problem is... I CANNOT FIND THESE THINGS ANYWHERE EITHER!!!

Finally! Somebody who can feel my pain! I've never went to a junkyard and pulled, you know a place like that out here where that is possible? I'd be up for doing that, I'm wondering how much they'd charge for that. I have a lead on a '98 Outback right now that a guy is parting out. He's got 170k on it and seemed to use it as a rally car - I'm worried the springs will be shot. I'm still looking, cause I'm not giving up.

Sweet, that would be wonderful, because I'm all out of ideas.

This is the best news I've heard in awhile. Thank you "Elite Master of the Subaru" - you've earned it. However, I've already dropped $400+ on Group-N tophats, so will the Outback springs fit? I think so, just wanted to check. Please let me know. Tom, seriously, I listen to everything you guys say. But that first night when we met and you suggested Outback springs, I went back home and checked with a few reliable sources about them and was told that anything 2001+ will NOT fit. F I T M E N T is the key here. If we all kicked back in Miles garage to do my suspension install and - after pulling everything apart - found out that 2005 Outback springs didn't fit, I doubt you'd be saying: I've got to do some research here. I don't want to start pulling out without proper knowledge of what will go back in. If you would have said, "'96 to '99 Outback springs will fit" I would have bought them that night. But instead I got a vague answer that would not have worked. So believe me, I listen, but I'm doing some research beforehand. So, before this issue is closed, lets finalize it. I got: '99 Outback springs Tokico adj. D-specs (w/ Scooby strut spacers) Group-N front/rear tophats Can I get a solid "hell yeah" before going on? Also, can somebody recommend a vendor that I can get OEM springs at? I seriously cannot find anything, and I'd hate to buy used from 1999. Thanks a ton.

Hey all, I've been on about every Subaru board but this one now. But the word is this is the place where the Subaru zealots dwell. I got some really technical questions, and I hope you all got the answers. I feel all warm inside already. I own a 2005 Subaru Impreza RS, mods: Group N front/rear top hats Primitive front/rear strut tower braces SPT H-brace/crossmember Perrin 22mm rear swaybar Perrin Stout Mounts KartBoy front/rear endlinks Perrin PSRS ALK (incoming) USDM STi springs (looking to sell for something with lift) None of these mods are installed yet, I'm waiting till spring and still need to pick up a few more goodies. Looking to maybe pick up an older Subie to really learn the ins and outs of offroad racing.

OK, my fellow Soob owner Miles recommended me here as he said the tech advice I'd be getting would be a bit better. Let's begin... I own a '05 Impreza RS. I'm looking to do a bit of off-road and want to lift my car from its current ride height. I really don't want to lift so much as to change the suspension geometry and mess with the subframe, so I'm thinking about 1.5" of lift. I am set on using an adjustable strut with this lift, and I'm leaning towards the Tokico D-spec. Now, when I ask this question on DI, I get the "buy a Subtle/Jackson rally 1" spacer" response. No, I don't want to do that, to me that is not a functional lift. I want strut travel and not only .5" before I'm hitting on the bump stop. Therefore, it comes down to the spring. Which is where the issue rests. Right now I have USDM STi springs that I purchased awhile back and thought they would be the way to go - bad move. Today I am thinking that the best thing to do would be to get OEM Outback springs, but I've heard that they wouldn't fit (why not?). I don't want Forester springs as there would be too much modding. I just want a 1.5" lift... Can somebody give me some help?